To the editor:

What qualities do we look for in a candidate running for a seat on the Bristol Warren Regional School Committee?

I will list a few examples of behaviors one candidate, Daryl Gould, admits “may be off-putting to some people”: calling a woman a pejorative slang word  and a “piece of garbage” on a Facebook livestream (this video has since been deleted), telling a woman in a comment thread — who told him she was of Jewish descent — to “be a good citizen” and to “fill out [her] contact tracing notebook while [she] waits for the next train,” while proceeding to ask his Facebook followers to check on that same woman to “make sure she didn’t put her head in an oven”; and messaging a man he called a “wife-beater” and telling him to “fast forward to the part where you off yourself. You can stream it on Facebook.”

Before you judge those remarks, rest assured, Mr. Gould tells us that we should “look under the surface” because he “walks the walk and stands behind what [he] says.”

What exactly are we looking for? Should we grab our magnifying glasses and begin to decode his statements, looking for clues to justify his actions?

Mr. Gould might argue that these comments have been taken out of context and that there are justifiable reasons as to why he posted them or that he was joking, i.e., the off-color Holocaust “joke.” However, context aside, those specific comments (there are plenty more) are objectively appalling, and he chose to post them on his public Facebook page.

Deplorable social media posts aside, the Rhode Island Ethics Commission once filed a complaint against Mr. Gould as he failed to file his 2017 Financial Disclosure Statement within (30) days of the deadline for candidacy as required by R.I. Gen Laws §36-14-16 (c) and only did so in September 2019. However, due to the 500-word limit of this letter, you may research his financial irresponsibility via a quick Google search.

As someone who has worked as a substitute teacher within the district since 2016, and who cares deeply about the children that I work with along with the hardworking staff that I have gotten to know so well, knowing that an individual like Mr. Gould could secure a seat on the school committee concerns me. There comes a point in time when an individual must be held accountable for their actions, and it seems as though Mr. Gould has been able to get away with his questionable behavior for far too long.

Based on his history, I do not believe Mr. Gould is fit to make decisions regarding the well-being of our schools. With this in mind, I urge you to vote responsibly.

Samantha Brilhante

515 Child St.