Episode 43 | October 28, 2025 | Hosts: Angie, Donna, and Teresa | Special guests: Alden Skyora & Kerry Wachter

Summary

Real America’s Voice (Patriots Podcast)

Episode 43 | October 28, 2025 | Hosts: Angie, Donna, Teresa | Guests: Alden Sikora & Kerry Wachter
Summary by [Your Name], October 31, 2025

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Overview

This episode of the Real America’s Voice “Patriots Podcast” focuses on youth activism, conservative perspectives in education, freedom of speech in schools, and the legal battle over school bathroom policies. Featuring Massapequa School Board member Kerry Wachter and 17-year-old student activist Alden Sikora, the conversation explores the challenges conservative students and school officials face in liberal environments, the current political climate in schools, and the stand being taken against gender-affirming bathroom policies in New York.

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Key Discussion Points

1. Alden Sikora’s Journey into Conservative Activism

• Discovering Politics Early ([04:00] – [05:00])
  • Alden, a senior in high school, recounts how at age 12, she stumbled onto political commentary via a Michael Knowles YouTube video during COVID-19 lockdowns.
  • “I started looking into that and I watched that video and I found it funny. My family was already kind of right wing, so yeah, very for Trump. I kind of laughed at the jokes. I thought they were funny.” – Alden Sikora [04:16]
• Contradictory Narratives in School ([05:16] – [07:38])
  • Alden describes noticing the stark difference between what she learned on conservative media (The Daily Wire) and what teachers were discussing in class.
  • She began independently researching topics, verifying claims with statistics/studies:
    • “I found that what Michael Knowles, what Ben Shapiro was saying was right. So it just launched from there.” – Alden Sikora [05:56]
• Embracing Primary Sources ([06:37] – [07:39])
  • Both Alden and school board members discuss the importance of watching government proceedings directly (like C-SPAN) rather than filtered mainstream media.
  • "You see how they put the spin on things, how they cut things and manipulate what really happened to fit their narrative." – Carrie Wachter [07:21]

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2. Facing Opposition in School

• Speaking Out During COVID Policy ([08:41] – [10:14])
  • Alden recalls her friend being sent to in-school suspension for not wearing a mask and how she publicly supported her with “Free [Friend’s Name]” post-its on her locker.
  • “I started speaking out and I especially started speaking out when one of my friends...she had to go to the ISS room...because we had still had the masks." – Alden Sikora [09:11]
• Becoming a Conservative ‘Outsider’ ([10:18] – [11:52])
  • Alden details being labeled “racist, sexist, and homophobic” by peers just for admitting to right-leaning views.
  • She emphasizes leading by example and ensuring classmates first see her as a good person, not a stereotype.
  • Notable interaction: “So does that mean that you don’t like Jewish people?” / “Well, that’s actually not true…my savior is a Jew, so obviously I don’t believe that.” – Alden Sikora [11:07]

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3. The Importance of Character and Representation

• Public Displays and Living Her Beliefs ([12:47] – [13:43])
  • Alden wears conservative pins on her backpack, which keeps her mindful of her behavior.
  • “Let me show them that, you know, we can rise above what we're seeing. And we're actually good people and care for society.” – Alden Sikora [13:29]
• Host Reflection:
  • “If you’re a Christian, show them. Let them see Christ in you first.” – Podcast Host [12:09]

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4. Building a Conservative Platform: “American Symposium”

• From Rejected Teen Writer to Founder ([17:07] – [18:48])
  • After having her political articles stopped by a youth writing platform, Alden founded her own website: American Symposium (symposiumamerican.com) to publish her work without censorship.
  • “If this isn't working, but I know I still have something that I should do or that I need to do, I'm gonna find another way to do it.” – Alden Sikora [18:10]
  • Writes weekly, incorporating both intellectual (e.g., the Federalist Papers) and personal perspectives.
• Praise from School Board Members:
  • “They’re really phenomenal. They really are. This girl’s incredible.” – School Board Member [18:48]
  • “I was blown away.” – Kerry Wachter [18:52]
• Quoting Her Work ([23:18])
  • Podcast Host reads from Alden’s article “Madison’s Warning:”
    • “In the story of human history, lust for power is and will remain a constant. It is the vigilance of those that decide to whom such power is granted that is subject to periods of anemia and of hardiness..." [23:18]

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5. The School Bathroom Policy Controversy

• Massapequa School Board’s Stand ([32:22] – [36:02])
  • Kerry Wachter outlines the district's decision to require students to use bathrooms/locker rooms matching their biological sex, with a gender-neutral option for any student.
  • New York Civil Liberties Union sued the district after policy enforcement; case is ongoing in federal court.
  • “We are not going to allow boys in the girls locker room or vice versa… all students had to use the bathroom of their biological sex.” – Kerry Wachter [32:30]
• Community Response
  • Large turnout at school board meetings, with both supportive and opposing voices.
  • Wachter praises courageous students, especially girls, who spoke in favor of the policy: "How brave these girls are, they're 14 years old and they stood up and she goes, you people don't even live here." – Kerry Wachter [43:01]
• Alden’s High School Experience ([36:49] – [38:25])
  • She discusses seeing classmates who transitioned using girls’ bathrooms, and how most girls go out of their way to find privacy.
  • “Everybody's too afraid to actually say something. So yeah, it really does affect us…It makes the situation worse…" – Alden Sikora [37:39]

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6. The Broader Social Debate

• Framing It as ‘Destruction of the West’ ([49:29] – [51:59])
  • Hosts and guests discuss the belief in a methodical effort to undermine Western, specifically American, values via gender and identity politics.
  • “It’s not even that slow anymore, but a methodical, intentional destruction of the West. And it's very important to recognize that there is intention behind what we're seeing.” – Podcast Host [50:07]
• Critique of School Culture and ‘Safe Spaces’
  • Complaints about Pride posters, clubs, and “safe space” initiatives as exclusionary or polarizing for other student populations.
  • “School should be a safe place for all people to be focused on two things, education and character.” – Podcast Host [52:23]
  • “Stop politicizing and indoctrinating children and putting this stuff before them at such a young age. It's just outrageous.” – Podcast Host [52:39]

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7. Call to Action and Closing Reflections

• Encouragement for More Conservative Involvement ([56:14] – [56:38])
  • Emphasis on recent trends of Nassau County turning right, need for more vocal community members to get involved, especially in school boards.
  • “Long island and especially Nassau county is really taking a turn to the right… I really would love for people to kind of speak up and now start getting involved.” – Kerry Wachter [56:14]
• Ongoing Fight for Values
  • Commitment to continue fighting, faith in eventual legal victory, and reliance on prayer: "I know what we're doing is right and I just ask God to bless this and let the cooler heads prevail here." – Kerry Wachter [47:15]
• Closing Prayer ([57:00] – [57:21])
  • Hosts end with a group prayer for truth, faith, courage, wisdom, and steadfastness in their convictions.

