Wow, SOMEBODY has WAY too much time on her hands!

Call in the lawyers!

Are you kidding me right now?

get a life

nothing better to do? Go help some of our poor people ,with Sandy, Go pick up some trash on the side of the road. really.

I don't k.ow this teacher but I do know the middle school is telling our children who to vote for and they did the same thing at Ranger when we had to vote for the library.

This is a nice lady who doesn't deserve to be used as a political pawn to discredit Tiverton 1st or any other group. Voters need to ask themselves why this story came out today, one day before the election.

Really? What a sad commentary that something so minor wasn't just brought to the attention of the building Principal. Instead, taxpayer dollars are wasted by tying up town employees and lawyers. Really a commentary on our litigious, over-reactive society.

Really? We don't have bigger problems to worry about, instead of a sweet little old lady having a pin on her desk???? Get a life!

The poor woman was probably sorting mail. Plus I don't think elementary kids will be swayed to vote they don't know who is with TCC or Tiverton 1st so call the dogs off.

OH my god this town is going to hell in a hand basket.. wait the pin made me do it... people need to get a life!!!!!!!!!

Waste of our Taxpayers Time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't do the crime if you cant do the time.

Donna Cook, you should be ashamed of yourself! Seriously! Did you bother asking her about it? Probably not, but took it out on someone who has been one of the best things that Tiverton and Fort Barton offer!

Tiverton 1st ...and it was buried under papers? Give me a break. Someone needs to get a life.

There were initially three buttons there. The secretary said she didn't know where they came from. "Maybe the school committee."

I've heard reports from Ranger, too, but parents understandably don't want to come forward.

Are you kidding? U have nothing better to do with your time? Hilton Road resident Donna Cook get a life or MOVE!!! U and people like u are what is going wrong in our town!

Renee, when you are only concerned about one thing, you stop at nothing to accomplish that. This means at all costs to people, the town, etc.

I never comment on any of these articles. I could not believe what I was reading in this one. Renee, I agree 100%. I cannot even believe a formal complaint was filed over this. Anyone that has ever had the pleasure of meeting this secretary, surely knows what a bunch of garbage the filing of this complaint was. Unbelievable! No class at all....

This makes me sad that Tiverton politics has become this mean spirited to pick on a sweet old lady for a pin on her desk.

@Mr. Katz and Rachel.....if there have been "reports about Ranger" then people should speak directly to the person involved. I work at Ranger and I specifically avoided even discussing the election process because I knew this accusation would be made. As for the library, I can speak only for myself..I never brought the subject up because it is an issue for adults not children. If it was one person, deal with that one person but please do not make blanket statements implying that all of Ranger is doing something they shouldn't. The person who is named in the complaint is the 86 yr old secretary. The buttons could have been left by anyone...including a parent. I have received 6 TCC cards and 3 robo calls despite repeatedly requesting that I be removed from all their lists. Apparently it ok to be badgered by this group but 3 random buttons with a group's name on it sitting on a desk is a conspiracy of grand proportion? I think not! This is ridiculous....if you have specific names and instances then deal directly with those people.

Section 1218 of the Town Charter (PDF) reads as follows:

No officer or employee of the Town, including the school Department, shall use, or cause to be used, Town property, goods, money, grants, or labor to influence the outcome of an election, ballot question, Financial Town Meeting, or referendum; the foregoing shall not prohibit the distribution or publication of election, ballot question, Financial Town Meeting, or referendum information by the Town Clerk, the Board of Canvassers, or a Charter Review Commission.

I really don't see how this pin falls into this category.
It's a pin that says Tiverton 1st Tiverton Proud. If that offends you, maybe you should live somewhere else.

And I'll be wearing my pin proudly tomorrow. I may even have my girls wear them to school.

I hardly think the three pins will influence the election, though I wish they would.

I thought the TCC had hit rock bottom when they tried to steal the school's money and sued the town for having the FTR, but apparently not. Tis the season to throw Tiverton's seniors under the bus if they don't fall in line with Nelly. First Jay Lambert, and now this woman. Simply shameless. Remember seniors, this is the group that wants eliminate senior services, including Vistiing Nurses...because they "care".

Last week the Town was still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Sandy but the TCC and their followers felt compelled to complain about a button! This incident is just another example that clearly shows the TCC's warped sense of priorities and their fixation on the school department. The TCC's hatred of the school is pathological in nature.

I have worked with the "accused" employee for nearly twenty years. I cannot recall ever having a political discussion with her, let alone see her trying to influence an election. This is absurd! Anyone who loves this town, believes that Tiverton IS 1st and we ARE Tiverton Proud!!

@ Denise. I did address my issue with the teacher at Ranger and didn't make a huge issue over it.. not all teacher overstep the boundaries but some of them do.

To me this sounds like a witch hunt! I still haven't read anything that leads me to believe this was intentional. And even if it was, why not address it with HER. Say "Please remove these from your desk, they offend me." Why go into a full investigation to waste more taxpayer money?!?! Didn't want to talk to this sweet, sweet lady? Well then go to the principal---her boss! There...problem solved.

I really hope that undecided voters read this thread. It shows the the true colors of the TCC. To use this woman as a November surprise to win a few more votes disgust me beyond description. Also, last I heard, you had to 18 to vote. Students in our elementary and middle schools are not eligible. Does the TCC really think that the children will influence their parents? That's just another example of how they think the voters in this town are ignorant sheep in need of shepherding by the TCC.

Harassing a senior citizen, a new low for the TCC. Remember they care about Tiverton(ha,ha,ha,).

In all seriousness, what was the desired outcome from filing the complaint? Have her fined or disciplined? Have her vote thrown out? Or was it literally an attempt to expose the corruption and abuse of power at the highest levels of the Fort Barton administration?

I've known this lady nearly my entire life. There isn't a sweeter, more caring, hard working devotee to this town, her job, and the children she helps to care for. She's someone who should be looked up to and respected, not blindly tattled on. Rather, if she is even knows what Tiverton 1st is, the correct response from Mrs. Cook would have been to ask her WHY she supports them and encouraging a meaningful conversation. Mrs. Cook could have learned a thing or two.

You named and unamed haters are just a joke, i hope for the good of tiverton NONE of you tiny minded jerks get in

I MISS JimL !!!!!

This is just more SCHOOLS will close, children will suffer, tactics to endorse the T1Curb TDTC canidates, They even were the first ones to endorse the Thief of Providence Mr Cicilline, dont trust them with your vote, just mostly unkown story tellers refusing to be recognized in public

Poor dedicated town employee, who has not received a raise in 5 yrs. I personally have known this woman for 28 yrs. She is not political power house. She is a kind woman who was probably handed something and was too nice and polite to decline it. I'm sure like most of us, she takes what she is given, says thank you, and forgets about it. Shame on those of you who are throwing darts! This woman is model for what we all should stand for. She is not sitting home and collectiong for doing nothing. She is working, and working hard. Not spending her day blogging.

This type of TCC behavior was one of the reasons for why they got their clocks cleaned in yesterday's election.