In flap over LGBTQ+ mural, did Fantasia side with GSE, against Archdiocese?

 
Everyone familiar with the records of County Commissioner Dawn Fantasia and Mayor Mike Inganamort pretty much accepts that they are liberal on many social issues. In January, Fred Snowflack of Insider NJ noted that the two had been attacked by “some on the right” for “supporting gay pride resolutions” and other acts of “wokeism” (like flying the LGBTQ+ flag alongside the American flag).
 
Of course, “gay pride” isn’t the issue. The issue is what some of those other letters stand for and especially that open ended “+” sign. “T” is in support of the very controversial transgenderism movement being thrust upon school children at a very inappropriate age. “+” includes such letters a “K” for sado-masochistic “Kink”. No responsible elected official should be placing the force of government behind such things, giving them government’s seal of approval. It is simply irresponsible.
 
At a recent public meeting, Dawn Fantasia tried to take credit for the idea in 2019 to place a question on the ballot in Sussex County that opposed Governor Phil Murphy’s Sanctuary State directive. This is in no way true or honest. The idea belonged entirely to this blog – a blog Ms. Fantasia has repeatedly attacked. The idea belonged to the blogger who was assisting the Sussex County GOP at the time and there is an extensive email exchange that involves every elected Republican at the county and state level that documents this.
 
In fact, Ms. Fantasia related her concerns to this blogger that she was exposed on the issue of illegal immigration because the charter school she ran had a large number of children of undocumented immigrants. Commissioner Fantasia has a long affiliation with ILearn Schools, Inc., which runs several charter schools in Bergen and Passaic Counties.
 
In reviewing that email exchange, we came across an email sent from Ms. Fantasia on May 24, 2019. The “Subject” line read: “Re: statement from the archdiocese of newark murals” (sic). Ms. Fantasia wrote:
 
This is our high school. I have multiple conference calls regarding this again today, and I've spoken to Tom Prol. The article is filled with an incredible amount of misinformation and this is completely blown out of proportion.
School will have additional statement.
 
This link was attached:
 

https://www.insidernj.com/press-release/archdiocese-newark-statement-regarding-bascs-mural/

 
The “Tom Prol” referred to is a founder and board member of Garden State Equality, the state’s most prominent LGBTQ+ lobby and political action group. Ms. Fantasia chose Tom Prol to swear her in as County Commissioner.
 
An attorney, Tom Prol has become a prominent public vendor in Sussex County. He has received lucrative government contracts in a supposedly Republican-controlled County. This is curious, given his decidedly left-of-center lobbying position. Garden State Equality provided much of the content and direction in establishing the LGBTQ+ sex-ed curriculum mandated by the Murphy administration.
 
The controversy was about a mural painted on a cafeteria pillar at a facility shared by the Bergen Arts and Science Charter School (an ILearn school) and Holy Trinity Church in Hackensack. Commissioner Fantasia is the middle school principal at the Bergen Arts and Science Charter School. Ms. Fantasia has been with ILearn Schools (and its predecessor) since 2008, serving as Chief Growth Officer and Chief Communications Officer.
 
The mural was painted “to support the LGBT community.” The painting featured a rainbow heart and interlocking abstract male figures. Fr. Paul Prevosto, pastor of Holy Trinity Church, asked administrators at Bergen Arts and Science Charter School to paint over the mural, after parishioners complained that church property was being used for the display. Parishioners described the mural as “sexual” in nature.
 
Bergen Arts and Science leases the school building from Holy Trinity. Both the church and the school share use of common spaces including the cafeteria, which the church uses for events and parties.
 
The lease agreement between the school and church states that “due to the Catholic nature of the Landlord, [the] Tenant promises to conduct no affairs or establish any organizations that would be contrary to its Catholic moral values, ethics and faith.”
 
Garden State Equality wasted no time in trashing the Archdiocese and Holy Trinity parish. GSE executive director Chris Fuscarino complained that Holy Trinity had caused the school to end its “long-running daily educational program” that celebrated LGBTQ+ figures during Pride Month. He also cited the removal of a poster “supportive” of LGBTQ+ students, signed by faculty and students, declaring a “safe space”.
 
Fuscarino said: “This type of hate-fueled bigotry is precisely why New Jersey needs LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum.” Murphy’s LGBTQ+ Curriculum Law passed in January 2019, and took effect in 2020. The Bergen Arts and Science Charter School worked with GSE to implement the law.
 
Garden State Equality board member Tom Prol called it “rank censorship and out of step with New Jersey values”.  

Dawn Fantasia was sworn in as director of Sussex County's Board of County Commissioners on Wednesday, with attorney Tom Prol administering her oath. SOURCE: Sussex County website/ social media.

“We have now sunk to a depth at which restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men.

If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.

In times of universal deceit, telling the truth will be a revolutionary act.”

George Orwell

 

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