Friday, November 7, 2025

Re: Petition to Remove Board of Education Member Peter Tufano                                                           

To:
Dr. Layman, Interim Superintendent
Gail DiPane, Board President
Members of the Monroe Township Board of Education

We, the undersigned residents, parents, and community members of Monroe Township, NJ and the greater community of NJ call for the immediate resignation or removal of Board of Education member Peter Tufano.

On November 5, 2025, in response to a Facebook post made on News 12 New Jersey, Mr. Tufano wrote a hateful, harmful, and misogynistic comment to a female community member stating:

“I hope you’re amongst the many rapes that occur there when he ties the hands of NYPD… enjoy.”

Such language is abhorrent, dangerous, and entirely unacceptable—especially from a public official entrusted with the oversight and well-being of more than 7,000 students in our school district. Comments that condone or invoke violence against others have no place in our community, let alone on our Board of Education.

Although Mr. Tufano later attempted to amend his comment by adding the word “not,” his initial statement clearly reflected intent to wish harm on another person. This type of behavior is incompatible with the ethical and moral responsibilities of a Board member. A person willing to compromise the safety or dignity of one individual cannot be trusted to protect the safety and well-being of our students and staff.

Furthermore, Mr. Tufano’s recent comments are not isolated incidents. His history of racist, sexist, and inflammatory rhetoric is well-documented. In 2020, a Change.org petition—signed by more than 5,600 people—called for his removal due to a series of offensive remarks made on social media. As reported by NJ.com on June 9, 2020, these comments included:

Referring to then–Attorney General Gurbir Grewal as “turban man,”
Using derogatory slurs against women, and
Describing Black Lives Matter protesters as “dressed like bums, not groomed and have zero class.”

Comments that demean others based on appearance, race, or gender are not only discriminatory but also constitute harassment and bullying—behaviors our schools explicitly prohibit among students and staff. The same standards must apply to those who govern them. This type of ideology compromises the safety of our school community and undermines the core values that we try to impart in our school district.  

As citizens of Monroe Township, we have a moral and civic duty to hold our elected officials to the highest standard of conduct. Mr. Tufano’s repeated pattern of hateful speech, coupled with his willingness to invoke violence, makes him unfit to serve in any capacity on the Monroe Township Board of Education and/or any form of public office.

We, therefore, call on the Interim Superintendent, the Board Attorney, and the Members of the Monroe Township Board of Education to take immediate action to remove Peter Tufano from the Board.

Our schools must be led by individuals who embody integrity, respect, and a genuine commitment to the safety and inclusion of all.

Sincerely,
The Concerned Residents, Parents, and Community Members of Monroe Township, NJ and Concerned Members of NJ