ROXBURY, NJ – Two mothers out of Roxbury, New Jersey, attained victory in court following a legal battle started back in 2023 after a public school librarian filed a defamation suit against the two for simply speaking out against the librarian’s endorsement of controversial books made available to youths at the local high school.
Back in March of 2023, Roxbury High School librarian Roxana Caivano filed a defamation suit against multiple parties, including local parents, who voiced their criticism over Caivano’s obvious inclusion and endorsement of sexually explicit books in the school library, as Caivano was apparently hopping on the then-trend of calling on youths to embrace “banned books.”
The “banned books” controversy of the time, and the accompanying media spin, framed parents concerned about books depicting overt sex acts of a non-educational manner in either graphically described writings or outright pictures and illustrations as somehow being anti-LGBT or some similar form of smear. However, individuals who were rightfully concerned about these publications being made available to children would often label proponents of such books as groomers.
Kristen Cobo and Christina Balestriere were two parents among the parties named in Caivano’s 2023 lawsuit, with the complaint pointing to statements and insinuations made by the two and amplified by a Safe Libraries blog post. Cobo and Balestriere were among the many locals who didn’t buy into Caivano’s efforts to excuse ostensible pornographic publications as merely “books that are diverse and promote inclusivity,” and essentially suggested Caivano was a cog in a greater machine to corrupt youths.
Caivano, represented by her attorney husband Anthony, sued the two parents as well as Tom Seretis and Katrina Albo, claiming she had suffered reputational damage over these locals voicing their opposition to Caivano endorsing, as well as making available to public school youths, contentious publications. Furthermore, Caivano claimed she suffered “severe and permanent emotional injuries” over the statements made by the named parties.
After roughly two and a half years, State Superior Court Judge Jonathan Romankow landed on the obvious conclusion of the lawfare in an October 3rd ruling, granting summary judgement in favor of Cobo and Balestriere and dismissing Caivano’s suit as she was attempting to use the legal system to silence constitutionally protected speech.
John Coyle, the attorney who represented the defendants in the case, issued a statement following the win in court, highlighting that vexatious litigation meant to silence concerned parents eventually loses the proverbial battle when faced with the “truth.”
“The lawsuit tested the resilience of Kristen and Christina, but they remained unwavering in their mission to safeguard children and ensure a future rooted in safety, dignity and hope,” Coyle stated, adding, “This victory is a powerful affirmation of their cause and a reminder that perseverance and truth can prevail against attempts to silence concerned parents.”
A joint statement was also prepared by Cobo and Balestriere in light of the victory in court, giving credit to the justice system as well as God.
"From the outset this case was never about us - it was about protecting children and ensuring parents’ rights are protected when they stand for our children. We are deeply grateful for this outcome and for the unwavering support of our family, friends, legal team at Coyle Law Group, and community. This ruling is a personal vindication and a testament to the strength of truth. While the journey was challenging, our faith in the justice system and in God never wavered. This victory fuels our determination to continue advocating for children everywhere.”
In a statement provided to Law Enforcement Today, Cobo additionally noted the following:
"We immediately recognized that this issue was crucial for us as parents and for parental rights across the country. Although this lawsuit lasted two and a half years and caused significant disruption to our lives and the lives of our family, we knew there was too much at stake to back down. This wasn’t just a win for us - it was a win for parents everywhere. The court affirmed that parents have a First Amendment right to speak out when it comes to the safety and well-being of our children."
Back in March of 2023, Roxbury High School librarian Roxana Caivano filed a defamation suit against multiple parties, including local parents, who voiced their criticism over Caivano’s obvious inclusion and endorsement of sexually explicit books in the school library, as Caivano was apparently hopping on the then-trend of calling on youths to embrace “banned books.”
The “banned books” controversy of the time, and the accompanying media spin, framed parents concerned about books depicting overt sex acts of a non-educational manner in either graphically described writings or outright pictures and illustrations as somehow being anti-LGBT or some similar form of smear. However, individuals who were rightfully concerned about these publications being made available to children would often label proponents of such books as groomers.
Kristen Cobo and Christina Balestriere were two parents among the parties named in Caivano’s 2023 lawsuit, with the complaint pointing to statements and insinuations made by the two and amplified by a Safe Libraries blog post. Cobo and Balestriere were among the many locals who didn’t buy into Caivano’s efforts to excuse ostensible pornographic publications as merely “books that are diverse and promote inclusivity,” and essentially suggested Caivano was a cog in a greater machine to corrupt youths.
Caivano, represented by her attorney husband Anthony, sued the two parents as well as Tom Seretis and Katrina Albo, claiming she had suffered reputational damage over these locals voicing their opposition to Caivano endorsing, as well as making available to public school youths, contentious publications. Furthermore, Caivano claimed she suffered “severe and permanent emotional injuries” over the statements made by the named parties.
After roughly two and a half years, State Superior Court Judge Jonathan Romankow landed on the obvious conclusion of the lawfare in an October 3rd ruling, granting summary judgement in favor of Cobo and Balestriere and dismissing Caivano’s suit as she was attempting to use the legal system to silence constitutionally protected speech.
John Coyle, the attorney who represented the defendants in the case, issued a statement following the win in court, highlighting that vexatious litigation meant to silence concerned parents eventually loses the proverbial battle when faced with the “truth.”
“The lawsuit tested the resilience of Kristen and Christina, but they remained unwavering in their mission to safeguard children and ensure a future rooted in safety, dignity and hope,” Coyle stated, adding, “This victory is a powerful affirmation of their cause and a reminder that perseverance and truth can prevail against attempts to silence concerned parents.”
A joint statement was also prepared by Cobo and Balestriere in light of the victory in court, giving credit to the justice system as well as God.
"From the outset this case was never about us - it was about protecting children and ensuring parents’ rights are protected when they stand for our children. We are deeply grateful for this outcome and for the unwavering support of our family, friends, legal team at Coyle Law Group, and community. This ruling is a personal vindication and a testament to the strength of truth. While the journey was challenging, our faith in the justice system and in God never wavered. This victory fuels our determination to continue advocating for children everywhere.”
In a statement provided to Law Enforcement Today, Cobo additionally noted the following:
"We immediately recognized that this issue was crucial for us as parents and for parental rights across the country. Although this lawsuit lasted two and a half years and caused significant disruption to our lives and the lives of our family, we knew there was too much at stake to back down. This wasn’t just a win for us - it was a win for parents everywhere. The court affirmed that parents have a First Amendment right to speak out when it comes to the safety and well-being of our children."
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Comments
2025-10-09T15:51-0400 | Comment by: James
She needs to be FIRED NOW!