The July 8, 2025 Hardyston Board of Education meeting featured a transparent, if at times tense, discussion about the district’s proposed school climate survey policy. It included public votes, on-the-record debate, and real questions about language, costs, and priorities.
In the days that followed, Board President Donna Carey released a public statement that raised more eyebrows than answers. What should have been a measured clarification quickly turned into an emotional, accusatory outburst, complete with personal attacks, distortions of fact, and sweeping attempts to discredit anyone who disagreed with her.
This post exists to do what Carey’s statement didn’t: stick to the facts.
📌 Let’s separate reality from rhetoric.
✅ Tony Alfano really did say:
“I took that out because I didn’t like it.”
This wasn’t made up. It was said aloud, during the meeting, in front of the public. That quote is on video and in the transcript.
✅ Nick Demsak really did push back - with facts.
Demsak calmly explained what “equity” and “inclusivity” mean in K-8 education: not political jargon, but fairness and belonging. Carey wants to reframe the conversation as a political fight - it wasn’t. It was a policy debate.
✅ The vote to reinsert the original language failed 4-3.
That number isn’t up for interpretation. The majority of the board chose to remove terms that speak directly to whether students feel accepted and treated fairly. It’s fair - and necessary - to question that.
🧾 What actually happened with the vendor conversation?
Carey now claims she was merely “exploring” free options for third-party survey tools. But when directly asked during the meeting to name one, she couldn’t. No provider. No framework. No plan.
Yet the policy moved forward, including language about using third-party vendors - without confirming who they are, whether they’re vetted, or how this would be funded.
That’s not transparency. That’s hoping the details work themselves out later.
❌ Her “rogue website” claim? Just another smokescreen.
Carey tried to discredit this platform by suggesting it mimics official school communication. That’s flatly false.
This site explicitly states:
“This domain is not affiliated with the Hardyston School District and should not be seen as an official endorsement.”
Carey’s response didn’t refute the facts - so she attacked the messenger.
👎 And then, the personal attacks…
In perhaps the most revealing part of her statement, Carey accused a former board candidate of having a “vendetta,” called this article “malicious,” and dismissed public concern as the product of “bitterness.”
Let’s be clear: holding elected officials accountable isn’t bitterness. It’s democracy.
This wasn’t just an overreaction - it was a meltdown, using her title to lash out instead of lead.
👻 And now… anonymous smear comments?
Following Carey’s statement, a few anonymous comments began to surface online - parroting her tone and doubling down on personal attacks instead of engaging with the facts.
One read:
“Wow, is this the guy who came in last place in last year’s BOE election? He now seems to be very upset against the people who beat him who the voters elected over him. Now, his current online manifesto is demanding that ‘equity’ not be removed from the Hardyston School District’s policy’s. This is just one of many factors that shows his ideology is strictly from the left.”
Another anonymous user wrote:
“This isn’t nearly as disturbing as some of the other things I’ve heard about this man and his pals. Be very concerned about who your new members may be. My children are grown but I’d be taking them out if these rumors are true. Not nice people. Really really sad.”
Let’s be honest - these aren’t policy arguments. These are unsubstantiated personal smears, vague fearmongering, and ideological labeling designed to intimidate, not inform.
And they speak volumes.
When leadership creates or enables a culture where the response to disagreement is anonymous character assassination, it’s no longer about kids - it’s about control. If simply defending the word equity in a school policy brings this kind of vitriol, it raises serious questions about what kind of leadership culture is being fostered.
We don’t need political purity tests or conspiracy whispers in the comment section.
We need facts. We need professionalism. And we need leadership that isn’t afraid of honest questions.
🧭 Final Thoughts
Public service requires maturity. It means listening to criticism without assuming conspiracy. It means answering questions without resorting to character attacks.
The questions raised on July 8 - about what “equity” means, who will run the survey, how it will be funded - are all legitimate. If Carey can’t address those without resorting to name-calling, perhaps the real issue isn’t the article - it’s the mirror it holds up.
This response isn’t about politics. It’s about transparency, accountability, and basic respect for the public.
We encourage everyone to watch the full meeting, read the transcripts, and judge for yourselves.
Because facts - not outbursts - are what our students deserve.