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Notable Quotes

• Alden Sikora:

  • “I did a lot of my research. I would literally go home and… find statistics and, you know, studies and things like that.” [05:20]
  • “I've been called a lot of things…racist and sexist and homophobic…But I've always tried to prioritize people looking at me as a good person first as opposed to being, you know, that nasty.” [11:46]
  • “If this isn't working, but I know I still have something that I should do…I’m gonna find another way to do it.” [18:10]

• Carrie Wachter:

  • “We are not going to allow boys in the girls locker room or vice versa. We said all students had to use the bathroom of their biological sex, and if not, they could use a gender neutral facility, which is very reasonable.” [32:30]

• Podcast Host:

  • “School should be a safe place for all people to be focused on two things, education and character.” [52:23]

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Key Timestamps

• Alden Sikora’s Political Awakening: [04:00] – [06:11]
• Challenge of Opposing School Norms: [09:10] – [10:36]
• Launching American Symposium: [17:07] – [18:48]
• Bathroom Policy Legal Battle: [32:22] – [34:07]
• Student Voices at Board Meetings: [39:43]; [45:50]
• Discussion of School Culture and Values: [49:29] – [53:36]

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Conclusion

Episode 43 brings together generational perspectives on activism, civic engagement, and navigating current cultural divides within schools. Both Alden Sikora and Kerry Wachter are lauded for their courage in advocating for “traditional values” amidst institutional and peer resistance. The episode stresses the importance of perseverance, hope, and community—and aims to inspire more citizens, especially the young, to “never fail to continue the path forged for us across this last 250 years.”

Transcript

[Alden Sikora]

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[Alden Sikora]

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[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Oh oh oh oh.

[Alden Sikora]

Riley Auto Parts.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Welcome to the Patriots Podcast. Good evening everyone. Tonight is episode 43 of season two of the Patriots Podcast. We live stream every Tuesday night at 7:30pm right here from the America first warehouse. The most patriotic venue in all the land. It truly is. If you haven't been here, you've got to get here. But tonight we're really excited. We have two wonderful guests with us. To my left or on the right from your screen, probably, we have Kerri Wachter from Massapequa School Board. She's joined us on Zoom before and she's with us in person. We'll be getting to some of her stuff a little later in the show. But to my other side, we have this beautiful young lady, alden Sikora. She's 17 years old and she's a senior in high school this year. She's been involved in politics since 2020. At the ripe age of 12, she realized her conservative views.

[Alden Sikora]

Right.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

I know, grab them young.

[Propane Energy Advertiser]

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[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

But she realized her conservative views were not looked upon very favorably in New York and sad to say, in her public school district. And so she was inspired, I guess, and started a mission. She's got a website and it's called American symposium, but it's symposiumamerican.com and instead of saying too much, we'll let Alden speak for herself.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Sure.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Welcome to the show.

[Alden Sikora]

How are you? Thank you guys so much for having me. Yeah, so my name is Alden Sikora. I'm a senior in high school this year. I go to high school, Nassau county. So a little not as far out in the island. And yeah, so I came across, it was 2020, I was a bored 12 year old and I came across, I was scrolling on YouTube and I came across a Michael Knowles video. It was like rating woke commercials or something like that. And 12 year old me thought that that was cool. I didn't even know that it was political. So I started looking into that and I watched that video and I found it funny. And you know, my family was already kind of right wing, so yeah, very for Trump. So I kind of laughed at the jokes. I thought they were funny. You know, I wasn't a leftist or anything at that point. And so I kind of just went down the rabbit hole from there that video ended. So I clicked on his channel to see if there was, you know, any more fun content. And I just from there I kind of just started watching long form shows and I got involved in the Daily Wire. So I was watching a lot of those shows a couple months in and then I would start hearing things that would contradict what I was hearing on Daily Wire in school. And at that point it was very, you know, very woke, very liberal. You know, Biden was the president and it was during COVID So it was kind of crazy. That was probably the craziest point that I had joined politics.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

I just realized, you know, as grown adults, it was the craziest point in time for us in politics.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

No, I think back in the world.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Across the globe, you're not alone.

[Alden Sikora]

Yeah. I think back at some of the things that I had to see and hear and it was crazy, but I would hear a lot of people talk about things. Even teachers teach things in the classroom that were contradictory to what I was hearing in the shows that I was watching. And so I didn't want to blindly subscribe to either side. So I did a lot of my research. I would literally go home and I would think about, I would remember what a teacher was saying and I would research it and I would find statistics and, you know, studies and things like that. Yeah, I found that, that what Michael Knowles, what Ben Shapiro was saying was right. So it kind of just launched from there. That was kind of when I fell down the rabbit hole. And so I've been really involved ever since. And you know, I watch press conferences and I'll watch anything that I can get my hands on. You know, I watch like just niche things like confirmation hearings. Is watching a lot of those.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Wasn't that amazing? I started watching those when they were going on. And I'm telling you, I was never a political person at all, like ever. It was like, don't. My dad was the political one. And you never spoke politics with my father.

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[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

He's also on the right.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

It's all we talk about. Oh my God, we do.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

I mean like I live for like press conferences that Trump's give, that he gives and just.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Right. Press conferences.

[Alden Sikora]

Oh my God.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Worship music. Your life is changing.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Well, and hearings, when you listen to Senate hearings and you listen to, you know, meetings they're having on the floor of the House or in Congress, you get that. You get to watch our, our government in real time in action and you get to hear the truth for yourself. You don't have to. Whether whether what's being spoken is true or not is another story, but you get to at least see it played out. You don't have to rely on. Yes. And then you still have to go then and do more digging. But good for you.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

I have a 17 year old daughter and she's a patriot. But I. You gotta come hang out and rub up your game, Jaden.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

That's how I, you know, became, I guess, right wing, you know, because I was grew up in New York City. But right around that time you watch C Span and you watch the hearings for yourself. And then I would go back and watch the media. I'm like, wait a minute, that's not what happened. And that's how you do it. You know, first. You know the first. You see how they put the spin on things, how they cut things and manipulate what really happened to fit their narrative. So primary sources. Right.

[Alden Sikora]

You go right to the.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Yeah.

[Alden Sikora]

I only just recently got a TV in my room, but I had said for a while that I wanted a TV in my room because I could put C Span on the background. I love C Span so much. Sounds so nerdy.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

I love it.

