Parsippany School Board Candidate Undeterred By Racist Attack

PARSIPPANY, NJ - Aisha Mahmood said she was shocked to find a racist comment on her public campaign Facebook page Sunday morning. But she was not deterred from her goal of serving the community.

"I was shocked to see a public comment on my campaign Facebook page this Sunday,"Mahmood said.

The comment read "LOOKS LIKE PARSIPPANY IS IRAQ NOW."

Mahmood provided Patch with a screenshot of the comment, which she had hidden from public view. The comment came from an account with the name Devito Natalie.

Patch reached out to that account for comment, but received no reply. While there is no mystery about the account the comment came from, the person who made the comment is up for speculation.

What is not speculative, was the reaction to the post.

"Let me be clear: [these] comments are not representative of the Parsippany I know. Parsippany residents of all backgrounds are proud of our diverse community," Mahmood said. "Our schools are amongst the most diverse in Morris County. Parsippany, as long as I’ve lived here, has been a welcoming community that does not just accept multiculturalism; we embrace it."

Mahmood noted that she has in Parsippany since she was a child, graduating from Parsippany Hills High School and currently lives in Powder Mill.

"Since starting my campaign, I have had the opportunity to speak with hundreds of voters, discuss the important issues impacting our school district, and participate in a candidate’s forum hosted by the PTA," she said. "The issues we face at the school board level are complex, and residents of Parsippany have a variety of opinions on how best to run our schools. My interactions with residents of all political leanings have largely been positive."

Mahmood said that in all that time, this is the only instance of racism she's experienced on the campaign.

"When I chose to run for office, I expected to face tough questions and have respectful disagreements on the important issues. I’ll admit, having grown up here, that I did not expect racist attacks," she said. "I am a proud American-born daughter of Pakistani immigrants. I have as much right to live in and serve Parsippany as anyone else. 99 percent of this township’s residents would be disgusted by what you posted. Your comments don’t deter me from seeking office; they fuel me. Nice try, but I am not going away."

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