Why Are Chariho School Committee Members Participating in Online Bullying?

Megan Cotter on rural politics, voter conversations, and calling out toxic school committee behavior

Bill Bartholomew speaks with Rhode Island State Representative Megan Cotter, District 39, about her reelection campaign, what she is hearing while knocking on doors, and why she resists rigid political labels. The conversation turns to a disturbing Facebook exchange involving Cotter, her opponent Jasmine Roy, and Chariho school committee members Polly Hopkins and Phelps, centered on online bullying and body shaming by elected officials.In this episode:

• Cotter says she is running an active, full-throttle campaign and has knocked on more than 1,000 doors

• She says door-to-door conversations are making her a better representative because they reveal what people actually care about

• She points to the biggest issues in her district as healthcare, insurance costs, groceries, utilities, and housing for young adults

• Cotter argues that political labels often become purity tests that do more harm than good

• She describes one constituent encounter where she calmly handled being called socialist and un-American

• Cotter shares her personal health journey, including losing 120 pounds over two years after her father died of colorectal cancer

• The discussion moves to a Facebook thread involving Cotter, Jasmine Roy, Polly Hopkins, and another school committee member, with comments mocking Cotter’s body and implying she ran for office for access to GLP 1 drugs

• Cotter says elected officials should be held to a higher standard and should not normalize online harassment or bullying

• Bartholomew and Cotter argue that school committee members, especially in a district serving children, should model better behavior and be held accountable

• Cotter says voters need to pay attention and stop allowing this kind of conduct to slide

Timestamps: (0:00) Reintroducing Megan Cotter and why a rural sandwich stop led to the conversation
 (1:34) Why Cotter welcomes a contested race and stays active in the district
 (2:43) What voters in District 39 are saying about healthcare, costs, and housing
 (4:02) Why Cotter says labels and purity tests are a disservice
 (5:46) Handling polarized conversations at the door without losing respect
 (7:20) Setting up the Facebook post and Cotter’s health story
 (7:46) Losing 120 pounds, training, and how the journey changed her campaigning
 (9:47) How the Facebook post escalated into body shaming and harassment
 (11:22) Why elected officials should not excuse cruel behavior as free speech
 (12:23) Confirming the school committee members involved
 (13:11) Why Cotter says Polly Hopkins should resign
 (14:24) Why this matters as an example for kids and the public
 (16:12) Why elected officials should hold themselves to a higher standard
 (17:36) What message this sends to students in Cherhoe
 (18:14) The broader district context and why accountability matters
 (19:17) Why voters in Hopkinton need to do better
 (19:45) Closing thoughts and final thanks

Transcript

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Bill Bartholomew 0:00

Welcome to Bartholomewtown. I'm Bill Bartholomew. A couple of weekends ago, I was out hiking in Arcadia, and I needed a sandwich. And I was like, where am I going to get the best country sandwich in America? So I headed down to Monpa's, got myself a vegan sandwich, made the drive up Switch Road, and boom, I'm in Cotter Country in proper Cherhoe, giant signs everywhere. Megan Cotter, District 39. Welcome back to the show.

SPEAKER_01 0:24

Thanks for having me. I love being on your show.

Bill Bartholomew 0:27

Well, it's it's always a pleasure. And look, you've got an election this year. Look, you you you had sort of uh one of those classic backs and forths with candidates, if you will, for a couple of election cycles with Justin Price. Many people may remember him. He was at January 6th. Um and so you've been able to be a very successful rural Democrat, which is something on the national stage deserves a lot more attention. I think you deserve a lot more attention from Democrats by and large around this country. But uh this year you're in uh you you do have an opponent, again, it's Jasmine Roy challenging you in the District 39 race. So just before we get into the specific story that is disturbing that you sent me, uh quite frankly, that I hadn't picked up on and then started to look into. And and uh this involves your opponent and and well, actually it involves members of the Cherhoe School Committee. It's it's a it's an example of online bullying and just um, you know, a school committee not serving its people in any way at minimum. But before we get into that, tell us about the race so far. What do you are what are you hearing when you're knocking on doors? You it is this a serious threat?

