Kids First Campaign: Independence or Political Machine?

1️⃣ The Contradictions You Can’t Ignore

The Kids First team claims to be independent, but their own campaign message reveals their true goal: “To continue this great work, we must maintain current majority (5 to 4).”

How can they claim independence while openly working to maintain a political machine?

🔍 Claim vs. Reality: The Evidence

1. “Independent Team” or Controlled Political Machine?

• Their claim: “Kids First is an independent team”
• The reality: Their voting records show:
  • Zero dissenting votes among members on major issues
  • Publicly stated goal to maintain 5-4 majority

2. “Family Values” While Attacking Volunteers

• Their claim: “Stand firm on family values”
• Their actions: Dismissing PTA parents as “ladies who host parties on your dime”
  • These are the same volunteers who:
    • Organize book fairs that fund classroom supplies
    • Run after-school programs and events at no cost to taxpayers
    • Raise thousands annually for student activities

3. “Transparent Dialogue” While Silencing Critics

• Their claim: “Guarantees open, fair, and transparent dialogue”
• Their record:
  • Called critics “disruptors” when asking tough questions
  • Improperly cut off debate in multiple meetings in violation of Parliamentary procedure
  • The campaign message they shared on social media had 4 public comments that were subsequently hidden or deleted, further demonstrating their lack of transparency

4. “Your Advocates” or Power Protectors?

• Their slogan: “Your advocates - even when it’s unpopular”
• Their priority: “Maintain current majority” above all else
  • What about advocating for:
    • Students who need support?
    • Taxpayers demanding accountability?
    • Parents wanting real dialogue?

🚨 Ties to Establishment Politicians

Despite claiming to be an “independent team,” Kids First received significant endorsements from:

• Frank Cicerale, former Hardyston Mayor
• Brian Kaminski, former Hardyston Deputy Mayor current Mayor
• Senator Parker Space

These endorsements from establishment politicians raise serious questions about their true independence. How can a group claiming to be independent receive such strong backing from the very political figures they’re supposed to be separate from?

❓ Questions They Won’t Answer

1. If you’re truly independent, why the need for a guaranteed majority?
2. How does insulting volunteers demonstrate “family values”?
3. When did restricting public comment become “transparent dialogue”?
4. Who exactly are you advocating for, if not all residents?

🚩 Why This Matters

This isn’t about politics - it’s about trust and consistency. When campaign promises contradict actual behavior, voters should ask:

• Are these the values we want leading our schools?
• Is this the transparency our community deserves?
• Shouldn’t our board focus on students, not power retention?

Hardyston needs leaders who match their actions to their words. The evidence shows Kids First doesn’t.

💰 The Influence of Special Interests

Election records reveal that Kids First campaigns received significant funding from a single local developer in the last few election cycles. This raises serious concerns about their independence and potential conflicts of interest. When a political group’s funding comes from a developer with interests in local land use and zoning decisions, it creates an appearance of impropriety that undermines their claims of putting “kids first.”

All facts cited from public records and the campaign’s own materials. The contradictions speak for themselves.