[Alden Sikora]

I don't put it on as often as I would like.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

I mean, I'm a news minister, but I love that whatever you're watching is watch it. That's amazing.

[Alden Sikora]

Yeah.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

You're not watching the garbage that's out there. That's most important.

[Alden Sikora]

Yeah. So I don't put it on as much because, you know, electricity bills are a thing. But yeah, I just. I love all of it. And anything that I can really just dig into and get my hands on, I'm just really interested in that.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

So as your views deepened, because when you. It sounds like when you went out and did your own due diligence and research, you grew more acclimated and aligned with the right side. I'd say yeah. And I don't mean right. Correct. I mean right.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

R. I g. I mean, both could be true, but.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Yeah, but so what was your journey after that? What made you go on to do and become the activist and outspoken person that you are? And what's that been like?

[Alden Sikora]

Yeah. So I was in sixth grade when Covid had hit. So it was really around 8th grade that I got really interested in it to the point where I kind of wanted to start speaking out about it in my school. And at that point I had already known we had a Pride club in my middle school and everybody I just knew was left. So I knew I wasn't going to be looked upon fondly. But I believe that it was actually the right thing to do. And even if I wasn't right as incorrect, it's still good to have both sides represented.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Of course.

[Alden Sikora]

Yeah. So I started speaking out and I especially started speaking out when one of my friends, I became friends with her now because of this, but she had to go to the ISS room, the in school suspension room every time because we had still had the masks when I was in eighth grade, my kids.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Lived in suspension during those.

[Alden Sikora]

Yeah. So she refused to wear a mask to School.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

So she was sitting, wherever you are, we love you. Good for her.

[Alden Sikora]

I believe she's at Florida State now.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Not many kids held the line. In fact, my kids were the only kids in my town holding the line, so.

[Alden Sikora]

So shout out to my friend there.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Yes.

[Alden Sikora]

But I emailed her and I just, you know, I said, I don't know if you know me, but you know, we're in social studies class together and, you know, I just really support you. And that's how kind of how our friendship started. And then I started putting post its on my locker in all caps free. And then her name and they would get ripped down. I would pass by when I was walking to a different class and it wouldn't be there anymore. And so I just kind of started the system where I'd have a bunch of post its stacked up in my locker ready to go, and every time I passed by, it would literally be going from class to class. I just unlocked my locker room, took a post it out, stuck it on there and went. And so I kind of one day.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

I planned it out and like, nothing's stopping you.

[Alden Sikora]

Yes. And I caught who was doing it. So I stood up and I was like, you know, can you please stop touching my stuff? And it stayed up. So I've always kind of had that headstrong like, I'm gonna do this and this is gonna work and, you know, I'm not gonna let anybody stop me.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

You know what they say about redheads.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Yeah, I was just gonna say that.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

I come from an Irish family with a lot of redheads, and they're very stubborn. I love it.

[Alden Sikora]

Yeah. So from there I kind of just became like the conservative, the political person in my school. Very outspoken. I am a moderator at my school's model congress club. So I kind of lead the conversation. And a lot of times it's interesting to hear what kids say, but a lot of times I'll be one of the only kids there. Out of maybe a group of 15 kids, it'll be me and like two other people who actually align more with the right side. So it's really interesting to see that. But I've always also focused on being a good person, obviously too, and kind of having people see who I am as a person first and then maybe realizing, oh, she's kind of conservative. Because I've been called a lot of things. I've been called, you know, racist and sexist and homophobic. I've been asked, you know, somebody asked me what my political view was. A good friend of mine too. And, you know, I said, yeah, I'm definitely more on the right. I don't like to go out and say I'm a conservative. I'm, you know, rock ribs and all that. So I say, yeah, I'm more to the right. And she goes, oh, so does that mean that you don't like Jewish people? And I said, like, well, that's actually not true. That's actually completely the opposite, you know. You know, I'm a Bible believing Christians, so obviously the Jews wrote the Bible and, you know, my savior is a Jew, so obviously I don't believe that. You know, I had to kind of explain to her and bring her out of that mindset. That's the way that people are a lot, whether they choose to be or not. So I've always tried to prioritize people looking at me as a good person first as opposed to being, you know, that nasty.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Well, I think that dispels the narrative.

[Alden Sikora]

Yeah, exactly.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

I actually, like Ernie could tell you this. Like, when we're driving, I have all my Trump and Maga stuff on. I won't engage with people or give the finger or, like, I won't. I want them to leave thinking that, like, I dispel the narrative of what's going on.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Kindness, yes.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

And it's really, if you're a Christian, it's show them. Let them see Christ in you first. The politics and the government stuff come behind that. But if you're kind and you're loving and you engage the world in a good way, and all of us fall down, I fall short. We all have bad moments. We're all human. But if in general you're putting that olive branch forward, you're extending yourself and, like, generosity and love to humankind, some people are gonna wonder. And when you do get the opportunity to have those conversations, you know, it is gonna be a game changer.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

I think they're going into it with a respect for you already.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

So. Have you experienced that at all?

[Alden Sikora]

Oh, yeah, definitely. People over? Yeah. You talk about having stickers on your car and magnets and things like that. I actually have a bunch of pins on my backpack. So it's kind of like the same thing where, you know, not that I'm like, you know, this bad girl who always wants to get in trouble anyway, but it definitely kept me on the right path because maybe I'll think of doing something that maybe people don't advise doing. And obviously every teen.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Does women really make history? Isn't that the saying?

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

It's true.

[Alden Sikora]

Yeah. So I kind of think of that. And I say maybe I shouldn't do that because I have these pins in my backpack and people know what I believe and that doesn't look good. Especially if I'm one of the only representatives in my communities, in my school community that believes what I do. Let me not do that and let me show them that, you know, we, we can rise above what we're seeing. And we, we're actually good people and we care for society and we care for, you know, especially law and order and things like that. So that's definitely something characteristic of a leader.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Love you.

[Alden Sikora]

Me too. Right?

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

I want you to be our new best friend.

[Alden Sikora]

It is.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Well, I just like want to praise you for that because a lot of people wear a lot of things and say there are a lot of things. They don't always live it. But we do have to go to commercial break, so when we come back, we'll continue the conversation. Stay with us. See you in a minute.

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[Alden Sikora]

You can play and win from the.

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[Alden Sikora]

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[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Oh, you smell amazing, James.

[Alden Sikora]

Oh, thanks mom. I love you too. I never said that.

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[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Welcome back to the Patriots podcast. We have Alden Sakura.

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Right?