SPEAKER_01 1:28

I I think there's two ways to run a race, right? Scared or unopposed. So we're running um a full-on race. We're not taking our foot off the gas pedal. Um my name recognition obviously is growing in the community. And I I'm not a rep that like kind of wins, and you only hear from them, you know, in election time. Um I'm in the community all the time. So um, you know, that plays out and works well when you're knocking on doors. And then there's some folks that are like, yay, I knocked a door yesterday and they're like, yay, it's our it's our two-year visit from from Megan, you know, and they came out and we had a great conversation. Um, so it's it's fun. Um, I I I actually love that I have a race. At first I was like disappointed by it, but now, you know, I'm just a better rep. I'm a better rep because I'm forced to knock on the doors. I mean, if I didn't have a race, I don't know if I'd knock on the doors the way that I am. I go out every single day, knocked on over a thousand doors, and those conversations matter and they're super important to what we work on in in uh January. So, you know, hearing what's important to people is what makes us do better work.

Bill Bartholomew 2:38

What do you what are you hearing? As a real Democrat in America, what are you hearing?

SPEAKER_01 2:42

Well, I mean, I think, you know, probably the the issues that impact my community are are no different than than what what other folks are talking about, I'm sure. Health care is huge. You know, finding a primary care physician, being able to hold on to that physician, the cost of insurance is just skyrocketing. So, you know, a lot of the issues that we hear everywhere, um, the cost of groceries, utilities, um, you know, having kids and wanting them to be able to find a house in the community that they grew up in, um, all of these issues are are really what we're hearing all the time.

Bill Bartholomew 3:18

Yeah. And I wonder also on a Rhode Island level, the we when when we think about what a Democrat is or progressive Democrat, this goes back to the efforts of the Rhode Island Political Cooperative, which were rat, yes, no doubt, in their first iteration, there were successes in certain places. But by and large, the notion of like a statewide progressive platform just doesn't work in Rhode Island. It's it's nuanced. So you've been able to find that, you know, that lane for yourself. Um, just talk about that a little bit. And as you say, becoming a better rep, does that mean understanding your district better and how to serve while remaining someone who I would certainly call a progressive democrat?

SPEAKER_01 3:57

I think it's really knowing what is impacting your community the most and making sure that you're elevating those voices at the state house. And so, you know, we have ideas of what we think is impacting our community, but until you hear it from, you know, 25 people, um, you really don't know if that's the real thing that's impacting your community. So um, and I also think, you know, I I the the older I get, maybe the older I get, but the more I'm in this, I hate labels. So like I think like nothing we brand ourselves in a way in our communities or or you know, at the state level, whatever. Um, but we don't all fit in a box. And so I think that there's often like this purity test of like, how progressive are you or how democratic are you? But but putting labels on it, um, I actually think that does us all a very big disservice.

Bill Bartholomew 4:51

Yeah, that's really wise to say. And I I completely agree that it's become at this point, it's, you know, um uh on a national level, but again, even here in Rhode Island, just thinking about right now in the in the governor's race, you know, how how do you define any of those candidates? Is Aaron Gakin really MAGA? Uh is Lena Bonato folks really progressive? I I mean who who knows? And really at the end of the day, yes, it matters and we should know that, but more than anything, we should know how they're gonna serve the state if they're elected. Ken Black, where does he sit? So when you start, it's easier to say, okay, what do you guys have the graphic for the blue team? Okay, the red team. Okay, what about the light blue team for the the DSA or whatever it's gonna be? It's that's way easier. It's much more nuanced and complex to understand. That's the granular level that really shows up, like you're saying, when you're door knocking and in local government.

