HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-07-19-LHRC-min-att21625 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE • LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02420
Town of Lexington
Lexington Human Rights Committee
Letter to Editor, Lexington Observer - FINAL version (7/19/2023)
This past May, a Lexington Observer article on affirmative action containing opinions from a variety of Lexington
residents resulted in divisive and hurtful comments towards individuals quoted in the article. We, the Lexington
Human Rights Committee, (LHRC) fully support and encourage free speech and public discourse. The plurality of
perspectives in our community should give us more reason to listen and understand those with differing views.
Furthermore, we recognize that affirmative action and the college admissions process is complex and can be a
contentious issue.
Our concern as the LHRC, is not the differences of opinions, but the personal and misleading characterization of
entire groups of people of different racial backgrounds and lived experiences. As a Town Committee, our mission
is to build a more unified community that recognizes our commonalities and respects our differences. There are
times when we must confront statements and actions that conflict with these core values. In doing so, the
Committee works to foster civil public discourse. In this instance we felt it prudent to address the hurtful and
divisive nature of some comments.
Public platforms such as email lists and online comment sections are often a challenging space for fully
communicating one’s true thoughts and intent. While it is important to recognize that people have the right to
express their beliefs candidly, statements that unnecessarily pit one group against another are inherently divisive
and ultimately hurt the goal of learning and participation in community dialogue. For example, many comments
posted on the Lex Observer article questioned the legitimacy of Black and Latino students at Harvard and
perpetuated historical stereotypes that are harmful and not grounded in truth. There are ways to argue an
opposing view in a manner that does not make broad assumptions or use language that degrades others. Calling
our neighbors by name and attacking their perspective or lived experience is counterproductive to civil and public
discourse.
We believe our shared aspirations are more alike than no t. In Lexington, we have opportunities to address
educational inequities. For example, inequities in education exist across many identities, even in Lexington.
These are reported annually by the Lexington Public School District ( LPS Annual Report on Reducing Systematic
Barriers) and describe the large inequities in education that exist for Black students whether it be disparities in
suspension rates, access to advanced level coursework or inclusion in general education. We must acknowledge
that these inequities exist and that the data supports that they carry into high school and beyond.* These
disparities in education remain a challenge for schools across the nation, even for prominent public schools such
as Lexington.
As we continue the conversation, we hope future discourse will avoid the pitfalls of division and instead, lead to
greater curiosity and understanding of one another.
We appreciate any thoughts, comments, or disagreements you may have. This letter was approved by the LHRC
by a vote of 5-0 on July 19, 2023. The Lexington Human Rights Committee can be reached at
humanrightscmte@lexingtonma.gov and our public meetings are posted to the Town calendar.
*Are Achievement Gaps Related to Discipline Gaps? Evidence From National Data