Monday, May 31, 2010

A Bit of Campaign Season Silliness

Assemblyman Green has cast aspersions again as he tends to do near the end of a local political campaign. This time Inez Durham is in his spotlight. Why would he insinuate that she has some responsibility for Plainfield's Board of Education woes and at the same time connect her to Rebecca Williams, challenger to Green's incumbent candidate for City Council? The answer is Steve Gallon. This is a campaign tactic that can be called guilt by association. I would like to set the record straight on Inez Durham.

Inez has a record of exemplary service to the Plainfield community. I know of her work directly through our joint service as Board of Education members. Inez has had a long and successful career as an educator and, I believe, she retired after serving as Assistant Superintendent of Schools in Piscataway. She was and is exactly the kind of person we need in Plainfield to strengthen our community. If we had ten more of Inez, Plainfield would be a lot better off.

It was her reputation and track record of community service that led Steve Gallon to offer her a job. She took it and served briefly, not because she needed the work, but because she saw an opportunity to once again help the Plainfield school system. If Assemblyman Green looked into the circumstances of her leaving this position, he would know how inaccurate and unjust his blog post is. But we are in what many call "silly season", when politicians twist facts and count on the voters accepting distorted viewpoints.

Cooler heads are part of the Assemblyman's campaign team and they need to set the record straight on Inez, unless of course if the Assemblyman himself does so first.