SPEAKER_01 5:41

It is. And you know, I find like we are really polarized right now as a country, as a state, as you know, in my community. And so, um, you know, if the conversation is, I actually had a a few really weird conversations, um, you know, calling me like uh my whole party's socialist and uh I I'm I'm un-American, and and I said, listen, sir, I'll stop you right there. I can't think of a more American thing to do than to knock on your door and ask you for your vote. So we don't have to agree on everything, and we certainly, we certainly don't. Um, but let's let's talk about what it is to be an American and what what it is to live in a democracy, and this is it. This is democracy, you know, in full force in action. And so obviously, I'm probably not gonna get his vote. Um, but we we walked away shaking hands and having a good conversation. So I think even when the conversation doesn't go the way we want it to, as long as it's it's respectful and we can bring it back to what it should be, I think is is a huge part of having these conversations.

Bill Bartholomew 6:48

I agree. I think there's also something to be said for standing up for democratic institutions, right? And there is a takeaway, maybe that person doesn't end up voting for you, maybe they do, though, because if they're looking at their options and they say, hey, I engage with this person in the democratic process, lowercase d, and that in and of itself is valuable and gives me more access to government in a in a way, perhaps. Um but you mentioned, you know, right there, good practices in in local government. I mean, we turned to one of the all-time cesspools, Facebook, um, for for this portion of the conversation. Before we do it, I don't really know. I I wanted to hand the floor to you to to if as much or as little as you'd like to detail your own health journey, because that does um drive a lot of the quite frankly outrageous commentary that that we're gonna discuss here that appeared on Facebook. So as much as you'd like to to kind of set this up.

SPEAKER_01 7:41

Well, I appreciate that. Yeah. So um I will say this has been the most toxic um uh election cycle that I've I've engaged in. So I'm not used to this. So I'm I'm getting thicker skin. Um so you know, I look a lot different than I did two years ago. I've lost 120 pounds in the course of two years. Um, you know, my dad passed away at 57 from colorectal cancer. I'm 42 years old. Um, you know, and I was I was obese. And um, you know, it was time to take my my health in my own hands and and make some changes in my life. And I did that, and I'm proud of that. And we started the journey two years ago during the camp, the last campaign. Great time, right? Um, but you know, I go into the gym and doing all the things and making thrum eating and and hitting the protein. And um, you know, here we are, 120 pounds less later. I feel wonderful. I'm running five K's, I've never done that. Um, I you know, obviously in my adult life, but when I was young, I did it. Um, so so yeah, I never thought, yes, I knock on doors and people are like, well, you look a lot different. You know, I have to uh tell them, you know, who I am again because they don't recognize me, which is funny. My son's Google photos doesn't recognize me. So um wow, so yeah, it's a conversation for sure. And so um, you know, folks that I've knocked on doors for consistently for the last few election cycles, you know, it it's a conversation. Um, it starts the conversation for sure because they're like, Who who are you?

Bill Bartholomew 9:12

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 9:12

Um so that's my journey.

Bill Bartholomew 9:14

It's an unbelievable journey. And kudos to you in every way, shape, and form. I mean, come on, that's it's unbelievable. And so now it's fodder for political discourse, evidently. Um, so look, there's this there's this I'm not sure the origination of this particular post in terms of of what we're going to describe here. If it's in a private group, one of the people involved is school committee member Polly Hopkins. Some people who pay attention to stuff may remember she made some crude remarks, or really just disparaging remarks about an English teacher at Charo while sitting on the Cherhoe School Committee. She alleged, well, it was in a private Facebook group, so it wasn't something that was meant, you know, that whatever the argument was, it was dumb, she was censured, but this is this is out there already. So there's a how much I I guess why don't you describe this post, this Facebook post in terms so I understand really where the origination, what the first comment, what prompted this chain of messages?

SPEAKER_01 10:11

Um, so I think it was like my opponent put up a post saying that, you know, a questioning um something about me. I don't know, saying like, does she really care about the forests or something like that? Um, going back to a bill that actually had passed in 2022 before I was even elected. Um and so um Polly responds with um something along the lines like, um, uh what did she say? Jasmine's done more for this community than Cotter ever did. Did she run for office just so she could have access to GLP ones or something like that?

Bill Bartholomew 10:44

Um that's what she wrote. I'm looking at it right now on Facebook.

