HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-09-08-LHRC-min
Town of Lexington
Lexington Human Rights Committee
Sean D. Osborne, Chair humanrightscmte@lexingtonma.gov
Bhumip Khasnabish, Vice Chair
Fuang-Ying Huang, Clerk
Minutes for September 8, 2017 Meeting
Present:
Members: Dr. Mary Anton, Lieutenant Jim Barry, Bonnie Brodner, Fuang-Ying Huang,
Bhumip Khasnabish, Sean Osborne, Charlotte Rogers, Jeffrey Toronto
Liaisons and Town Department Representatives: Kathleen Lenihan and Doug Lucente
Guests: Mabel Amar, Todd Burger, Tanya Gisolfi, Kathy Hoben, Catherine Rielly, Tony
Rodriguez, Janet Walker, Deb Zucker
Following up on the last spring’s Community Conversation on Race and the LPS Superintendent’s
presentation to the LHRC, the LHRC and the Commission on Disability have formed a task force to
develop a survey of parents of Black and Disabled students regarding school discipline. The goal is to
help LPS reduce the disparity in discipline for Black and Disabled students.Parents and guardians of
Black and Disabled students will receive the survey via email while the general public may participate
in the survey via a link on town’s website. The survey will be conducted in February 2018.
Lexington Police Department is sponsoring a MCAD-provided training on Preventing and Addressing
Housing Discrimination. Up to 20 participants from LPD and HRC are to be trained. Unfilled space
will be offer to other town departments.
A housing discrimination workgroup was formed to address training for the general public and
recruitment and training of housing discrimination testers. Mary Anton and Jeffrey Toronto are the
LHRC members on this workgroup. Guests Mabel Amar, Janet Walker and Deb Zucker volunteered
to serve on this workgroup.
A workgroup was formed to review a conversation on race toolkit that was developed by a community
volunteer. Mary Anton is the LHRC member on this workgroup. Guests Catherine Rielly, Tanya
Gisolfi and Janet Walker volunteered to serve on this workgroup.
This year the LHRC is instituting an Advisory Council. The goal of the council is to allow community
organizations to meet with two LHRC committee members in the evening and discuss issues, concerns
and potential projects. The Advisory Council is scheduled to meet the third Wednesday of October,
December, February, April and June at the Community Center from 7 to 8 pm.
LHRC members are encouraged to attend the regular meetings of the groups that are part of the
Advisory Council. Each member volunteered to be the liaison to at least one organization.
1625 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE • LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02420
Updates:
Police Department – Police are investigating a hate/threatening email which was sent to the new
principal of Lexington High School over the summer. Since it’s an on-going investigation, details can’t
be released
Schools – The Lexington Public School System is joining the RIDES initiative (Reimagining
Integration for Diverse and Equitable Schools) as a District. The program is sponsored by HGSE run
by Dr. Lee Teitel is currently working with 7 to 10 districts in the Commonwealth. Each District
identifies a focus area and is assisted by doctoral level student coaches.Lexington has identified
equity leadership (working with the senior leaders of the district) around deepening understanding,
supporting principals and central office staff around the process of developing training for staff,
putting into place consistent processes, and potentially looking at some of the data that indicates
inequities. The district level partnership also includes a partner school (Bowman), that helps to inform
the conversation by showing what this looks like in actual implementation. Bowman will participate
with a second RIDES project that is fully school based and will have additional interns continuing our
work with our K-5 Dismantling Racism curriculum.
In addition, the town and district met with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) to hear about anti-bias
training that they offer for employees and programs for peer training for students. Discussion of the
creation of a universal protocol for response to incidents was discussed and some sample documents
were shared.
Cary Memorial Library – no report
Human Services Report – No human rights issue reported. Do see increased mental health issues
among seniors.
Meeting adjourned at 10:00 AM
Next Meeting is scheduled for Friday, October 13th at 8:00 a.m.
1625 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE • LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02420