By Dan Murphy
Who is this unmasked man? The above photo has been circulating on Social Media since an August 5 protest held in Briarcliff Manor for a NYS GOP fundraiser attended by former President Donald Trump included members of The Proud Boys.
Also in attendance were progressive democrats and members of Westchester Indivisble, some of who posted the photo online, asking if this person in the grey suit who found himself next to The Proud Boys was also a member of the NY GOP.
Many democrats, progressives and Indivisible members claim that the man was Stephen Mayo, a New Rochelle resident and activist, who has been spending some time in Yorktown and with tables outside of Yorktown High School and near Town Hall with literature for SOS, Save Our Schools.
We spoke to Mayo and he denies that he is in the photo or at the rally, and we take him at his word. If anyone knows who is in that photo, let us know.
The disagreement over who is in the photo is symbolic of the passionate disagreements on both sides of the issue of the teaching of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, (DEI) teaching in Westchester schools.
Mayo serves on the Board of SOS, Save our Schools for Westchester Children. Mayo and other members of SOS have attended school board meetings in the Yorktown and Lakeland School District, speaking out against what they call, (CRT), Critical Race Theory. During these board meetings the Superintendents of both the Yorktown and Lakeland School stated that CRT is not being taught in their schools, but a version of the DEI education coming from the NYS Department of Education.
We received the following letter from a Yorktown resident about Mr. Mayo and his presence in Yorktown and his recent OP-ED in our Sept. 10 issue, which can be found at YonkersTimes.com
Mr. Murphy, “I have been receiving phone messages and emails about Stephen Mayo. Some are wondering who he is. They see him at a lot of school board meetings in northern Westchester, especially in the Yorktown and Lakeland school districts. Some have asked if he is the same person that was photographed with the Proud Boys in Briarcliff Manor last month, because it looks like the same person to them. Others are more concerned about his rhetoric and support of SOS, and the fact that he is a member of SOS. Angela Sculti, the Mother of the Republican candidate for County Executive, Christine Sculti, is one of the leaders and founder of SOS. Thank you in advance, Sincerely, Karen RS Yorktown.”
900 members of Yorktown for Justice have come out in support of DEI eduction in the Yorktown Schools. We also printed that letter in our Sept. 10 issue and online at YonkersTimes.com.
Marisa Ragonese, from Yorktown for Justice said, “it’s important that we have a group advocating for inclusion and the celebration of diversity. Lately, with all of the controversy, there is so much disinformation, we wanted to make it clear we at Yorktown for Justice -we support these initiatives, and we don’t want these negative messages about DEI out there without a positive affirming message in response.”
“The DEI framework is from the NYS Board of Regents. Opponents like SOS don’t like the starting point that racism is systematic. But racism is embedded in our institutions and how our country developed. Racism is systematic.”
“We have 900 members of Yorktown for Justice and a lot more are supportive of making our schools safe. Some in our community want more information, but most want to see a productive, learning environment. And lets talk about the horrible racism in our society, to get a better sense of truth to build a better society.”
Christine Sculti is not connected to SOS other than through her mother, but she does support the goals of SOS and recently attended an SOS rally, which she posted on her Facebook page. “On Sunday in Yorktown, I was honored to rally with Save of Schools (SOS) for Westchester Children —a parent-led grassroots movement. In my remarks I said, “The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. told us we must be judged by the content of our character and not the color of our skin. CRT wants to turn that on its head. They want to sow division and fear to separate children, families and neighbors. This simply cannot be allowed to stand…Instead, let’s put kids first to ensure our public schools teach kids historical facts as they occurred. To love our country, despite the difficult past, as they gain the knowledge and understanding of why America is a beacon of hope around the world, because of our cherished ideals; born of great struggle and great sacrifice.”
“Now is the time! Please join other SOS parents, grandparents and kid first advocates who are standing up for transparency in our public schools, as CRT/CR-S —in all its forms— must not be implemented. We must stop any attempt to separate (or worse segregate!) our kids and our community by petitioning schools and speaking up at school board meetings. This common sense approach is to be commended as it give voice to kids, who are the most vulnerable among us,” posted Christine Sculti on her Facebook page for County Executive.
Marisa Ragonese said that Sculti’s support of SOS, “is a disgrace and she needs not to get into office. All well meaning people need to show up and vote and show there is no room for hate and fearmongering.”
But Sculti also has a large number of SOS supporters who will vote for her for County Executive on Nov. 2, and in the Town of Yorktown, SOS has among its largest number of supporters in Westchester. That is why Mayo can be seen outside of Yorktown High School with SOS information.
Mayo told us public education is worth fighting for. And its time to have the discussion, and that is where its taking place in Yorktown and the Lakeland School Districts, not in New Rochelle, where he lives.
Mayo offered to participate in a forum about the differing views on DEI, and we would welcome that opportunity to host such a forum, in an attempt to hear both sides of this very controversial issue.
Many political observers in Westcheter believe that the debate of DEI and SOS falls along political party lines. “As was the case with Astorino-Latimer, and Biden-Trump, and now with Latimer-Sculti, the two sides are locked in and deeply apart, with very few undecided, indpendents left. Most people know about Sculti and her support of SOS, its on her website so it shouldn’t be a surprise.
Many who know Mayo from New Rochelle politics and school board meetings, despite his claims to the contrary, still believe that its him in the photo with The Proud Boys. To that, Mayo told us, “I can’t prove a negative. It is not me in the photo.”
And in an email to us, Mayo wrote, “Funny; friend showed me shot week ago. Handsome Devil looks like me but isn’t. I’m taller and wear neck press pass at Trump events, (helps keep me out of trouble).”
Another Sound Shore Democrat who has known Mayo for a long time says that Mayo is to blame for “making a mountain out of a molehill. When I saw the picture with The Proud Boys, it doesn’t even look like he is with them. Now that he has denied its him, it makes the story bigger. How far will someone take it to prove, or disprove, that’s its Steve Mayo in the photo. Are we going to have to use facial recognition to get people to admit where they were? “
And that is the point of this story, and the displaying of the photo on the front page. We are deeply divided in our society, to the point of not being able to confirm the identity of persons in protests, and also not being able to have an intelligent discussion about diversity education in our public schools.