SPEAKER_01 10:48

Yeah. And then, you know, uh to make it worse, you know, an uh another school committee member uh made a comment and and it and there was this back and forth, and she compared like my body to hers. And then, you know, what my opponent chimed in and said, This is First Amendment, you know, this is free speech, and and they don't like it if it hurts their feelings. And so, you know, the way that I feel about this is is you have the right to say whatever you want. It doesn't mean you should. And, you know, members of the school committee, I mean, we talk about online harassment, online bullying, what kids are experiencing in schools. I mean, we're seeing this from elected officials. I mean, I don't really care what they think of my body. That's not uh, you know, that's not on the ballot right now. Um, you know, and I'm I'm happily married. My husband does not mind my body, and that's all I really care about, right? So um I think it's really, it's really we need to start calling out this poor behavior and holding people accountable. And this is this is unacceptable.

Bill Bartholomew 11:56

I'm I'm so sick of it, you know what I mean, this kind of stuff. And it I mean, it touches the nerve with me. It's I I as you know, I've touched the nerve in general on so many levels, but it's it's just uh it's amazing. So we're talking about two school committees here, uh two school committee members here engaged in this online bullying. Is that right? And we're talking about Hopkins and Phelps.

SPEAKER_01 12:18

Yes, yeah, Hopkins and Phelps.

Bill Bartholomew 12:21

As well as your opponent, Jasmine Roy.

SPEAKER_01 12:23

Correct. And that's not the first time, but this is like actually the this is the one that that really kind of bothered me the most um because of who's engaged in it.

Bill Bartholomew 12:36

So the original post here looks like it comes from so so Hopkins' response to the post about the forest or whatever it may be, um, the original post from Jasmine Roy, and is Hopkins is the one who poses the question, did Cotter just take the seat to afford GLP ones? Yup, I just said it. That it's it's cut off in what I'm looking at here. That just to be clear, that's Polly Hopkins' remark.

SPEAKER_01 12:57

Yes.

Bill Bartholomew 12:58

She should resign from the school committee immediately.

unknown 13:02

I think.

Bill Bartholomew 13:03

Polly Hopkins should resign from the Charahoe School Committee the second this episode is published. She should have already resigned. And we're going to follow up on this all the way to the end. You got to be you you have a school committee member engage in uh in online harassment of anybody, but particularly a sitting elected official. That person should I mean, look, she's already demonstrated herself to be somebody who uh just lives in this sort of shock value type of politicking. Um and what does what's a real shame is we're talking about kids, we're talking about kids here. And for all the fuss that's been made, by the way, about the the the the yes, the the chaotic, uh pathetic at some levels behavior that's we've seen from the Providence school board in recent weeks, you know, a a meeting out of control, can um questions about who should be president and this, that, and the other, and the chaos there, and all the attention that's been put on that from the the media on a on a you know, television or newspaper. How can you believe how crazy it is in Providence? Nothing compared to how crazy things are in Sarah. You've got a sitting school committee member that made that kind of remark in a public platform. Let me repeat it. Polly Hopkins should resign, and the residents in where sh which town is she elected from? Hopkinton?

SPEAKER_01 14:15

Yes, Hopkinton.

Bill Bartholomew 14:16

They should demand her resignation.

SPEAKER_01 14:19

The reason I sent it to you too is because I I think that there needs to be some light on this. Because what would we do if these were the children making these comments online? And we as elected officials should be examples for how we expect our children to behave. And I I have three kids, as you know. Um, you know, two have graduated from high school, one's still in high school. This is not the behavior I would expect from them. And if this was something that they experienced, I would expect them to go and hold someone accountable for that. We can't just let these things go anymore. I think we're at a point now where it's not we need to make people accountable and and be kind again. Like what happened in this world where a comment like that is acceptable? One out of every three Rhode Islanders struggles with their weight. It's not just me. I'm not the only person that that was obese at some point. And I think every person, all one in three people would be absolutely offended by that comment. And you know, it's it's not just that. It's like who are we as a society? Who do we want to be?