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Did I get that right? I look at your last name and I see sky. Even though Alden Sakura. I look at your last name, I see the word sky. Just.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

I do too.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Right. Anyway, we have you with us and we were talking about all the experiences you've had that have led you to do the work that you're doing, which we'd love to get into. Now. Aside from being just an activist in your own little corner of your world in high school, you've been involved with some organizations and started your own website. So talk to us a little bit about that.

[Alden Sikora]

Yeah, so I started my own website. Well, actually I was writing for another kind of third party website that kind of supported teens in writing. So they would support just various topics. If you wanted to write poetry, if you wanted to write fiction. You know, we had some politics on there too. I would send my pieces in and they would be looked over by an editor just to make sure, you know, there was nothing like, you know, bad that they didn't want on their website. And most of my pieces would be accepted. So for a while, yeah, I started writing. January of my sophomore year, I started writing for that third party website and, you know, it was working out well. And then a few months into it, my pieces just stopped being accepted. I would email it to them, I would submit it in and they would never. Usually they would go up within like a week or so and they never did. And at that point I was writing pretty regularly. I was writing like, yeah, I was writing a piece a week. Yeah. So they just kind of stopped and I don't want. No, no, no. I emailed them, I asked them. I never got any response. So, you know, one could. One could, you know, assume one. The reason would be, you Know, never want to say explicitly, like, I know this is why if I don't have proof, but yeah. So kind of just stopped being accepted. So I've always been the kind of person to say, okay, well if this isn't working, but I know I still have something that I should do or that I need to do. I'm gonna find another way to do it. And so that kind of eventually led me to the idea of making my own website.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

I love that.

[Alden Sikora]

So I could put up whatever I wanted there. Yeah. So I created my website. It's American Symposium. You can find [e-mail]. yeah, so I still write. I've uploaded, you know, pretty much all of my pieces that I've written on that other website I've uploaded to here. I still write pieces every week. You know, I have.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

They're really phenomenal. They really are. Saying, she goes, this girl's incredible.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

I couldn't believe I was, I'm like, wow. I was blown away.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Yeah. She said, you guys have. If you haven't done it yet, you have to go read some of her articles.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Oh, my God.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

I've just. I don't have an opportunity for you here in the coming weeks, so if you will share your articles with us.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Oh, they're amazing. And you're so. It's just, it's just, it's inspiring. You're so well spoken. Your writing is so well done and it makes it so interesting to hear your perspective as a 70 year old.

[Alden Sikora]

Yeah, that's, that's kind of what I tried to monopolize on. Because, you know, when I, when I started things up, I thought to myself, you know, if you take a piece written by Ben Shapiro about some complex foreign policy issue in Israel, and then you take the same topic written by some 17 year old with like no credentials, what one are you gonna pick? I, personally, I would pick Ben Shapiro. I wouldn't even pick my own. And so I tried to find a way to integrate my perspective and my experiences and what I have personally seen. Because if you take an issue, you know, if you take the topic of like a conversation that a conservative has with her liberal peers, Ben Shapiro can write about that from kind of like a removed point of view, or you can take the perspective of the kid that was actually in it and read that. So I kind of try to monopolize on that. You. I read a lot. Again, I try to educate myself a lot. And so I take kind of all of that from the intellectual side. So, for example, over the Summer, I started reading the Federalist Papers. So that was really eye opening, and I learned a lot about that, about how America was constructed and the meanings of all of our systems. And so I take that, and I kind of apply it to things that are happening today or even conversations that I'll have with my peers, because that kind of connects to the ideological and, like, more intellectual realm with, like, the actual on the ground, like, what the people really are saying and what people really care about. And it also kind of connects my personal perspective with, you know, the broader conservative movement, because I think that's a voice that's really. That really matters in the movement itself.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Yeah, sure does. I'm blown away.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

It's just incredible. Like, the few that I did read, one of them was the article on unseemingly solutions for unnecessary problems. Even titles are great. Yeah, yeah.

[Alden Sikora]

I take after Bill Buckley on that. I don't know if you guys are familiar with his stuff, but he had a lot of interesting titles that he would, you know, kind of catch readers with. And so I tried.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Yeah, I love that.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

I don't know who that is, but I love that concept.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

And then your article on the American flag, that one was Allegiance to Whom It Is Owed. And talk about that a little bit.

[Alden Sikora]

Well, I wrote that one in the midst of. President Trump signed the executive order to criminalize the burning of the American flag, which nothing had really changed. You know, you can't change law with an executive order. But he kind of just set the. Set the president set the narrative that, like burning the American flag, obviously for people, you know, if you're in a public area and it's in danger to people, obviously that's illegal. That has been that, you know, that is right now. But that also kind of set the narrative, and it started the conversation of, well, should burning the American flag be illegal? Just in general? If you just want to do it on your private property, should that be illegal? And I argue that, yes, it should be in concordance with President Trump because it's not just a symbol of the current politics. You know, people cite the First Amendment, you know, Thomas Massie. I think I explicitly talk about Thomas Massie in that piece where he has, you know, good intentions, but he used the First Amendment in his argument and said this is a violation of the First Amendment. But it isn't in the sense that the First Amendment protects political speech and protects, you know, freedom of speech. But the American flag isn't something transient. It's something that. Yeah, it's something that transcends the entire political border. It transcends Republicans and Democrats and even conservatives and liberals. It, you know, it symbolizes America and America. If you believe that America was inherently great, you believe that American flags are inherently great, and you shouldn't have the right to desecrate the sacred symbol of our sacred country.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

We've had that contention. That's how we've spoken about it forever.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Yes, I get mental, and I've been in situations in D.C. where I've seen burning flags, and I fafo. Because I can't handle that.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

You articulate it so well.

[Alden Sikora]

Thank you.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

You really do respect.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

More respectfully than I just articulated my hands.

[Alden Sikora]

Fafo. Definitely.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

That's where my brain goes in situations.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

I wanted to share a little bit of this, if it's okay. I want to read like a closing segment of one of yours.

[Alden Sikora]

Yeah, everything's public, so. Sure.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

It was entitled Madison's Warning, and I think was this one that you talked about the Federalist Papers.

[Alden Sikora]

Yes, yes, I just wrote that one recently.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

But just in closing, I just want you to get a taste for her writing. In the story of human history, lust for power is and will remain a constant. It is the vigilance of those that decide to whom such power is granted that is subject to periods of anemia and of hardiness. And so may we never fail to continue the path forged for us across this last 250 years. And may we never shake the spirit our country relies on for her very goodness and exactly. Existence as goes Madison's warning. I mean, it just incredibly well written. It's just power in your words and your written words. They really resonate. They're so strong.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

I love that.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Yeah, Just remarkable.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Where do you see yourself going in the future?

