Brian Mason: Why I Dropped Out Of The Middletown BOE Race

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — On Wednesday, Middletown resident Brian Mason announced he was dropping out of this fall's Board of Education race, just one week after all five candidates announced their candidacy.

Now on Thursday, Mason, 48 — a father of seven, five of whom are in Middletown public schools — tells Patch why he bowed out.

"A lot of people I know have been telling me I should run for the BOE. I always go to PFA events at River Plaza and I'm usually one of the only dads there. But when I declared my candidacy, I didn't check who else was running" he said. "There are three seats up for election this fall and with me, Jaime Sanacore and Kate Farley running, there is a chance we would have knocked Joan Minnuies off."

Mason said he is a Minnuies fan and wants very much for her to be re-elected to the Board this November.

The seat currently held by Minnuies is up for election, and she is running; the seat currently held by Deborah Wright is up for election, and she is running. And the seat currently held by Tom Giaimo is up for election, but Giaimo decided not to seek re-election.

Mason said he thinks "it's a good thing Giaimo decided not to run."

"I think it's time we need a lot of new blood on that board," he added, saying that he most disagrees with Wright and Giaimo.

Mason describes himself politically as "an ex-Democrat turned conservative. I used to be a big Democrat." He said he takes issue with what he says is "woke culture" being taught to schoolchildren.

"I'm a conservative but I'm not going to put my Republican conservative values on your children," he said. "What we have happening in a lot of in Middletown schools is teachers who have been shamed by other teachers when it comes out they are conservative or Republican. These are teachers who really got along well with their students."

Mason said he chose to run because of "political" events that happened on Middletown school grounds last year — namely, the Black Lives Matter march and speaker event held at High School North at the end of last June.

"It was a political rally and you are not allowed to have political rallies on school grounds. I could have a Joe Biden or Trump rally on Rt. 35, but could I have it on school grounds? No. That always really stuck in my craw," he said. "And I think that Tom and Deborah were people who supported it. The students should have the freedom to do it, but not on school grounds and paid for with school funds."

Giaimo and Wright did not immediately respond when asked by Patch. More than 500 Middletown teen and parents attended that march at High School North and they said it was to bring attention to racism in America.

Mason said teen suicide and drug overdoses are bigger problems for the Middletown community than racism and police brutality.

"We don't have a police brutality problem in Middletown," he said. "But we have a suicide and drug overdose problem. Grab anyone you see in Middletown and ask them if they know someone. 'Oh yeah, I have a friend whose son ...' or 'I know someone in my neighborhood whose kid died of suicide.' That's what we need to be talking about."

Had he been elected to the board, Mason said he has some ideas: He wants to introduce a first responder program into Middletown schools, such as an EMT and firefighter-training program for students, to encourage volunteerism and civic awareness.

Mason himself works as a first responder bridge and tunnel agent with the Port Authority.

He also praised how Middletown schools have prepared for a school shooting and made buildings and facilities more secure, such as installing silent panic alarms.

"But while our schools have become more secure, our curriculum has become less open," he said. "People are often shocked when they learn what is being taught to their kids, when they don't agree with it. For example, in our schools I think we're promoting an agenda that promotes the over-sexualization of children. And most people don't know where to get the information from when they have questions."

Mason said he backs the candidacy of Sanacore and Farley. He said he agrees with their values.

"They have high standards; they are extremely educated and successful," he said. "You're going to have two good women's voice on the BOE that will work and advocate for their children."

These are all four candidates running for Middletown BOE this fall; vote for three:

• Joan Minnuies
• Jaime Sanacore
• Kate Farley
• Deborah Wright
• Brian Mason dropped out Aug. 4 and announced he is throwing his support behind Jaime Sanacore and Kate Farley.

The election is Nov. 2.

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