[Paulette Van der Kloot]: First of all, I love the historical research and I personally think that is a contender for the name. I don't think we should limit our name only to people. I think just going ahead and voting on that tonight, we would not be following any of our policies. We wouldn't be following our naming policy, which there is actually a naming policy. I think we've kind of set people up for expecting that there might be a process for naming. There's a whole lot of me which would like to say yes, but you know, let's just vote it now and over with. I will tell you that from all the letters we've received and the discussions we've had, there will certainly still be part of our population which disagrees with the change altogether, no matter what we say or do. And that is because they feel that something is being taken away from them. And of course, all of my efforts have this point have been trying to move us in a direction where we could in fact choose a name, which is good for everybody. And I do think your suggestion hits that. Now, as vice chair, I need to report that there were more than 100 letters in the school committee account. Many of those letters, and if I read all 100, we will literally be here for hours and hours. We could just turn off this and I could read for the next five hours and start our discussion at midnight. So I want to mention, right now that we had 96 people asking us to supporting the name change and we received one petition from our resolution with 391 Medford residents signing. The other last time we did receive a petition from Medford United, which also had, I think it was close to 600 Medford residents signing. And I did read that. If I need to go back, I can find that and read it into, all of this will be put into the record though. A little tricky because in this particular time, we only have three communications opposed to the name change. I mean, and we know that there are far more letters. Some of the letters have come into my private account as opposed to the school committee account. We did receive one letter from Mr. Petrella, which I'm just going to mention because he said that he had his hand raised or was, and he didn't get to speak at our last meeting. So I want to make sure that we're not overlooking anybody.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Member Van der Kloot, if I may, I did get that email as well. And I did respond because Dr. Cushing and I, we were going by the raised hand function. So I did respond that we called on everybody, including two people twice. So I wanted to confirm with him that he wasn't physically raising his hand, make sure his camera was on, because I'm very cognizant of that as are all the committee members.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Yes, and I would personally like to ask, if people are speaking, please turn on your cameras so we can see you. It's just, I know you're not mandated to, but it is much easier for us. So if you can, that's a personal request. If you don't want to, that's your option, I guess. Anyway, so that's the letters received up to this point, and they've been coming in pretty consistently. At this point, I'll just give it as report. They'll be all put into the record. And if anybody wishes me to do anything differently, I can. I'm at the it's at the will of the committee.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: I think putting them in the record is the best option for right now, because I know a number of people want to speak as well. Thank you, Member Van der Kloot. Member Kreatz?
[Kathy Kreatz]: I just wanted to thank Ms. Stone for sharing that history with us. And I concur with Ms. Vanderkoot. You know, I'm not ready to make a decision, and I do feel that this process should be a public process. You know, from many of the community members that I've heard, you know, since June of 2020, You know, we, we've been waiting for this meeting, so that we could have the public engage and, you know, ask questions and share their opinions, but I do think that that name is, you know, would be is a good suggestion. Um, once we come up with the plans for choosing the names process. Um, so I just wanted to share that information and I just want to ask the mayor a question. So mayor, I just had a question because I had a motion, you know, in regards to the two resolutions. Should I hold off and wait till we get to that part of the meeting?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Well, I think you must, I think you may have amendments to the, to the resolution. So I think we should take it the resolution in sections. So you would make, I would ask that you make the amendments or we discuss each section one at a time and whether we, main thing we need to decide which one we're gonna go off of. So that's, it's completely up to you, but I would say we do a section by section.
[Kathy Kreatz]: So I have a motion that is in regards to the entire timeline. So I'm wondering if I should just read that now and if it could be considered, you know, as a, you know, in a recommendation. It should probably take me about two minutes. So, in my opinion, the deadlines in the meeting dates that were outlined in both resolutions are too tight. The original resolution on June 15 stated specific dates. You know July 121 was when the school was going to be renamed, and then there was supposed to be a committee of the whole on September 1, and that's where we are right now we're, we're at the committee of the whole. And after that, October 1. the advisory committee was supposed to be formed, and then they would have been meeting October, November, December, January, and they would have submitted a new name to us by January 1st. Because we're in the global pandemic, three of the four deadlines were missed. So I think we should take a step back today. Today marks one year into the coronavirus pandemic. And the Commissioner of Education has stated that the schools must be open for full-time in-person learning on April 5, while middle school will be required to do so on April 28. Our paramount focus should be planning to get the children, teachers, and staff back to school safely to receive the best education, having a budget to accommodate those things. I think that this should be our priority right now. Also, due to the magnitude of the change, I have recommended a slightly different timeline because in the original resolution, it was stated that the advisory committee should have a term of six months. So if I go back to the original timeline, the dates were September 1st, October 1st, November, December, January, February. So that was the six months. So here we are today on April, I'm sorry, not April, March 10th, and we are meeting for the rescheduled September 1st meeting, which was the committee of the whole to plan the structure. And we're still in the global pandemic. So then the next meeting, which would be the advisory committee would have been