[Alden Sikora]

Definitely into politics. My number one school, actually, as you might not be surprised, is Hillsdale College in south central Michigan. Yeah, you said it before.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

We have to connect it with Tom.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

We have good friends. We have a young lady that was on from Hillsdale, our friend's daughter. They sit on the board, our friends.

[Alden Sikora]

I think I actually am in contact with them.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Okay, good. Because they're great. And if. Yeah, we'll help you with that. That's a beautiful aspiration, actually. I love that it's the only college I really would want my kids to go into.

[Alden Sikora]

So college I kind of want to go to, too.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

So once through college, where, you know, where do you see yourself going from there? Law school or just. No, law school and just into.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Well, I've actually had that.

[Alden Sikora]

I've had that hinted at me a lot of law school, but my heart is really in politics. And, you know, I'm really. Obviously, I love the law. I love reading it. You know, I love learning about how to read it and all the things like that. You know, again, model Congress. So I research a lot for that. So that is a lot of reading the laws and things like that. But I think my heart really is in politics. And so I don't think I could put off politics for, you know, a couple years of law school and then practicing law if I wanted to do that before I got into politics. So, yeah, if I could, I'd really want to go to Hillsdale to study politics.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

I was gonna say, like, when we were talking before about Congress and the hearings, I wanted to be a lawyer for a long time, and I decided I'll probably run for Congress one day. And then you get to enjoy the law part of it.

[Alden Sikora]

Yeah.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

In Congress hearings. So maybe we'll. Maybe we'll be getting behind you for a congressional campaign, and then that would be great. I mean.

[iHeart Advertising Representative]

Right.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Cause the hearings is a really. It's a form of, like, a trial, you know, it's a hearing. It's a form of law. So I feel like that could maybe be a good path if that's, you know, what interests you. And fine, I'll help you on a congressional campaign.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

I'll walk for you for sure.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

You give so much hope.

[Alden Sikora]

Yes. Thank you.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

In a seemingly bleak time.

[Alden Sikora]

Right.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

With the American. Where we are today and where our generation and the generation before us kind of let things. Things honestly sink, too.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

I have a great opportunity for you. Oh, yeah?

[Alden Sikora]

We're gonna talk.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

I know somebody I think. Would you intern for someone running for Congress?

[Alden Sikora]

Yeah.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Right now?

[Alden Sikora]

Of course.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

I got a plan for you.

[Alden Sikora]

Okay.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

I love that. I think I know where you're going.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

We'll fill you in because I have a good plan here. I like.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

I think I know she is the ultimate connector. She really is a good one. She's. She's one of the best that I know. Susan, you're right. You are, too.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

I'll join with you. We could do it together. We'll connect together.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Amazing. Connect.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

That's a gift.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

I just don't have an ego that way. I feel like the more people that if I can match people up, then we match people up and we all. For the better numbers, you know?

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Yep. That's right. That's right.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

I feel like it would be great for you to be able to go around to schools and start little clubs. Or help people get involved in tpusa.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

I was gonna say, are you involved in Turning Point at all?

[Alden Sikora]

So it's actually a funny story with all of that. I tried to start a YAF chapter in my sophomore year. Young Americans for Freedom, which is encompassed by the overall organization of Young America's Foundation. And they're great, you know, they have the campus tours and things like that. Yeah, I got a lot of pushback from my school. A lot of pushback, a lot of suspicious. You know, initially they told me, okay, it's too early to start one now, but come back to us in June my sophomore year. So I did.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

We'll help you with that too.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Okay.

[Alden Sikora]

Yeah. But it got to the point where I just needed like a volunteer advisor because their budget, you know, they ran out of their budget. They couldn't pay anybody else to be an advisor. And so yeah, a friend and I were working on that, but we still don't have it because there was just a lot of.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Teacher just needed to have any club you need an advisor.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Do they get a stipend or can.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

They do get a stipend, but there's a certain amount of clubs that get stipends and then right once you're out, they then you have a volunteer, which, I mean, I know we have a couple of clubs that are volunteer based because maybe the advisor feels passionately about it.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

So I had to ask a school board member this. I don't, I think that's a bunch of bs.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Well, I'm sure they're fine as long as you get an advisor. And maybe, you know, if you know a teacher that is more conservative, they may volunteer and then there's nothing they can really do.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Well, hold that thought. The door is not shut yet, but this door is closing for our next commercial break. So stay with us. We'll be right back.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Thank you.

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[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Welcome back to the Patriots Podcast. We're going to shift gears a little bit, but still dealing with schools and the nonsense that goes on and these poor kids that don't think this way have to deal with every day. But Carrie Wachter is with us from Massapequa School Board and if you remember, she's been with us before via Zoom.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

With all the board members out there.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Oh, yeah, she's a, she's a bold fighter.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

We get the monthly or so updates on. Yeah, yeah, there's always something going on. Became an honorary.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Yes, exactly.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Well, so I'm so happy to be here in person to be sitting with you and not and not on Zoom. So thank you so much for having me, you know, and staying up on what's going, been going on. And yes, we're in the news again. You know, shocking. You know, we just, you know, we try to just sit there and do our Business every day. But no, it just.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

No, Massapequa just likes to be on the front page of papers, and they just have nothing else to do. They just want to cause trouble in Long Island.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

The best rebel rousers there.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

That's right. You're my favorite ones.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Yeah, thanks. Yeah. So, you know, what's going on? We, you know, we, you know, as the new school year, you know, started and, you know, we saw what was going on with enforcement, you know, at the federal level. We, we just wanted to affirm for our staff that we are not gender.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Affirm, not gender affirm for audience members that don't know this is about transgenders in bathrooms.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

So.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

So we, we passed a resolution saying we were aligning with Title IX and the executive order from President Trump and that we were not going to allow boys in the girls locker room or vice versa. We said all students had to use the bathroom of their biological sex, and if not, they could use a gender neutral facility, which is very reasonable. I already made accommodations for all because that's who we are as a, as a board. We have to look out for all of our students. And so we said, hey, this is what has to happen. And unfortunately, we had an incident where that was not the case. And then the New York Civil Liberties Union sued the school district, and they appealed to the Commissioner of Education in New York because they knew what, you know, they were going to get, and they asked for a stay, and they asked for our resolution to be a null. So, of course, she dutifully issued that stay, even though we had very good arguments about why. And we had a lot of case law on our side. And we said, we never mentioned transgender students. We said, all students have to behave this way. We never singled out anyone. And so then we filed in federal court because we feel obviously Title IX is the law of the land, and we all know about supremacy. Federal law supersedes and, you know, when. And Joe Biden was changing Title nine, we got these memos constantly from the lawyers in the state breathlessly telling us, oh, we had to update our policies to be in align with Joe Biden. But now that President Trump has gone back to the original meaning of Title ix, they all say, no, you don't.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Have to follow that.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

