For two years, a man who has built a literary career on touting white supremacy and insulting minorities has been running a Catholic elementary school filled with blacks and Hispanics.
Frank Borzellieri, 48, became principal of New York’s Our Lady of Mount Carmel School two years ago, but details of the principal’s past life were uncovered in a special report over the weekend.
If you haven’t read Borzellieri’s books and essays, the titles should give you an inkling of what Frank Borzellieri is all about:
According to his own website, “Don’t Take It Personally is a collection of Frank Borzellieri’s political and cultural essays … read the definitive truth on:
Why Racial Profiling is Justified; “Americans” With Foreign Loyalties; The Politics of AIDS; The Problem with Islam; America’s Suicidal Immigration Policy; True Feminine Protection: A loaded handgun; Why Blacks Dominate Sports, and White Hypocrisy on Integration …”
The story that seems too outrageous to be true gets even more unbelievable: Borzellieri was hired by a pastor, who says that the white supremacist’s views may be beneficial to the black and brown children under his charge.
In 2009, Rev. Eric Rapaglia became pastor of Mount Carmel and hired Borzellieri.
When questioned, Rev. Rapaglia said he was aware of Borzellieri’s views, but wasn’t concerned.
“Do I agree with all of it? No. But I think much of it is valuable and logical and reasonable. A lot of his ideas would actually benefit minorities,” said Rapaglia.
Just how an ultra-conservative, white supremacist would benefit an elementary school populated by minority students remains unclear, especially given Borzellieri’s past performance as a Queens school board member from 1993-2002.
During his tenure, Borzellieri led a ban to bar a biography of Martin Luther King Jr. from the public library, citing the book on the civil rights activist as un-American, and in 1994, as a Republican challenger for the New York State Assembly, Borzellieri sought to ban foreign languages on U.S. government documents.
Borzellieri hails from the predominantly white, working-class neighborhood of Southwest Queens. A staunch opponent of multiculturalism, Borzellieri once sponsored a resolution that “American culture is clearly and unquestionably superior to all foreign or historical cultures” be taught in public school. No other board member would second the resolution and it was rejected.
At press time, there is no evidence that Borzellieri had recanted his past statements or polarizing views.
Joe Zwilling, spokesperson for the Archdiocese, states there is no record of complaint against Borzellieri.