formed would be in April this coming April, which was, you know, according to the original resolution was exactly one month after the committee of the whole meeting. So that would bring us to April 10th. But I happen to think that April 10th is a little too soon to form the advisory committee, so I was thinking like April 30th would be a good time to form the advisory committee. And then that would give the advisory committee April, then May, June, July and August are summer months, so we have to exclude those months, September, October happens to be Italian American Heritage Month, and we celebrate, you know, Columbus Day, which is a federal holiday, so I'm not sure if we want to include that month for the research or not. And then that would put our timeline up to November 2021, where the advisory committee would have the full six months, not including the summer months. It could be shorter if the committee wanted to meet during the summer months of July and August. It all depends on whether or not they would meet, which would mean the advisory committee would be coming to us either if we include the summer months they would be coming to us September to bring the new research name or November to bring the new research name and this would give ample time and you know for the advisory committee to have a thoughtful reflective discussions to thoroughly research a new name. So this is the motion that I'm making to extend the timeline that was detailed in the in the The plan that we're working on right now is still working off of the dates that were in the original resolution, but the three dates have already been missed. So that's my resolution. My motion is to extend the timeline detailed in forming the advisory committee and pushing out the dates a little further so that the advisory committee can have six months as detailed in the original resolution.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you member Kreatz.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: So a couple of different things. Mayor, like you, I went down and I distilled from both member Rousseau's and my own resolution key talking points. And I asked Peter if he would put them up. I think they're similar to yours. There may be one difference. Because I don't really think it's a choice between mine and Paul's so much. I think that member Rousseau, because he was dedicated to doing this, sort of got out and laid out a process and giving us all the opportunity to say, yep, that works for me. No, it doesn't. And so I wrote mine down because it was pretty convoluted. But the six key talking points really covers the most important things. Now, I had mentioned the other day at our meeting on Monday that I do have concerns about the timeline. And my concerns about the timeline are because not in the first part, not the, you know, application process, We actually have, member Kretsch suggested April 30th, the meeting is on April 26th, which both member Ruseau and myself put as the date to choose the advisory committee. But it's the time, how much time does the advisory committee have to work? And part of that is asking, what are we asking them to do? So these are the key talking points that I put forward that you're seeing on the screen right now. One is how is the advisory committee chosen? And by the way, the application, I had one additional thing about availability and time, but otherwise mine and member Rousseau's, I think we're pretty close. and not particularly complicated. But point number two is what is the makeup of the advisory committee? Three, once names are submitted for consideration, what is the next step in the process? Four, what is the charge to the advisory committee? What are we asking them to do? Five is how is the chair or co-chairs chosen? And six, does the advisory committee bring one choice to the school committee for confirmation or up to three for our selection? Those are really the key points that member Brousseau and myself look at in different ways. So that's just, I put that out. I know there are many hands raised now, so I'm just gonna lay that out right now.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Yep, we're gonna do public participation, and then we will, mine are similar to yours, Member Van der Kloot, we'll work off of one, maybe Paul's, where you know yours best, and we'll go through it one section at a time, knowing those are the key issues. Anne-Marie?
[Ann Marie Cugno]: Could you hear me now?
[SPEAKER_64]: Yes.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: Man, you can hear me. Okay, so I do understand where everyone is coming from. I know you have two motions actually on the table, I believe. One was from Ms. Mostone and the other one is from Ms. Kreatz. But again, I will reiterate it from my standpoint. And my standpoint is that with the commissioner of education coming out and giving us all, or giving you guys, the schedule of when our children are supposed to be going back to school, there is so much to be really considered. You need to look at your budget, you need to look at, you know, custodians, are you gonna be getting contractors to come in to do it? Yes, they've been doing a great job up until today, but that is comparing two, three days a week compared to students that are going in five days a week. I do know that there's already other cities that have already have responded to the commissioner. I know Burlington has actually stated that they might start earlier than the deadlines that he has given. I believe there's another city that has also mentioned the same. So again, I will reiterate the name change or no name change. precedence. We need to get our kids in school and time is of the essence. Could someone at least explain how many more meetings are going to be invested into this advisory committee? From the school committee also, not just the advisory committee, because school committee has to be some part of that.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Right, that's what we're here to figure out tonight, Anne-Marie. this will outline as best we can how many meetings it will take for the school committee, the advisory committee and create a timeline for that.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: Okay, because again, as one of your members had posted, you know, you have a really contagious budget that you have to deal with. And that's coming, that should have already been started. And the discussion is already should have already started. I'm not aware if it has. But I also do know that right around the corner, we hit June. And at the end of June, school committee has to present the budget, has to be accepted by the city council. A lot of people go on vacation. Sorry. So it's all right.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, Anne-Marie. That was it. We have, I don't know the name, iPhone X.
[SPEAKER_40]: I'm trying to unmute you.
[SPEAKER_59]: Hold on one second.
[SPEAKER_40]: There you go.