You have to follow state law. How the tables turn, right? Gender law, which again. Well, I know my lawyers don't like me talking about law, but agenda. Nothing in these laws say that it's discrimination to allow these kids, to not allow them to go into the bathroom of their gender identity. That that's not discrimination because it applies to all people. So, like I said, there's case law. Our lawyers have found it, and we believe the law is on our side. So, as you can imagine, all the activists across Long island, because New York Civil Liberties Union is the one who put this out. You know, we really didn't want this to be public, you know, with the masks. It was one thing we were fighting, you know, the state and all that.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Kind of stuff, blanket fighting.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

But, you know, this is more personal, I feel like. And we didn't. We really wanted to keep a low key on it and. But whatever, it came to us. And so we're not backing down. The first meeting we had, we had a bunch of activists there give us fake addresses because, you know, we only.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Allowed Kilnick at that one.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

What's that?

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Kilnick. Was he at that one? The leader of the.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

David Kilnick?

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Oh, I don't know.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

He's the evil.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

I don't.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Yeah, he probably sent them if he wasn't.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Probably. No, I. You know, it's hard to tell when you're out in the. You know, you can't see them all the way back there, but. So they were giving fake addresses, you know, and at our board meeting, we only allow residents in attendance because this is our community and this is. That's who we want to hear from, people in our community. So they were giving us fake addresses. So the next meeting we said you had to give us a driver's license. You had to prove that you lived here. So that kind of shut it down a little bit. But can I say how in awe I was of the girls that spoke up at my last. Our last meeting?

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Amazing.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

So many young girls. Because they all. All the activists kept saying, it's the parents, it's the parents, it's not the kids. And these girls, one after another after another, got up and said, no, we don't want this. We don't want this in our locker room. Yes, it's hard enough to change amongst our peers. And then of course, they're trying to now change that and say, oh, see, they don't want to change at all. So you should have private stalls for everybody. And I'm like, that's not what they were saying. That's not what they were saying. They were not saying that.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

They're just saying it's uncomfortable enough. And it is. It's. I don't. I don't like getting. I'm a grown adult. I don't like getting undressed. In front of anybody. Anybody.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Do you remember stores that used to have like the whole open one?

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Ernie will tell you I don't even like to get undressed or undressed in front of. I don't like to get undressed and dressed in front of people. Yeah, I just don't. You're allowed to have one moment in your life where you can be a little, you know, and if you have to be in a locker room anyway with other girls at that age where it's, you know, everyone's so self conscious as it is. I don't want to get started on the whole boy thing because my views are very strong in this, my town knew if a boy ends up in the bathroom with my daughter, I'm coming after you directly.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Well, we have a 17 year old high school student sitting at our table. Have you had experiences with this in your district and what's your sentiment?

[Alden Sikora]

Yeah, so to utilize my perspective. Yeah, I mean at this age it is definitely already hard. And I know I am friends with a lot of people who. In our locker room we have like private. They're shower stalls but nobody really showers anymore like in the school. So. Yeah, yeah, so we have like four of those. So a lot of girls go in there to change for gym. A lot of girls will just, you know, wear clothing the day of, whether that be out of convenience or they don't want to change in front of, you know, their friends. Yeah. But I have one student who I know personally who he transitioned when he was like when we were in second grade. So we're in the same grade. So it was like around second grade or first grade. I. Because I barely remember it, but I remember it enough to know that it was actually like happening child abuse to me.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

But go ahead, continue.

[Alden Sikora]

Yeah, exactly. And so I saw him once walk into like the ladies bathroom in my school and I knew that that had been the case. I knew that that's how it had worked. But just seeing it personally like kind of shook me. I was like, this is crazy. This is a boy who looks enough like a girl to go into the girl's bathroom. And everybody's too afraid to actually say something. So yeah, it really does affect us. And you know, I don't know if there is anybody out there, but if there is anybody out there who is saying that this really isn't an issue, it is, I see it all the time. It makes the situation worse because, you know, obviously girls are already self conscious enough at the this point to not want to change around anybody. And Change around a boy nonetheless, even. Even if they don't know that that's the case. Yeah, it's really just. It's disgusting.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

You know, they're going through so much in their adolescence as they're growing.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

And, you know, we all know the story from Virginia. We all. We know what could happen. Who's willing to take that chance with their child?

[Annabe Sofas Advertiser]

Never.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Yeah, that party. Never. 100% never. But the. I am never going to risk the chance of a boy who claims to be a girl being in. I mean, I threatened to, like, burn down my superintendent's house if that happened. Like, literally. I mean, Andrew's with me.

[Propane Energy Advertiser]

I'm not.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

I'm not trying to.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

She goes to another level.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

I go to other levels with this stuff because. No, absolutely not. I don't know what planet we're living on. On planet Earth, there's two genders that God made for people, and they do not belong commingling as adolescents in school, where they should be privately having the safety that they deserve.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Yeah, that's right.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

And so you, Carrie, you articulated beautifully before you try to keep private, you understand that you're there to protect all students, and that means all students. And so that means making a way for each person to use a restroom or a facility, and that is available. Just one person's need can't be putting someone else's need behind a door and locking it, you know, and saying, sorry, yours doesn't count. That's just not a thing. It's like equal representation.

[Annabe Sofas Advertiser]

Right.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Which is not the way they skew it. So tell us about your meeting, your last meeting. You said a lot of these girls got up and you were so proud of them.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

I was so proud of them. And we had a boy stand up, too, and he talked. And we had some boys come and sit down in the back. And one of the girls was. Was speaking and said, I know there's a lot of students here, so if you are, you know, if you don't. If this is, you know, if you're not down with this, basically, if this makes you uncomfortable, like, stand up. And. And they all stood up. And it was. It was pretty profound and incredible. And then even. And then, you know, as you know, we also give deference to students if they want to come and speak at a board meeting. And we were letting them get up one after another. And again, the activists were yelling, oh, you're all. You're letting everybody, all of them speak. And I'm like, oh, excuse me. These are our students. Any student who Wants to get up, will speak before anyone else in this room. I'm like, so you better pipe down or leave if you don't like it. And. Oh, I was very angry. I was like, how dare you? These are children.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

You kept your. Like, regardless, I'm taking time, Mom. You sounded very professional and good.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

We have a video right from this cut four.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Is that.

