2019-10-29 Joint BOS, SC, and HRC-min

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Joint Meeting Board of Selectmen, School Committee and Human Rights Committee October 29, 2019 A Joint Meeting of the Lexington Board of Selectmen, School Committee, and Human Rights Committee was called to order at 9:05 p.m. in the Cafeteria of the Samuel Hadley Public Services Building, 201 Bedford Street, Lexington, MA. Present for the Board of Selectmen (BOS): Mr. Lucente, Chair; Mr. Pato; Ms. Barry, Ms. Hai and Mr. Sandeen as well as Mr. Malloy, Town Manager; Ms. Axtell, Deputy Town Manager; and Ms. Katzenback, Executive Clerk. Present from the School Committee (SC) were: Ms. Jay, Chair; Mr. Bokun; Ms. Sawhney; Ms. Colburn; and Dr. Hackett, Superintendent. Present for the Human Rights Committee (HRC) were: Ms. Roy, Chair; Ms. Swann; Ms. Gisolfi- McCready, Ms. Huang, Mr. Toronto. Also Present were: Ms. Interess, Director of Human Services, and Detective Barry, Lexington Police liaison. The purpose of the meeting was an update from the Superintendent of Schools and Town Manager on the work of the Diversity Advisory Task Force. Dr. Hackett stated the Diversity Task Force was formed, following a report of the 2020 Committee, to examine and address the needs of the Asian populations in Lexington. Initially, the Task Force was to study how demographic changes in Lexington impact civic involvement, Town and School programs, and community life. Identified concerns at the time included reducing barriers and overcoming unconscious bias. After several years of work and an expansion of mission to include ethnicities other than Asian, the Task Force lost a sense of clarity regarding its goals. In June 2019, the group decided to revisit its purpose and approach. To renew a sense of direction, two strategies were identified: holding community conversations and integrating initiatives at the neighborhood level. A well-attended conversation about race was held at the Cary Library in the summer of 2019. Two more conversations are scheduled for November 9 and December 7, 2019. They will both be facilitated by an Asian Studies professor who teaches at UMASS Boston and they will be geared specifically to the challenges of Lexington’s Asian populations, the original focus of the Task Force. Dr. Hackett said the Task Force believes it is time to sunset the current Diversity Task Force and convene a new task force with renewed focus on the Asian populations. Mr. Malloy reported on another topic: whether the Lexington’s employee base reflects the diversity of the resident population. A survey of Town and School staff was conducted to gather data regarding gender, age, race/ethnicity, LGBTQ identification, and disability. Statistics of note: Residents of Lexington are 48% male and 51% female. On the Town staff side, these ratios are closely reflected but on the School side, 84% are female and only 16% are male. Town Meeting Members are 55% male and 45% female. 1