[McKillop]: Can you hear me? Yes. Can you hear me? Okay. Good evening. Under the guise that I'm in a time sensitive issue here, I just wanted to go back and revisit the thought process behind why this is so sentimental to the Italian American community and others as well. And I was doing some homework and doing some research and found an article that was printed in June 18th 2020. It was printed by a Louis Navier and I just want to read a portion of it because it is very very lengthy and I don't want to take everyone through it but it's certainly something that everyone can either look up or I can certainly send it to you. So this portion is based off of why the Columbus, it's basically more about Columbus Day but why the name Columbus is important or at least in the psyche. In New Orleans in 1891, back in March of 1891, a gentleman named David Hennessey was murdered. He was a police chief and he was murdered by people of Italian descent. So there were 11 Italians that were brought up on trial and were acquitted, come to find out they weren't even part of what happened. But back then, because the Italians were hated so much by the United States as such as Mark Twain would likely predict, an extrajudicial killing and an Italian accused of murder as the outcome more likely than a trial by jury. Twain was not being provocative. He was inspired by true events. And this was one of those events. These 11 Italian Americans, which were dock workers, cobblers, food vendors, tin smith, one was even a laborer on a plantation, were all round up after that and they were lynched.
[Lisa Evangelista]: They were murdered.
[McKillop]: Okay. So in a nutshell, I just want to let you know that this was something that was brought out back in 1891 and President Harrison in 1891 created Columbus Day in recognition of the Italian community. I wish I could finish this because it is very, very important to understand the context of this. And this was something that was created that really is very, very important. And I hope that everybody can get in touch with me to understand this better. The Italian community deserves to hear about this.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: that you'll have more time to speak on each issue. Dave, I'm sorry.
[SPEAKER_64]: Okay.
[Kathy Kreatz]: Mayor, I just wanted to... Mayor, I just heard from iPhone X, and I guess he was trying to unmute, but he couldn't unmute. Would you be able to try him again?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: It was the iPhone X. Okay, we'll have... Yep, he's in queue, or she. He or she is in queue. I just unmuted Nadine, and then we'll go...
[Miguel Aguiso]: Madam Mayor, can you hear me?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Yes, Nadine, hold off one second. Yes, go ahead, sir. What's your name?
[Miguel Aguiso]: My name is Miguel Aguiso, 61 Forest Street. I just wanted to say off the record, I'm in total opposition of the Columbus School being changed. But I just had a quick question. I heard earlier that there was 300 and some odd people that were in, that were, For the change, for the record, how many people were against it? I miss Vanderdijk, I believe her name is. She said that there were some sort of people in the 600 name. And then second part, how much is a name change going to cost us in Medford, if you don't mind me asking?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Yeah, the two petitions we received, one was in favor, that was $350,000. 96 people, and then the petition we were given on Monday was from a different group, Medford United, and that was, oh, I think 650 Medford residents.
[Miguel Aguiso]: 650 for an opposition of the change? An opposition, correct. Thank you, Madam Mayor, I appreciate that. And you have a number on how much this is gonna cost? I don't have a number. Okay, thank you.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you. Nadine, are you unmuted?
[Nadeen Moretti]: I think I am now, Mayor, can you hear me?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Yes, yes, there you go.
[Nadeen Moretti]: Great, thank you. Nadine Moretti, 126 Burgett Ave. Thank you, Mayor, and good evening, everyone. My intent isn't to make this a personal attack, but it is certainly a personal attack on everyone you have listened to about how this is affecting them, our city, and that ultimately their voices, opinions, and feelings mean nothing. You've listened to so many people but are you truly hearing us? As of Monday night, it still appears the school committee will move forward regardless of the speakers who so eloquently asked you to reconsider. Do right by Medford's residents and in light of the workload ahead of you after Desi's recommendations. Wondering if any of that resonated with you. To quote member Rousseau back in June 2020, I would make this decision and put this forward if literally every person wrote to me and said, do not change the name and I wouldn't bat an eyelash. This statement certainly resonated with a myriad of registered voters and parents. My children, along with Paul's, attended Columbus Elementary for nine years. We went on field trips together, were on the PTO, hung at the school yard daily. I volunteered in my children's classrooms, at events within the school, Never once hearing or heard a word, excuse me, uttered that it was a bothersome or offensive name because it is not. Renaming any school is bigger than just the school committee. It doesn't matter that an advisory committee was slated to be formed because as we recently learned, those deadlines have passed and more importantly, without proper input or inclusion of the residents of Medford. But we're still in a pandemic. You now have been tasked with figuring out how to get, at the very least, K-5 back in school, per the latest guidance from DESE. In light of so many requests to table it for these reasons, there shouldn't be a rush to complete this unless it's personally driven. You are voted in to be the voice of all the parents, not only the ones that agree about the Columbus school name being changed after 90 years. This proposal is part of an agenda to change and cancel what they see fit or render offensive and unhealthy culture being driven by our evolution. So in closing, you're well aware that I'm 100% against renaming Columbus Elementary, but I'm more against the school- Time's up, Nadine. Making it a priority over normal learning environment for our children during the pandemic. Thank you.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, Nadine.
