GAHANNA, Ohio (WCMH) — Some residents in Gahanna are criticizing tweets made by a Gahanna Jefferson School Board candidate.

The tweets from candidate Jon Handler have been accused of being racist, xenophobic and insensitive.

Despite multiple opportunities, Handler declined to comment on the tweets.

His Twitter account is now private, but prior to attention being brought to the tweets, it was public. Screenshots were taken and shared before the account was made private.

One of them is a reply from Handler in September 2018 to a tweet of a picture of Linda Sarsour. She’s one of three former Women’s March co-chair’s who stepped down amid antisemitic accusations.

“Looks like a sponsor of terror in the middle there?,” he asks in the tweet.

He also replied to a Memorial Day Tweet from Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.). “Shut up Ilhan…you support radical Islamic terrorists who blow themselves up,” he wrote in part.

Several residents said they were shocked to learn someone running for school board would tweet in such a way.

“This behavior is not tolerated here in Gahanna,” said Kris Ott, who has two children in Gahanna schools. “This is a very diverse community and if he is going to be intolerant of differences or insensitive to other people’s viewpoints, this is not the person for this position.”

The tweets were first uncovered and shared with others in the community by Kelly Weber. She has kids in Gahanna schools and is also an art teacher in the district. She says her actions are completely her own doing.

“I feel that if you are somebody who’s able to present as something that you’re not, you need to be called out on who you really are in order for people to truly decide who they think deserves this position,” she said.

In July 2018 he replied to a tweet about America’s kids from Sen. Kamala Harris (D- Calif.).

“The ones that eat tide pods? Or the ones that need safe spaces to cry?” he wrote.

“That’s just disgusting. A school board member represents all of the kids. All of them,” Ott said. “He shouldn’t be making fun of any of them or any of their needs.”

When asked if he stood by his tweets, Handler declined to answer.

He also declined multiple requests to go on camera for an interview.