Another controversial Facebook post has surfaced two and a half years after it originally appeared, this time from a Republican candidate for the Board of Education.
A Republican candidate for Board of Assessment Appeals, an incumbent running in this year’s election, “hearts” the private post that has since been screenshotted and shared with TBE and other members of the community.
The post depicts a Star of David, in yellow with the word, “Covid,” in the center, and circling the star, “Scamdemic Jabby” across the top and “Noncompliance” across the bottom.
The use of the Star of David in this capacity, trivializing the experience of Jews in the Holocaust by comparing it to requirements for Covid vaccinations during the pandemic, is considered antisemitic and highly offensive.
The poster, Jennifer Van Gorder, is on this year’s ballot running unopposed for a two-year term for the Board of Education as part of a controversial endorsement brokered by Mayor Jeffrey Caggiano and Republican Town Committee chair Whit Betts.
Van Gorder has been the subject of controversy for her stands as an anti-vaxxer and anti-masker. Her endorsement came over the objections of several RTC committee members, including current Board of Education chair Jen Dube.
Mary Alford, a longtime Republican stalwart who has run for mayor and now holds a seat on the Board of Assessment Appeals, responded to Van Gorder’s post that appeared in May 2021.
Late this summer, racist and white supremacist posts appeared on the Facebook page of the manager of the Bristol Farmers Market. He has since resigned.
In addition, over the past two and a half years, Bristol has been the target of several racist, white supremacist and antisemitic incidents, which have attracted statewide and national attention.
TBE will be following up on this story.
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