[Nadeen Moretti]: Bill?
[Giglio]: Hello?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Bill, yes.
[Giglio]: Can you hear me? I'm sorry, okay.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: A little bit.
[Giglio]: Can you hear me okay? Hello?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Yes.
[Giglio]: You can hear me fine? Okay, my name's Bill Giglio. My statement is for Paul, and this is not to pick on Paul or anything. Paul, you're in your second term, but yet this has never been an issue with you in the past. Your platform or anyone else on the committee's platform has never ran on the name change being such a high priority. Since becoming a member just before the 2019 election of an extreme left progressive group called the Our Revolution, this seems to fall right in line with their ideology of changing history and the national narrative of cancel culture. So your resolution to change the name of the Columbus School seems a little sketchy, suspicious, and disingenuous. Plus we all know this opens up the floodgates for everything else to be renamed. That's just my first half. But my second half is actually a question. This was obviously a go. So like the other gentleman had said, what is going to be the cost for this? When can we expect the breakdown of who's going to be doing such work, such as the lawyers, contractors, state filing fees, and what they're going to be getting paid to do their work? If this is being funded by some sort of donations, when can we expect a list of who's donating? And should a group such as the Our Revolution be allowed to donate? Because I can tell you, a lot of us do not want this coming out of school money or tax funded money.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Okay. I will work on getting a breakdown of how much this will cost. I'm not sure as of tonight.
[Giglio]: I'll ask at this point, why if, if the, if the date would have been July, how come there's none of that is even thought of or, or, you know, research. I mean, that's, that's a, that's a huge factor.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: The school committee has the authority to change the name of a school. That's the only answer I can give you.
[SPEAKER_40]: Mayor. Can anybody else? Member Van der Kloot.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: I would like to address one thing. Many people are speaking about all the different things that the school committee faces, and that's absolutely true. We have a lot of work ahead of us. However, and part of this is being brought about, well, you need more time to hear us. We have heard strongly from the community, and I myself have gone and spoken to some members who are very anti the change. And it's very, very difficult. But to say you don't have enough time, well, frankly, we're a pretty dedicated bunch all across. And I don't think that once we get through the process and work it out. And there will be some things that I speak to, like removing one piece, we'll get to it later, off of a school committee onto a committee of the whole instead. You know, so I do, and the other thing which I think is key for me to say as the longest serving school committee member is, and when this first came up, I spoke to it. Now, when this first came up, I will tell you, and I've said to other people, I wasn't happy with the process, okay? Because at that first meeting, I felt confident in that, yes, I did feel there was a reason to change it. You must remember that there was in light of a very a spring of great reckoning and understanding of what was going on in our world and the racism that exists that we all saw with our own eyes. And there is a context to this. But 20 years ago, when we built the new schools, I can absolutely tell you that there was a discussion in the committee, in the Building the Future Committee of which I was part, about the naming of the schools. And at that time, we were well aware that there were people who would much prefer it not to be the Columbus School. I've kicked myself sometimes because I let that go, partially in deference to a community member who I had great respect for and who didn't want it to change. But it's been a recurring You know, maybe you haven't heard it, but I have over and over again. I've heard it, I've had discussions down at the Columbus School with parents. So it's not that this just popped up and there's been, it's not been part of our discussion. It has been particularly for parents whose children attend the Columbus School. And that certainly isn't to say that everybody agrees, but it's certainly been there.
[Giglio]: So if you're saying you don't have, if you're saying that there was plenty, there was ample time and there's still ample time, then why is Kathy Creeds then asking for more time?
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: So the time has to do with the timeline that she's suggesting is part of the discussion that we'll have. We're sort of talking two different things. I too, after I worked out my resolution, believes that it would be great to have more time, which is to say a number of weeks more to come to the conclusion of this. I've built in and will talk to my committee about saying that I think that once we put the advisory council together and they begin their work, that they are the ones who will need to be able to say to us, hey, we need eight more weeks, or we need 12 more weeks, or we think this has to be the timeline. But that's a discussion that as we work out the particulars of this. The other thing is the reality of it is, and we just have to say this, and it's just blunt. When people are saying they haven't been heard, we have heard them. But unfortunately, we don't necessarily agree with them. We are not agreeing to change, to not change the name. So people keep on saying, you haven't heard us. Well, we are hearing you. And quite honestly, I mean, I had some great discussions and I was really moved at one point by one person who told me what Columbus Day meant in his family. And I listened and I heard that. I've heard other people say we're erasing history. We're still going to teach our kids about Columbus. It is part of our education strands. It's not like we're just saying, and Columbus had, hey, there were some things that were good about him. What we're saying is, is he, is this name the one we want to represent this educational facility in our community? You have voted for. the committee, six members plus the mayor, this community voted for us to do what we think is best. This is not an easy job. It is painful, it is tough. One of my committee members said to me, you know, Paulette, the problem with you is you wanna make everybody happy. And that's absolutely true. I don't wanna piss anybody off. And no matter what I do, I'm going to make some people unhappy in this. I am being true to myself, I've worked, spent hours and hours. And by the way, those hours were not conflicting with the other work that I do, talking to administration, saying, hey, can we work on this? Hey, what about that? Okay, I've got lots of hours in my day. But trying to say, how does this process work? And is there a way that the process can help bring this community together? I listened on Monday when Mr. McKillop suggested that we start all over. And for a while back, I was there. I was wondering about that. But I came, thought deeply and said, you know what? At this point, we have had lots of opportunity. People in Medford are aware of this. I walked my dog this afternoon with someone I didn't know. She's not particularly involved at all in the politics. I said, wow, I've got a heavy meeting tonight. And she said, oh yeah, it's the Columbus naming issue. People know. Anyway.
