HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-05-04-LHRC-min %3S Mop
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Lexington Human Rights Committee
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Sean D. Osborne, Chair hurnand hts rn ��)Iexin
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Fuang-Ying Huang, Vice Chair
Tanya Gisolfi, Clerk
Minutes for May 4, 2018 Meeting
Present:
• Members: Sean Osborne, Fuang-Ying Huang, Jeffrey Toronto, Lieutenant James Barry, Bonnie
Brodner
• Liaisons: Kathleen Lenihan, (School Committee), Aidan Evelyn (LPD), Stanley Yap (CAAL),
Valerie Overton (LexPride), Mona Roy (IAL/SEPAC/LEXDESI), Jill Hai (BOS)
• Guests: Lisa O'Brien, Christine Lin, Nicole Locher
Meeting called to order at 8:10 AM, Quorum was present at 8:10 AM.
Minutes from April 6, 2017 meeting were reviewed and approved with no changes.
Chair Report—Ms. Gisolfi-McCready and Ms. Overton are scheduled to facilitate Active By-Stander
training out of town. LexPride has event on June 10. LHRC will share stand with LPD on Discovery
Day. Ms. Bodner and Ms. Huang volunteered to work with Lexington Chamber of Commerce to
facilitate diversity and antibias training to make residents and visitors feel welcomed.
Transgender Rights Proclamation—In response to a November ballot to repeal the 2016 Non-
Discrimination Law, the draft Proclamation for Lexington Board of Selectmen for LexPride initiative
was reviewed and approved as edited.
LPS Student Discipline Survey Update—The survey was closed on May 3rd. It received 124 responses,
88 from the school emailing and 36 from workgroups outreach to parents. No investigation started on
the inaccurate 2016-2017 LPS data published on the state website. Ms. Lenihan collected questions
from LHRC for the new superintendent on the topic.
9:15 Ms. Huang left, no longer a quorum
Discussion about survey, what happened, where we go from here. Chair reminded us we must focus
on the data we did get and try not to focus on the implementation of the survey itself. The process of
examining the data results is underway and we will discuss it more next month.
Discussion about Selectman Goals - we should send Chair any other goals we would like the selectmen
to discuss a few days before our June meeting, so we can discuss and vote on it during the June
meeting:
1625 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE-LEXINGTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02420
1) Suggestion made by Ms. Hai that we need to weave equality, for all, into every decision the
town makes, similarly to how we do that with environmentally friendly decisions. Everything
the town does is looked at through a lens of what helps the environment the most. We need to
look at everything the town does looking through the lens of equality and accessibility for all.
2) Should have anti-bias and/or bystander/upstander training for all employees, elected officials
and those who serve on committees. These are the leaders of the town and must show by
example how to behave in non-discriminatory ways.
3) Should have joint HRC meetings with the Board of Selectmen.
4) Determine what resources are available to serve the Lexington population that we aren't
tapping into right now. These groups should also come together to bond and see where they
can help each other to help the community better.
If we want funding for training the more specific we can be about what we want the more likely the
selectmen are to agree to the funding. Ms. Brodner will create a request for anti-bias and/or
bystander/upstander training to be voted on by the HRC in June.
Discussion about newly formed Diversity Advisory Task Force (DATF). In initial discussions of the
DATF it was thought to have it under the auspices of the HRC but ended up being chaired by the
Superintendent and the Town Manager. It was recently determined by the co-chairs that no member
from the HRC would even be allowed on the committee in hopes that new volunteers not already
involved with a committee would be encouraged to apply.
Ms. Overton updated us on the DATF —they have met three times and have so far discussed
organizational issues. She is hopeful they will begin discussing issues around diversity in the next
meeting or two.
Meeting ended at 10:15 AM.
Next meeting: Friday, June 1, 2018 at 8:00 am.
1625 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE•LEXINGTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02420