New Middletown BOE Candidate Caterina Skalaski: Why I'm Running

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — A new candidate has joined the Putting Children First slate of Frank Capone and Jacqueline Tobacco as they seek re-election to the Middletown school board this year.

The candidate is Caterina Skalaski, 47, a mother of three children in the public school district, ages 12, 9 and 7. She, her husband and children live in the Middletown South section of town.

"I'm Brooklyn born and bred. I'm just a mom who loves to cook and take care of my family," Skalaski told Patch Tuesday, the day her candidacy was announced. "I always put being a mom first. I have old-school values and I believe respect and integrity can take you far in life."

Skalaski said she always had an active interest in her children's education — "I think that's one of my responsibilities as a parent" — but it wasn't until the pandemic that she decided to take a more outspoken role.

"That was when I started attending Board of Education meetings and speaking at them. I stood up and made my presence vocal and aware. The Board seemed to appreciate me and see me," she said. "The way things went down in the pandemic, when Murphy shut down the schools and mandated masks for our children — basically, I wasn't happy with his decision making."

She said it was Capone and Tobacco who initially approached her to run for the school board this year. Skalaski and Tobacco are also involved in many parental rights' groups, many of which battle the Democrat-controlled state government and Gov. Murphy administration.

"I met met her at the same time I met (BOE member) Kate Farley three years ago as part of a group of parents on Facebook fighting to get kids back in school," said Tobacco. "She had enough. She said she was ready to make sure her kids knew she fought for them."

Skalaski said a key point of why she's running is to limit how much involvement the state government has in her children's education.

"I do not co-parent with Gov Murphy. My children are not his children. He doesn't have the same parental rights that I have. I'm just a mom fighting for what's right for my children."

She said she applauds the Middletown school board's current fight with the Murphy administration over its transgender student policy — where parents will be notified if a child seeks to use a different bathroom or go by a different name or pronoun in school. She said in the past year, she was "extremely uncomfortable" with the fact that the Middletown school district allowed children to use a bathroom of their choice, even if it did not match their gender at birth.

"I was extremely uncomfortable the district was allowing that to happen. I 100 percent feel parents should be notified of anything going on their children's life: They have to get our permission for the child to go on a field trip; we are notified if they see the school nurse. But we are not notified of what could be the biggest change in a child's life? It's a violation of my constitutional right as a parent."

The decision to pass that policy got the Middletown school district sued by the state Attorney General. Skalaski said of that:

"I think it's great. It's great because Frank and Jackie won't back down from what Gov. Murphy wanted to impose on the school district. I think we're setting the standard where we will not stand for parents not being able to participate in their child's lives. I am hoping Middletown will become a role model for other school districts in the state."

But some say the political fight Middletown picked with the state forces the already cash-strapped school district to pay expensive legal fees.

"I think both sides feel strongly about this — the town and the state. I don't think anyone won this fight yet," she said.

Others say the Middletown school board has gotten too political.

"I don't think politics are in the schools," said Skalaski. "Schools are made for teaching and our children. Parents should parent ands schools should teach and leave it at that."

Said Tobacco Tuesday:

"Caterina has been beside us fighting since COVID mandates and lockdowns and has been a consistent vocal presence at board meetings for the last 2.5 years. I am honored and grateful to have a strong mama bear on our slate this year! Cat’s dedication and commitment will be a welcome addition to this board."

"Caterina is an incredible advocate for parental rights, and her dedication and passion for the district are truly exceptional. She will make a great addition to the Middletown Board of Education," said Capone.

Capone and Tobacco previously were elected to the Middletown school board with Harmony "Barry" Heffernan. The trio have since parted ways. Heffernan's seat is up for election this year and he last said publicly he was not sure if he would run again. He said Tuesday he doesn't know Skalaski.