[Giglio]: Well, and again, you know, I'm not trying to hit below the belt, but you say that, you know, we vote for you and make the decision. But I mean, it was also a time, don't forget, where a lot of people in the city did not know Paul is a convicted felon. Now they know. Do we kick him off the board? He still has a chance.
[SPEAKER_40]: Okay, please. No.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Member van de Kloot. Is two minutes up? Yes. We have Marie.
[Marie Levey-Pabst]: Hi, can you hear me all right? Yes. Awesome, thank you. I can't even find myself on the screen. I'll be quick, thank you. I'm a parent of children at the currently named Columbus School and I am so grateful that we hopefully are now talking about, the name change is happening. Just to clarify, the name change is happening. The question now is how does that process happen? So I hope I'm getting that right. And I also just wanna say this, I just wanna push for this name change to happen as soon as possible. It is long overdue. I have a third grader and a fifth grader and I'd had high hopes that my fifth grader would leave the school knowing that it was no longer going to be the Columbus and have a different name that better represented the Medford that I know and love. And so I just want to throw that out that I hope I understand what the pandemic everything's changed with timelines, but I just want to say I hope that we don't put this off too long because as we can see, it's causing fractures and it's causing I just want to say I am so grateful for Paul Rousseau and all of you who have stood up for this, but I just know you've had to work so hard and do so much and put so much out there, and I think it's time for us to finish this job. And I also just want to put in a plug there for having the students involved at that school, and I think that that would be just an amazing community project. So I appreciate all the research everyone else has done, but I think it'd be really nice to have some student involvement here. And I just really wanted to come on and say, I'm very excited about the name change and I'm excited to see it move forward. And I'd be thrilled if my fourth grader starts at that school next year with a brand new name to celebrate.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, Marie. I'm going to go down the list, but I'm just, I did see somebody physically raising their hand. So we just, on the bottom of your screen, there's a raise hand button. If not, I do see you Carol. So I will get to you, but let's just go and order Seth.
[Hill]: Thank you. My name is Seth Hill. My daughter attends the school. She's 10. Christopher Columbus would abduct girls her age for his crew to rape. He was a slave trader and committed genocide against the indigenous population. We are not erasing history and choosing a new name. We are choosing to better represent who we hold up as heroes. Columbus brutality was seen as egregious by his contemporaries. He was imprisoned and stripped of his titles. I want to make that clear. Those that honored him at the time decided he was no longer worthy of that honor. All of the school committee members recognized the need for the name change. I don't want Columbus name never to be spoken of again. of a fuller history, one that hasn't been erased. The school was named to raise up our Italian American community. Italian Americans faced religious discrimination, fear over their politics, belief that they would crowd out others for jobs. Is this sounding familiar? These are prejudices that we see expressed today towards other marginalized communities. Medford is a, excuse me, Medford is a wonderful melting pot. Let's find someone who's emblematic of that and lift up those that might be marginalized today. My daughter and I would be happy to help.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, Seth. Brenna.
[Brenna Kristiansen]: Thank you, Mayor, members of the school committee. I submitted a letter to the previous meeting, and I just have a question. Is there a plan moving forward to also rename the Columbus Park as well?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: That's not on the table now. Tonight's discussion is about a process for the renaming of the Columbus School. Mayor?
[Paul Ruseau]: Member Ruseau? Thank you. Thank you for the question. I do know from the previous administration, I asked the question about the Columbus School because I thought that it, even before getting your email, that Crystal Campbell would be an excellent name for the park, which was when I read your letter, I thought that was sort of serendipitous. And my understanding is that it's actually a city-side only issue in that it is not a school or school committee related matter. So I don't believe we have the authority to make that change. And I doubt I doubt Mayor Langeau-Kern has had a chance to look into that necessarily. So, but I just wanted to confirm that I don't believe that based on the previous city solicitor, it is not within our authority.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, Member Ruseau. Thank you, Brenna. Mr. Carbone.