[Alden Sikora]

It might be a.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

It might not be enough. Maybe a couple minutes.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Do we have enough room for cut 4 before commercial break? Yeah.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

And if we have to just go right to commercial. If we have.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Yeah, let's play it.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Yep, let's play it.

[Propane Energy Advertiser]

Our girls deserve to be safe, they.

[Gain Laundry Advertiser]

Deserve to be protected, and they deserve to have safe spaces in the Massapequa School District. Thank you. Last night, the Massapequa School Board met for the first time since New York State barred its transgender policy. And boy, was it intense. The auditorium was packed for the meeting. Parents, students, community members on both sides of the issue ready to have their voices heard. The controversy stems around Massapequa High School banning transgender students from using the bathroom or facility of their identity and forcing them to use the bathroom or facility of their birth gender. Even though the school district offered a separate, gender neutral space for these students, New York State came down and said, this policy is unenforceable. The night began with the Pledge of Allegiance. Tensions rose immediately when a small group of the LGBTQ community refused to stand. Their decision sparked outrage. People in the community yelling at them, stand the F up. Throughout the night, speakers got up to share their views. Some thanked the board for continuing to fight for this policy. Others called it discriminatory and harmful to transgender students. Despite the state's ruling, the Massapequa School Board is not backing down. The policy will now head to court for a legal challenge. It showed just how passionate Massapequa is about this policy. It seems like just one transgender the student, and the New York Civil Liberties Union backing them in a lawsuit allowing them to want this student to use the bathroom of their identity. As your local real estate broker, I was in attendance, and I interviewed everybody. Get ready for the madness.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Wow, that's impactful.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it was. Yes, and it quite was. And, you know, like I said, I think think these groups come and think they're going to intimidate us and that we're going to back down and we're going to be afraid of them, but they don't live in our community. And one of our girls even got up and said, that's what I'm saying. How brave these girls are, they're 14 years old and they stood up and she goes, you people don't even live here. She's like, why are you here?

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

I love it.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

I mean, and then the crowd erupted and it was just, it was just fantastic. And you know, Kerry, I'm sorry to cut you.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

We've got to get to commercial break. So we'll be right back.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

We'll come right back.

[iHeart Advertising Representative]

Back to that.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Sorry about that.

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[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Welcome back, Carrie. I'm sorry we had to cut you off, but please pick up with that story about from the school board, how proud you were and some of these.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Girls, how bold they were. Yeah, it was very impactful. And like I said, they all stood together. They stood up in a room where there was, you know, a significant group of outsiders, activists, you know, all with their flags and everything.

[Alden Sikora]

And they can be very.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

And they were very loud and aggressive. Yep. And these girls got up and, yeah, they started to, you know, the activists were all like, why are you letting them speak? And I'm like, they're our students. And they stood up, the students and said, you don't live here. Why are you even here? And I think speaker after speaker got up and said, you know, the board is being reasonable here. You know, it was, you use the bathroom of your biological sex or there's another facility to use and that's it. And there was even. There's even another locker room. And you know, and I'm sure, as our guest here can tell you, the students use the gender neutral bathrooms because they want the privacy. You have the single occupancy. Like I asked my son, he's like, mom, I use it every day. He's like, I don't want to be in the bathroom with anybody else.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

So it's everybody, both sides of the.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

So it's not stigmatizing, because that's what they say, you know, it's stigmatizing. It's not. Lots of people use it. We're being reasonable. We're doing the right thing. We're standing up for our girls. We're going to continue to stand up for our girls. We hope that we'll get some help from the feds in some way. We did file in federal court, and so we're going to see how that goes. But, you know, it is the Eastern District of New York. So, you know, we have to see how that goes. And, you know, a lot of prayer. This is on our prayer list every day that, you know, I know what we're doing is right and I just ask God to bless this and let the cooler heads prevail here. You know, we didn't ask for this fight. We really don't ever ask for fights. We really do try to do things the right way and try to find peace, but unfortunately, people don't. And at some point, you have to stand up, you know, and one of our board members, you know, when we were talking about the, you know, said sometimes you have to stand up for your values because they're not your values if you don't stand up for those.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Right, right.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

And if you know that you're going to go to a specific line and back down, then they will always take you to that line. So that's. And I have to say, my fellow board members, I mean, the five of us are, my goodness, lockstep.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

I love that.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

We are dedicated. We are strong on our values. We're willing to sacrifice and stand on those principles no matter what. And when you have a board of five principled people, we will choose the right thing.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

That's amazing.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

It's amazing that I serve with these four other people. They are just fantastic. I'm so grateful I get to be the spokesperson for them. But they are just as strong and just as courageous as I am. And, you know, I can do it because they. They have my back. And our community, too. Our community has our back. And that's why we said we did what all the things we can do with the mascots, everything else, it's because our community stands behind us. And yes, we have a handful that. That don't. But, you know, and of course, as typical liberals, they think everyone thinks like them, but they don't.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

The overwhelming majority is.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

We need to pander to the 1%.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

The overwhelming majority is supportive of our stance. And even people who, let's say, would be on the, you know, more center left, or maybe they are Democrats or maybe they, you know, they're not, you know, maga. Because they say. This is not a MAGA issue. No, this is just.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

You could talk to your very liberal neighbor, and if you just take it out of the school context and just say to them, would you want a possible, you know, male in the bathroom at your young daughter?

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Did they say no?

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

When people say America is more far apart than ever, I actually disagree sometimes.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Really not.

[Annabe Sofas Advertiser]

I really.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

I think that's a narrative that's given. I think if you really have conversations like Charlie Kirk tried to, you know, like, tell us all to do so. Well, we're not that far apart on common sense stuff.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Right. And this is a common sense issue. I think everybody, right and left, think this. It's only the very fringe left.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

But that brings. That brings.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Sorry.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

That brings me to another thought. Right. Because all of the things we're sitting here discussing tonight are important. And still you have to get to the root of it. What is at the root of all this? And I think a lot of people get stuck in fighting an issue and not stepping back and getting the global picture of what is actually going on in our state and in our community, in our communities, our state and our nation and the larger world, which is a slow. It's not even that slow anymore, but a methodical, intentional destruction of the West. And it's very important to recognize that there is intention behind what we're seeing.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Happening, especially for this topic.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Yes.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

You know, I don't want to cut your thought off.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

No, you're not.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

But for this specifically, they start vaccinating our babies at a few days old that have aborted fetal cells in the vaccine. So you are changing the composition of your child's DNA from a baby. So right away, that starts to. That's the seed that started for this transgender stuff. Right. Then you try to make it through the elementary school years. As soon as they get to adolescence, they are shoving this transgenderism down their throat. It's all over the place. They target special needs kids. I mean, it really is a very methodical, very scary plan that starts from birth.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Well, it's insidious. All the media that they see.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Right. I mean, I'm sure they're breaking down the heteronorma.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Yeah.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Heteronormative.

