Sex Ed Opponents Oust Incumbents In Ocean City Election

OCEAN CITY, NJ — Four newcomers are prevailing in the Ocean City Board of Education election, per unofficial results, and three of them are fighting the sexual education standards that have sparked controversy across the state and played a major role in elections this year.

Elizabeth Nicoletti, Catherine Panico and Kevin Barnes ousted the incumbents for a three-year term, according to unofficial numbers from the Cape May County Clerk's Office, while Robin Shaffer took a one-year unexpired seat.

Nicoletti, Panico and Shaffer have been a fixture at Board of Education meetings for a while, often blasting the controversial sex education standards that were narrowly adopted by a 6-5 vote in August. Read More: Revised Sex Ed Curriculum Adopted In Ocean City Schools

Those three were also reportedly part of a September rally against the standards that emphasized the LGBTQ education aspect. It was at this rally that Rev. Gregory Quinlan, president and executive director of The Center for Garden State Families in Parsippany, gave a speech that "condemned homosexuality" and claimed that these programs are "grooming" children. Read More: Petition Supports LGTBQ Students In Ocean City After Protest

"If elected, I will work with other board members who put academic excellence and the safety of children first to repeal and replace the new standards with the previous version," Shaffer previously told Patch. "I will work to ensure that any new curriculum based on the most objectionable standards is implemented in such a way to ensure no child is harmed by it."

"Let me be frank: I won't let our children become guinea pigs for social justice crusaders. I want our schools to focus on fundamental skills in core subject areas to rebuild what was lost during the pandemic," Shaffer said.

Nicoletti and Panico told the Ocean City Sentinel that they would support the children and represent the taxpayers.

"Policies and curriculum design are best communicated publicly and to be free from political bias," Panico told the outlet.

She said that her priority was to make decisions that work best for the families.

Nicoletti told the newspaper that her team spirit, competitive nature and conservative values would help "bring the Ocean City School District to a whole new level and stand for what Ocean City’s core values were founded on."

"I want the best for all kids and I believe strongly in the United States Constitution and that we should go back to the basics. We have gotten way off course," Nicoletti told the outlet.

Fellow newcomer Barnes told the Sentinel that he is focusing on lack of transparency and accountability on the school board.

"The school board must be much more transparent in their deliberations and decision-making processes. The parents and the community have a right to know the ‘how and why’ of school board decisions," he told the outlet.

Once the Cape May County Clerk's Office certifies the results, winners will officially be named. The new school board members will be sworn in during a January meeting.