Robert Fisher Unopposed for Park Ridge Board of Education, Will become New Jersey’s Youngest elected official
Robert Fisher Unopposed for Park Ridge Board of Education, Will become New Jersey’s Youngest elected official
With the ink barely dry on his high school diploma, a political activist from Bergen County will serve on the board that governs the school district he just graduated from. Robert Fisher, an 18-year-old trailblazer, has gained notoriety in Bergen County as the former Field Director for Senator Holly Schepisi (R-River Vale) and the youngest member of the Bergen County Republican Organization (BCRO)’s policy committee. He is one of three candidates running for the three seats of the Park Ridge Board of Education this fall and will succeed retiring members Deborah Clare and Lauren Sum. He is unopposed for the office, along with incumbent Natalie Agoos and newcomer Rachelle Browne. Fisher says he is eager to serve on the board but wants to make systemic changes to a school district he believes is failing students.
“I am excited to begin serving the people of Park Ridge as a member of their Board of Education,” said Fisher. “This is undoubtedly a great honor, but it will come with many daunting responsibilities. For too long, the Park Ridge B.O.E. has raised taxes in our town, while our schools’ rankings continue to drop. It is simply unacceptable that our superintendent is one of the highest-paid public employees in New Jersey, while students perform below expectations every single year. Our teachers are deprived of what they need to teach their classes, while the budget still soars every single year. There is absolutely no reason a Superintendent should be making $189 per student when neighboring towns (such as Ridgewood and Paramus) pay between $30-40 per student. I’m running first and foremost to provide our students with the quality education they need while lowering taxes by eliminating or reducing bureaucracy in the district.”
Although Fisher will be one of the youngest elected officials in the country, he knows that his age will not impact his ability to serve his constituents.
“I know this school district better than most. I walked the hallways of Park Ridge High School not long ago, and I know students and teachers alike are suffering due to funds filling administrators’ pockets, not buying teachers’ equipment or adding more Honors and AP classes. Not only that, but I will stand up to Governor Murphy’s pseudoscientific and inappropriate sex & racial education curriculum, which the current Board has failed to do. I may be young, but I’m not stupid, and neither are the people of Park Ridge.”
“I’m thrilled that Robert will be taking on this role to deliver what the voters of Park Ridge so desperately need,” said Tim Walsh, Chairman of the Bergen County Young Republicans (BCYRs). “He is a dogged fighter for the town of his roots and will no doubt be a thorn in the side of high taxes and indoctrination in public education.”