[Christopher Carbone]: Thank you very much for allowing me to speak. I, as I said, when this issue came up back in June. I support changing the name of the school, because Christopher Columbus does not share my values I don't believe he shares any Italian Americans values living in America today. I want to say that I find it a little bit disingenuous for this committee to say, well, you know, it just so happened that the same within a few weeks of George Floyd being killed, it just so happens that was the week we decided to change the name of the school. I don't find that particularly compelling. I think that's not just a coincidence. It doesn't change my opinion, though, and I hope it wouldn't change anyone else's opinion. Just as it doesn't change my opinion is I don't care how tough your job is. I do not care how tough the school committee thinks their job is. And I don't want to, I don't particularly care to hear it again. You are elected to do this job, please do it. I think we have to put this committee together sooner rather than later, that the people who should be given priority are people like myself, whose children have either gone to the Columbus School or are currently going to the Columbus School, that their voices be heard, that before we decide how lovely the Mystic River is and how we should name the school after the mystic, that instead we should get their input, that that's actually important. I think these discussions should be around one thing. We've decided to change the name of the school. Most people likely support it. Then we should get people who want to be on this committee so they can actually get about changing the name of this school. Let's do it. And let's stop the pick the bickering and the petty infighting, which I know at times even I can be a part of. Thank you very much for listening to me. That was under two minutes.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you.
[Cadee Stefani]: Um, hi, it's Katie. Um, hi, I'm sorry, my mask. I'm at work. But um, I just wanted to say like, while renaming something is like large, as a school is like a really like incredible task to kind of take on. I feel like it's important to not delay the vote on renaming. I think like people have mentioned it, but schools are the foundation of a community they build, like future citizens, and like, they're really important. And Like while we aren't like we're not changing history by renaming, but we're kind of bringing a history that has been like often overlooked into like a new light. I think a strong community like Medford, somewhere I'm proud to be from, somewhere I'm proud to have gone to school in, shouldn't celebrate such a horrendous historical figure by giving him like the honor of the names of one of our schools. um, by doing this, like we, I, like I said, like we're looking at our true history. And I think also we just have so many more heroes in our community that we like deserve this type of honor. Um, like I was thinking like Amelia Earhart has a house in Medford. She moved in Medford. She lived in Medford. Like we, I think there are more important historical figures that we can honor in, um, Medford. And yeah, I just wanted to say that, like, I think it's just important to not delay this vote. Thank you.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, Katie. I know Carol had her hand up. Carol, are you still on? I don't want to miss you, and you would be next if I went in order.
[SPEAKER_59]: Give me one second.
[Carol Delaney]: Can you hear me?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: I just unmuted you, Carol, yes.
[Carol Delaney]: Oh, good. I don't live in Medford. But I have written a book about Columbus. I spent years doing research and most people know nothing about him. He's not the people that people are accusing him of being. He never had slaves. He was against it. Read my book, Columbus and the Quest for Jerusalem. It won some awards and everything. And he's not the man that everybody is claiming that he is. And I would be very, I mean, I don't live there. I'd be opposed to the name change until, I think you should be educating people about Columbus because he's not the person that everybody seems to be thinking he is, was.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, Carol. Okay, that's it. Ms. Rocha? Ms. Rocha, I just want to meet with you.
[Rocha]: Can you hear me? Yes. Thank you. So I'm here to express my wholehearted support in the establishment of this advisory committee to rename the Columbus Elementary School. The bottom line is that every day that the Columbus name persists is a day where Medford is honoring genocide and white supremacy. Many of those who are opposed to the renaming claim that it's a way to honor Italian heritage, but this is a profoundly ahistorical and whitewashing take that really is equivalent to those who defend the existence of Confederate flags and statues. There are many figures in Italian history that are deserving of being honored and held up as an example to Medford students because their accomplishments did not amount to one of the most atrocious and barbaric periods of human history. The tradition that Medford has to name, to highlight Medford figures is also of great value to the education of our children and should be maintained. The bottom line is as last summer's explosion of students coming forward with discriminatory experiences revealed very clearly, Medford has its own racist history and present to reckon with. Renaming the Columbus School is one of the many steps against white supremacy that Medford must take to begin repairing the harm that has been inflicted in this district. And while those opposed to the renaming have expressed that other matters should be prioritized at this time, The creation of this committee is long overdue. The school should have never bore that name, and this is centuries worth of harm finally being put to a stop. The change needs to happen as soon as possible. Thank you.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Anthony?
[Anthony D'Antonio]: Brianna, is that you? Yes. Is everyone on? OK. I am really upset with hearing some of these people talk about Columbus, okay? He did this, he did that, he did this, he did that. Were these people there 500 years ago? No, they're looking at history. I mean, the last person up there, I'm sick and tired of hearing this white supremacy baloney, okay? The name Columbus should stay because it was an Italian. It's a discrimination against the Italians. You can try to whitewash anything you want, but it's wrong. And I'm tired of hearing some of the committee members bloviate about, oh, I did this and I tried that and we're busy and this and that. It's discrimination, pure and simple. And it may be changed, but it's not going to be changed for long. And I hate to say that, but I'm sick and tired of it. Because we as Italians have been put down for many years, and it stops now. Christ, thank you.
[SPEAKER_40]: Galaxy S10 plus.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Dr. Cushing, if you could try to unmute too. It doesn't work for me all the time.
