A Seat at the Table: What a Former Oath Keeper's School Board Win Means for New Jersey

In a twist that’s certainly raising eyebrows across New Jersey, a figure whose past connections to the controversial Oath Keepers have been well-documented, Edward Durfee Jr., has clinched a seat on the Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School District Board of Education. This wasn’t just any election, you know; it was a local contest, one of those vital, often overlooked races that, in truth, shape the very fabric of our communities.

Durfee’s victory in Franklin Lakes isn’t without its share of complexity, to put it mildly. For many, the name “Oath Keepers” instantly conjures images of the January 6th Capitol riot, an event that, honestly, still casts a long shadow over American politics. And Durfee, well, he’s found himself entwined with that narrative before.

Court filings, a matter of public record, show that while Durfee has denied being a formal member of the Oath Keepers, he has indeed acknowledged attending various events associated with the group. A small distinction, perhaps, but one that certainly matters to some. More tellingly, perhaps, he was subpoenaed by federal investigators delving into the January 6th events — a detail that, you could say, firmly places him within the orbit of that contentious period.

This isn't Durfee's first foray into the rough-and-tumble world of local politics, either. He's been on the ballot before, running for mayor and even a state assembly seat, demonstrating a clear, persistent desire to serve, or at least participate, in public life. But this time, he’s won, securing a position where he’ll help shape the educational path for young minds in Franklin Lakes and its surrounding towns.

So, what does this all mean for the Ramapo Indian Hills district? For the students, the parents, the educators? His win inevitably brings a national conversation — about political extremism, about accountability, about the very nature of truth and association — right into the classrooms and meeting halls of a New Jersey school district. It’s a development that prompts a deeper look at who we elect to lead and the nuanced, sometimes uncomfortable, histories they carry with them.