2009-03-27-LHRC-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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Lexington Human Rights Committee Meeting Minutes March 27, 2009 Present: Richard Capron, Jessie Steigerwald, Joseph O'Leary, Leona Martin, Hank Manz, Bob Kent, Linda Vine, Deborah Jackson, Fuang -Ping Huang, Albert Zabin and Puran Dang Guests: Connie Rawson, Carry Library Director, Emily Lavine, Assistant Director Family & Human Services, Laurie Henry, Assistant Director Youth Services, and Melissa Buttaro, Guidance Counsel, LHS. Meeting at the Selectman's Meeting Room was called to order at 8: LOAM The committee welcomes Jessie Steigerwald, the new school committee member who replaced Helen Cohen as the representative from the school committee. Joe O'Leary, who led the Lexington Police Dept. during the visit, debriefs the committee on the visit by members of Westboro Baptist Church on Friday, March 13, 2009. The event went without incident at Lexington High School. The group was met by the well trained and organized "Wall of Silence" which was formed by close to four hundred Lexington residents. About three hundred residents went for the training. Westboro members left LHS unable to provoke any altercations from Lexington residents. According to Joe "This was Lexington at its best ". As for White Revolution, another hate group, other than the rumor of them setting up a memorial by the minuteman statue we don't have much information on their potential visit to Lexington, as they have a secured website; making it difficult to gather information on their plans. However, they don't raise much concern as the group is small and is not well organized. Connie Rawson, director at Carry library briefs the committee on the disturbance by teenagers at the library. They disobey rules, damage library property and disrespect library personnel as well as other patrons. While Lexington lacks youth facility for after school activities, the general consensus is that these are the same students who get into to troubles in school and a youth center may not help with the situation at the library. The committee recommends to post library policy and to involve parents and police, to have uniformed police patrol at the library a few afternoons per week to enforce the rules. The next committee meeting is scheduled on April 17, 2009 at 8:00 AM. The meeting adjourned at approximately 9:10 am.