By Dan Murphy
A candidate for Carmel School Board took down dozens of Racist Facebook posts only after being exposed by several parents and voters in the upcoming school board election on May 17.
Bobby Palazzo apologized “to those who I offended,” and added, “I’ve done a lot of good things with the Knights of Columbus and my church. I am in no way racist. I have friends of all colors, shapes and sizes.”
He tried to explain the unexplainable, by claiming that he lost his real estate job because of the economy under former President Obama, and that is why more than 50 posts show President Obama as a monkey, and other crude postings and attacks on Michele Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and Hillary Clinton.
Most of the posts are 10 years old, but a few are from 2018 and published reports claim that they run as recent as 2020. Palazzo, 70, has lived in Carmel for 40 years. “I’m only running for a school board. I’m not running for president or any political position,” Palazzo said, referencing two videos that sports reporter Jeff Pearlman posted to YouTube on May 6 and 7 which have now been taken down. “He made me like I was an animal,” said Palazzo.
Pearlman, a former Carmel resident, and Melissa Jay-Orser, a Carmel schools parent, let the effort on Facebook to apprise the community of Palazzo’s 12 year collection of racists posts. “Carmel community I cannot sit back silently while we have a racist, misogynist, anti-Semitic transphobic, Islamsphobic, Anti-immigrant promoter of suicide hateful Man named Bobby Palazzo running for Carmel school board. I have a duty to tell the community what type of person Bobby Palazzo is and protect our students and staff in anyway I can. There is no place for this type of hate in our community. A school board trustee has an obligation to all members of our school community, our black students and staff our Jewish students and staff our Muslim students and staff our LGBTQ students and staff our Latino students and staff, Our immigrant students and staff. A man like Bobby Palazzo who is willing to put his hatred on social media does not care how his hate divides and destroys a community like Carmel. A School board trustee has an obligation to treat and protect all students and staff equally. Please read for yourself the many posts of Bobby Palazzo. In His campaign introduction he proudly states that he is amember of the Knights of Columbus (Carmel/Kent)Council 6318 for over 35 years; This organization has been a great supporter of the school district It would be my hope that once the Knights of Columbus sees this information they will take swift action. Palazzo also in his campaign introduction talks about his affiliation with Saint James apostle church and the many committees he has sat on throughout the years. The hypocrisy of promoting his service to the church at the same time spreading his message of hate is disingenuous and shows his true character. Lastly, for any community member that has endorsed or supported his Candidacy This is not how we “make Carmel great again” this is how we destroy and divide a beautiful community.”
Pearlman tried to speak to Palazzo before posting two videos, summarizing Palazzo’s posts. Pearlman took both videos down after Palazzo agreed to end his campaign. Pearlman added that Palazzo was in his 60’s at the time he made the posts, so it can’t be blamed on youthful indescretion.
Many have asked why didn’t Palazzo, or his children, or grandchildren take down these posts if he was serious about running for the Carmel Board of Education. “Bobby Palazzo where did all of your posts go?! You didn’t take them down when you announced you were running for school board did you?”
Others believe that Palazzo purposefully did not take the posts down. In trying to explain the situation Palazzo told the Journal News, “When I was growing up, you could do and say anything you want. Now it’s a whole different world.” That explanation doesn’t cut it Bobby, sorry.
Another incoherent explaination by Palazzo was, “If my posts are so bad, how come Facebook didn’t take them down?”
Palazzo is still on the ballot for Carmel Board of Education, and his friends and supporters are telling people in Putnam to get out and vote for him. “I refused to be cancelled,” “but the damage has been done.”
Palazzo said that he is concerned about his family members in the area and the humiliation that they are feeling over his behavior and his posts. My advice to you, Mr. Palazzo is to make sure you are not elected to the Carmel School Board next week. That will continue this story. If you are not elected, then the public will forget and move on.
