Amidst national division about the Charlie Kirk assassination, Farmington residents on Monday night alternately defended and criticized school board Chairman Bill Beckert over a controversial message posted briefly to his Facebook page.
Beckert repeated his contention that he didn’t write “They reap what they sow,” didn’t post the message on Facebook, and immediately took it down when he learned of it.
“That post does not reflect how I feel about Charlie Kirk’s work, it was not my words. My heart goes out to his family and to his supporters,” Beckert told a large crowd at the board’s meeting at West District School.
Nevertheless, minutes later Republican board member Nadine Canto called for Beckert, a Democrat, to step down as chairman, saying the debate has become a distraction to the school system’s work.
Democrat Beth Kintner immediately defended Beckert, saying his resignation would be an even bigger distraction. Kintner also said the upcoming municipal election could be playing a role in the debate.
“We really need to stop and be careful about being swayed by politics and the opportunities that present themselves when controversies like this come up,” she said. “It’s this taking advantage of the opportunity for political gain that really upsets me.”
A line of speakers took turns giving character references for Beckert, arguing that he’d given decades of community service in Farmington and insisting that he’d never put up an offensive social media message.
“I believe he’s as horrified by the murder of Mr. Kirk as we all are and would never wish to minimize such loss of life,” resident Anya Beaupre said. “He’s a good man who has devoted a massive amount of time to bettering the town for our kids.”
State Rep. Mike Demicco, a town resident, said “I’ve known Bill Beckert as a friend and colleague for 23 years. I know the offensive Bill to be a man of honor, integrity and compassion. I know that the offensive post that appeared briefly on his Facebook page does not reflect Bill’s values or his views.
“The good people of Farmington and Unionville expect all of us in elective office to lower the temperature, tone down the rhetoric and continue to do good work for our community,” Demicco said.
Others took a different view.
Jennifer Cipolla addresses Farmington’s school board Monday night. (Don Stacom/The Hartford Courant)
Jennifer Cipolla of Farmington said she had been a teacher for 32 years and was disturbed by the message on Beckert’s Facebook page and anti-conservative messages on Kintner’s.
“Those of you who serve are held to a higher standard, just like I am as a teacher,” she told the board. “As a teacher I know if I had posted something like that, there would be no excuses: ‘That’s it, you’re on leave – we’ll figure it out later,’ and it probably wouldn’t be good.”
She said Beckert and Kintner should both resign.
Later Monday night, she posted on Facebook “They both need to step down and never serve public office again. I don’t know these people personally but now I know their hearts. I don’t want them in charge of my children’s education.”
Greta Currier, a recent Farmington High School graduate, said she’s a Republican who often felt intimidated into hiding her political views in high school for fear of harassment.
“Open dialogue felt unwelcome, especially for those who held conservative views,” Currier said. She acknowledged Beckert’s First Amendment rights, but said “I also strongly feel no one who condones violence and supports the censorship of those with opposing views diretly or indirectly should serve on our Board of Education.”
John Stelzer offered to pay for what he called “an independent review” that would examine where the post on Beckert’s page came from.
“If it comes from a device that’s locked like a cellphone or a computer, then we know it came from you,” he said, looking at Beckert. “If it doesn’t and it comes from a hacked account elsewhere, then you’re vindicated. If it does, then you’re also a liar.”
Beckert said in his opening remarks that he has I.T. workers trying to trace where the post came from.
John Schoenhorn, an attorney and local wetlands official, spoke in Beckert’s defense.
“I’m a trial lawyer. We heard Bill Bechert say he did not write that post, and that when he saw it on his Facebook he immediately took it down,” Schoenhorn said.
“I assume everyone in this room at least believes in general about the presumption of innocence,” he said. “If any of you who assume Bill wrote that, I’ll suggest if you’re ever polled for jury duty and your’e under oath, you’ll have to say you don’t believe in the presumption of innocence. You’ll have to say ‘I assume a person is guilty just because they’re accused.’ ”