[U1EIl_L-LWc_SPEAKER_00]: I'm trying as well.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Okay. Here we go. There you go. You have two minutes.
[SPEAKER_40]: Galaxy, are you there? Did you have anything to say? Okay, maybe it's a bad connection.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Is that I'm sorry. It's okay. We can hear you now if you want to go ahead.
[Debra Daly]: Oh, thank you. Sorry. Hi, I'm Debra Daly. And I've been a resident method for 2043 years. So I'm just first of all, Madam Mayor, what you've inherited. I just I you you've done a great job and I don't envy what you've had to do the past year and a half. I am against the change. I just wanna let you know that.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: We're losing you again.
[Debra Daly]: 300 signatures and another 600 signatures. And then we don't even know what the cost is going to be. And after the school, is it a bridge? Is it a square? I just don't know where things are, what's going to change. So that's really bad. Would the children back to school and then revisit this a little bit more before definitive decisions are made about the name change and really get a vote in Medford, a good vote. see how many people actually want to change it and invest money there. And that's all I need to say. And thank you and keep up the good work. Thank you.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Jean Nouza. Jean, you should be unmuted now.
[Jean Nuzzo]: Can you hear me now? Yes, Jean. Thank you, Madam Mayor. I appreciate the time. A few thoughts. First, I wanna just recall for the school committee that in June of 2020, we had an initial response of 180 names. I think you have those on file. I have the receipt of email that you do. So those names still connect with those 600. I'd like to say that I think that it's important that folks consider that affect an impact of a change. Yes, we voted to do it, but we aren't really doing very good change management here. This is really being shoved through. It is painful on both sides of the situation, both for people of color who have been impacted and for the Italian American community. And it does a disservice when people dismiss either side's positions, thoughts, and feelings. And I find that really troubling. And I think that's what folks are saying when they're saying it's too fast, we need to slow down and we need to talk about it. You know, it goes beyond this being an election cycle. People will remember, people are going to be impacted and simply changing the name isn't going to make it go away. Change is a process. Historically, we haven't done a good job of it here in Medford, regardless of what the topic is. And this smacks of being another situation where things are just being pushed through for expediency because that's what a handful of people want. Really, I think you need to be careful about how a committee is selected. And I think we need to be careful about how people are treated overall. After all, the whole point of the argument of the name change is because this individual allegedly has treated people- And you have 15 seconds, 15 seconds. And so I wanna just implore people to consider not only their own perspective, but others as well, and let's try to move forward in a way that's positive to folks. But I really think we do have more important things to be dealing with at the moment in the middle of a pandemic. Thank you for your time.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you. I know we said two minutes per person, but you could speak as we go through the policy. So Anne-Marie, David, and Nadine, you'll be the first to speak. I think we were gonna take it section by section, so. The first section of the policy is with regards to the application form for membership in the advisory committee. We have a date here. that the application form will be done by this Friday, the 12th at 5 p.m. I'm just gonna read what the form will include so we can discuss that in its entirety and then obviously have people comment if they'd like. I do have a question on something myself on this one. On the form will be the full name, address, contact information. Why do you wanna be on the advisory committee? Suggested new name for the school, including the following name, brief explanation for why you think the name should be considered relationship of the suggestion to Medford. Are you a current or former member of the Columbus Elementary School community? Are you related to a school committee member? And if so, how will you require an interpreter? Do you have access to a computer and an internet connection to participate in Zoom meetings? Demographics information includes age, gender, sexual orientation, household income, educational attainment. What language do you mainly speak at home? Racial ethnic identity. And the superintendent will create a name. Okay, so that is the name chain. That is the form. Does anybody have any questions on that form? Member Kreatz, member Van der Kloot, I'm going to let the school committee ask questions first, then we're going to go to Anne-Marie, Nadine, David, Nicole, and Kristen.
[Kathy Kreatz]: member Kreatz. Yes, thank you. Um, yep. So I wanted to amend that date because I know that the superintendent we are meeting tonight and the superintendent does her weekly updates every Friday. So and she's meeting this week in particular, um, with Jesse, you know, to gather the information, um, you know, and provide updates to the community on you know, what's going to be, you know, details for reopening schools and getting the children back into school safely. So I feel as though two days from now is a little too soon. So I wanted to amend that date to at the earliest if possible, like Monday or the following Friday, so that that's my amendment, either Monday the 15th, I believe, or Friday the 19th.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, member Kreatz. Member van de Kloot? Just unmute yourself, member van de Kloot, please.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: When member Rousseau created the form, he had on his form that someone applying for the advisory council committee, sorry, would also be submitting a name on the same form. I have severed the forms. I have you apply for the advisory committee or you're putting in a name. Anybody who is a member of the advisory committee on the advisory committee can certainly put in a name, but they're two different forms. It'll just be more easy to organize. Here's the list of names. Here's the list who's applying. The other difference in our form is I also asked on the one for the advisory committee, I asked when they were available. So there's a line that says, you know, can you tell us when you're available? Because I think we need to know if people are only available one day a week, that might not be sufficient. If they're only available between four and six on Tuesdays, that may be difficult, and so that's why I asked that question. The other thing is when I wrote mine, I put a statement in it as opposed to a question, and member Rousseau knows about this, a statement saying that if people needed interpretation services or computers, whatever, that that would be supplied. So it's a statement rather than asking them if they it's just makes it clear.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Okay, I agree. I believe E, which is the suggested names for the school should be removed from this form. We're gonna make sure Susie's taking good notes on this. Okay, so you wanna add the availability. What is the availability onto this form?