[Alden Sikora]

But, yeah, like I. Like I said earlier, my. My middle school, which you go into middle school when you're like, sixth grade. Yeah, sixth grade. So it's like 12, 13. Yeah, yeah. You go into that. And we have a Pride Club. And my high school now, we decorate. Well, not we like I, but the. The Pride Club. In my high school, we decorate the school for Pride Month. There are. We have banners that are like, acceptance. We love who you are. We have, like, little rainbow hung up. Yeah.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Everywhere in 2021 had 231 Pride posters and advertisements around our school. I sent my kids and our friends kids in and said, go count them all.

[Alden Sikora]

I Want to know.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

231 Pride posters. What are we doing? Why are we glamorizing sexuality? Who cares?

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

I don't care if you think it should be the focus in school. This is the social, emotional, learning, which. Which was introduced a long time ago.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

They always.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

It always comes with, like, something that's seemingly good, but there's a.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

And they're so proud of themselves.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Terrible agenda behind it.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

You know, the. The guidance counselors windows outside of. In our school in Bethpage had a little pride flag. This is safe space. And I lost my mind.

[Alden Sikora]

We have that too.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Like, but how polar. Like, okay, so what about all the other kids that need help, who are being bullied, who are getting raped, they, their father beats their mother, they don't get a hot meal, they have their own self image issues. Where's the safe space for all those kids? What are we doing?

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

School should be a safe place for all people to be focused on two things, education and character.

[Alden Sikora]

The end.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Treat all people equally and well. Don't bully anybody. And if you see somebody bullying somebody, you step in.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

That's it.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

It's that simple. We do not need to be politicizing and indoctrinating children and putting this stuff before them at such a young age. It's just outrageous.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

And that's why we, you know, that's what we are developing, we developed in our, in our school. Like, well, I guess I call it. It's like a mission vision and then it's like a tagline. We're building leaders one child at a time. And that's what we want our kids to focus on. How can they be a leader in our community? That, that's your focus. It's not about these things, anything else. It's about what are you doing? Are you, are you an academic star? Are you a music, music star? Are you an athlete? Are you, like, what is your passion and how are you good? And like, how are you wound up.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Into fabric of our. Yes.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

And because each one of these things is what makes our district, you know, great. And it takes somebody from everything. So that's why we try to be everything for everybody. Because everyone has something, you know, that they're good at. And we're saying, find what you're good at and go cultivate that and cultivate that. And that's what we're trying.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

One of the problems is that our society also has glass glorified and glamorized very specific things like athletics to a sick point. And I'm all for it. I have sons who played, you know, but it always goes back to the. I used to do this in nursing and like in a leadership role of just whatever really. Just. It goes back to a biblical principle, which is the body is made up of many parts and not one part is greater than the other. And it takes the whole body together to work and fulfill its purpose and do its job. So people, in all circumstances, I don't care if it's in your school, in a T, on a team, in an organization, bring your talents, bring your skills, bring your gifts, Bring your weaknesses. Bring all of it. And. And just serve one another and serve the greater purpose.

[iHeart Advertising Representative]

Right?

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

And, like, life is good. It's really not that complicated. It's not that complicated.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

That's what we're hoping to do. That's what we're trying to make the focus for our kids. Kids, and. And we do it in that. Making a leader one child at a time.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

So.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Love that I should have sent you our video. It's really good video.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

We'll play it again. Absolutely.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

But, yeah, no, another time. But, you know, and, you know, and I just. I appreciate you guys and your support and always, you know, giving this, you know, giving us time to speak about it. And, you know, and, you know, like you said with Margaret, and, you know, now she's moved on to greater things, leading a new school, you know, and it's. It's fantastic. She's been doing great things and, you know, just. I wish more school districts would be courageous.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

I just, you know, it's really hard. It's like, candidates right now. I withdrew my paper when you said all five of you were in lockstep, I. In a weird way, I was, like, kind of envious because I was running for school board in 2021, was it. I ended up withdrawing my papers for, like, life circumstances. But at the same time, I kept thinking to myself, I can make a lot of noise and piss off the board members, but I was going to be outvoted six to one every single time. And that's when I decided to join a congressional campaign. Thought to myself, okay, if this candidate wins, I know he's going to fight on the congressional level. He promised me that. And I thought I could have a bigger purpose. But I think a lot of the problem is for the school boards is that a lot of them don't, unfortunately, you know, are in lockstep, or if they are, they just follow each other like.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

It's like the lockstep I'm seeing. We've had a couple of school boards that have completely turned over. You know, there was a woman, you know, she. She was. It was a six. One board, and now it's seven. Oh, wow, that's exciting.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

I think people. It takes people time, too.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

It does, it does.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

But even those districts are still like, well, we're gonna. You know, we don't want to make waves just yet. We're still getting our feet, you know.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Come in with the tidal wave, guys.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Come on.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

You know, I have to give everybody their space, but, you know, Long island and especially Nassau county you know, is really taking a turn to the right. I mean, a very hard turn. And to have all of this, these school boards who are not and who are doing things opposed to what their community wants, people have gotten complacent again. And I really would love for people to kind of speak up and now like start getting involved.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Yes.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Well, both of you sitting at the ends of this table are doing extraordinary things and we're so grateful for each of you.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

And thank you for joining us.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

Thank you for joining us tonight, both of you.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

We'd love to close in prayer. We close in prayer every week. So if you wouldn't mind joining us, please do. Oh, Heavenly Father, we thank you for guiding us in our conversation today. May the word spoken plant seeds of truth, faith and courage in the heart of everyone listening. Bless our guests and our audience with wisdom to walk in your light and strength to stand firm in your truth. Let all we do bring glory to your name and draw others closer to you. In Jesus name we pray.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Amen.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

And as always, keep your faith strong, your family close, and your freedom alive.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

I will see you next week.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Right.

[Alden Sikora]

Good night everybody.

[Carrie Wachter (Massapequa School Board Member)]

Thanks again guys.

[Alden Sikora]

Thank you for having us. Thank you.

[School Board Member (possibly a parent or local activist)]

It really has. Thank you for both for what you're doing.

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[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

Oh, you smell amazing James.

[Alden Sikora]

Oh thanks mom. I love you too.

[Podcast Host (Patriots Podcast)]

I never said that.

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[Alden Sikora]

This is an I Heart podcast.