The president of the Hackensack Education Association today threw himself on the mercy of those political operatives in Camp Labrosse whom he says have cruelly and unnecessarily tarred and feathered the reputation of a school board member earnestly toiling as a campaign manager in local May nonpartisan elections.

“I ask that our members not be dragged into the political theater of trying to destroy one another,” wrote Mike DeOrio. “Their overall integrity should not be jeopardized through the deceptive ‘swiftboat‘ strategy of character assassination. I respectfully ask that all campaigns use better judgment and not engage in any political or personal attacks that could result in negative spotlight on our school district of create a media circus.”

DeOrio specifically cited a hit piece prepared by the Labrosse Team criticizing Caseen Gaines, campaign manager for the Lara Rodriguez Team and a teacher at Hackensack High School.

“Caseen Gaines’ claim that he had our press release before it went out is simply not credible,” Labrosse Team spokesman Phil Swibinski said in  the piece in question. “Hackensack High School students are being cheated by this political operative playing politics when he is being paid to teach. Is this why school spending is up by $5 million – over 7% in just one year – in the new school budget?”

Gaines thanked DeOrio for intervening.