Bill Bartholomew 15:28

Yeah, not that not that, definitely. No, what what what is what's going on here? You know, it's you're so right to call it out. It shouldn't just be uh well, you know, a controversi because you can see the head like controversial remark, but there's nothing controversial about it. That's not the right word. It's crude, it's it's it's mean spirited, it's bullying, and it's the exact opposite that this community uh in spirit wants to go. So, I mean, look, there are always gonna be these kinds of shock value people on uh from whatever position. And but it it shouldn't, like you said, it shouldn't be tolerated. And uh, you know, I think we don't want that.

SPEAKER_01 16:08

Right? We don't want that in elected officials. You know, let let people on social media do what they do on social media, but if you are an elected official, you should hold yourself to a higher standard and and this isn't it.

Bill Bartholomew 16:22

No, and that I think that's a great point that when you you make a huge sacrifice to be an elected official, for sure, in terms of your time, in terms of your energy, right? But you're also you're the ambassador. And school school committees should probably be revisited. And I I've I've learned more and more over time that it probably makes more sense for in cities for mayors to chair school committees, um, at least in an ex officio manner like they do in Massachusetts, and just it becomes this mezzanine level of government that sometimes you do get a we had when I went to when I was a char ho, there was a guy in there who always would grandstand and you know, work us back into the Stone Ages and you know, and you're thinking, geez, how does this serve the educators on the ground who most importantly are trying to serve the students? It's a bloated system that allows, and look, there's good work that school committees do as well. But if there's no response here, if the body isn't willing to look at itself and put politics aside and say, this is the big behavior, we don't want this on our board and demand the resignation, then they just kind of show that they I don't want to hear one policy. They have no standing to make any kind of policy or any kind of disciplinary um of either students or or faculty and staff. They've got no standing.

SPEAKER_01 17:31

Right, right. And again, what kind of example are we setting for the students in Terraho? That it's okay to go online and be an online bully, that it's okay to mock someone based on on what they look like. I mean, we need to start setting ex like setting a good example for for the next generation. And I I sleep very well at night, knowing that my kids are seeing the way that I have behaved throughout all of this and they're proud of me. They get they're probably more upset by those comments than I am, um, because it doesn't bother me. Because I I don't I don't really care what they think of me. It it it's just the example that they're setting for the future.

Bill Bartholomew 18:10

Yeah, totally. And by the way, let's be clear, it's been a while, but this is a district that should be extra careful because at the end of the day, when it comes to bullying, there's plenty of examples of that. When it comes to harassment, when it comes to dangerous people getting into positions of power, this is a district that, again, unknowingly, but employed a person as an assistant soccer coach who was engaged in pedophilia and transmitting messages and arranging meetups with active players not that long ago. Right? So you're talking about you don't have control that you still have ground to make up for in terms of saying, hey, we've got control of this ship. Let's not forget, let's not just turn away and say, yeah, that was several years ago, one guy, no, that slipped through the cracks. And you're post your meanwhile, you're posting this kind of nonsense on Facebook, it's bad. And Charho has done a lot of great work academically, career and tech-wise, arts-wise, athletically, and you're you're a great representative of that community, and you don't deserve, and nobody deserves this kind of nonsense.

SPEAKER_01 19:12

Well, the voter, I think the voters need to do better, right? And the voters need to be aware of what's actually happening. And so I think that's the other piece is that it's rarely called out. This kind of behavior is rarely called out because people just like let it, you know, let it fall to the wayside. Or maybe they're afraid. They don't want to get bullied themselves, so they're not going to call this out. But I think I think if we're not calling it out, what are what are we doing? And um and the vo the voters of Hopkinton need to do better.

Bill Bartholomew 19:40

I could not agree more. Yeah, wake up call to Hopkinton. Uh, but hey, a great sandwich, ma and pa. So no endorsement there. I just uh couldn't couldn't be better. I couldn't find a better country sandwich, in my opinion. Uh state representative Megan Cotter, District 39. Thanks as always for everything you bring to the table. There's so much that we've talked about over the years. Um, you're just a generative, forward facing uh person in Rhode Island politics, and and I appreciate you very much.

SPEAKER_01 20:05

Thank you, Bill. I appreciate you, and I uh thanks for having me.