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Can I ask the question differently, Mayor? Instead of adding it on Member Ruseau's, could we just use mine instead? Because I've already written it all out. And since Member Ruseau submitted the other one, I'd like to hear if he's, you know, these are my suggestions. It would just be easier unless there's a lot of controversy about it.
[Paul Ruseau]: Member Ruseau? Thank you, Mayor, and thank you, Member Van der Kloot, for your resolution. It certainly helps to move us somewhere so that there's actual movement. I completely agree that E should be removed and the form should be severed, so that's, I think there's probably nobody who would disagree with that. I do think it's important to have a statement in there that, on the application form, that if somebody gets picked for the advisory committee, they don't get to show up with their names. that they think that, you know, that was sort of the logic I had was when you're applying, if you have some names you wanna do to suggest, you do it in line as you go. I just worry somebody will apply to the advisory committee thinking when they get picked, that they get to show up to the advisory committee and then start suggesting names, which is not at all what either of these resolutions puts forth. And so I just wanna be careful that we have some language in there to prevent somebody who went through the effort of applying got selected and shows up at the advisory committee and is devastated to find out their names aren't even on the list. And it's too late. By the time the advisory committee is meeting with the list, it's too late. So I am fine with removing E. As for whether we should work from one or the other, I'm not really sure. I mean, there's a lot of preamble stuff that's different. that I think we also have to kind of discuss. But the, sorry, go ahead.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: So instead of working from either resolution, can we work from the list of questions that either you or I put forward? Because that then is going to, we can, one of those is addressed in that list of what I said were the key questions. Um, so if we if we worked from the key questions, then we would be, then we would have the discussion about each of our different approaches.
[Paul Ruseau]: May I just respond? Member Ruseau, then Member Graham. Thank you. I do agree that that makes the most sense. I just want to be careful that we understand that we need to leave this room with the actual language and the approved resolution, not you know, we're gonna have another meeting after Susie reads these minutes and tries to cobble together from our conversation what we think that the resolution should look like. So then we're another two weeks away from now. I mean, the exact text that is the resolution that we'll vote on, I think needs to be actually written down in this meeting. And so I agree we should take them by the questions, but at the end, we're not gonna, I mean, I certainly feel weird about voting for a resolution that's like 35 amendments that nobody has actually seen the text of. Because one of the main reasons I wrote this was to prevent confusion, errors, and internal conflicts in the actual instructions that we're giving. To tell people to do something, and then in another place, make it so they can't do it, that's not a good look. So I agree we should do it in order like you suggested, but I wanna have the exact words before we vote on it.
[Jenny Graham]: member Graham. Just a couple thoughts. I feel like somebody needs to build this as we are talking so that at the end it can be read in its entirety. Um and I don't know if Susie is able to do that or prepared to do that in a Google Doc. If she's not, I'm happy to do it. Um I am fine with the two applications being severed, but I am not on board with any date delays. So I do not, I'm not on board with date delays and I would be happy to lend my assistance to create the Google form if that's what it takes to get the forms out the door by Friday.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: I think the best way to have one of us have a working document to make these changes is to start with one, either member Bandiclute's or member Ruseau's and make the changes right on shared access. Agree. And if I may ask a question, because I know that you put the motion forward, Dr. Edouard-Vincent or the admin team, what is the timeframe? for you. I know it's only a few days, so I'm not opposed to a few days extra if you need it. I just wanted to hear from you first.
[Marice Edouard-Vincent]: With creating a new document, we are working on a specific communication for schools. I think Monday would be more reasonable if I continue with the original communication that I'm doing for this Friday. If I could have until Monday to send out all communications regarding the advisory council, I should be able to get it done. and let it be a separate freestanding communication. I could do it by Monday.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, Dr. Edward-Vincent. So first member Van der Kloot and member Rousseau. Jenny, can you send it to Jenny or I, the word, it in words, so one of us can type this up, please. Member Graham?
[Jenny Graham]: Yeah, so superintendent I'm fine with Monday, provided that it doesn't change the next date, the next day, it has to stay in place. So I'm not I am I am willing to go along for a change that makes the superintendent's life easier. but I am not willing to slide the date, slide the date, slide the date, slide the date. So I'm just saying that right now, as long as we feel like that's adequate time for people to apply with that shift of the first deadline from Friday to Monday, I am absolutely fine with that, but I am not on board for a slow shift of all of these dates.
[Marice Edouard-Vincent]: No, that would be my only request. If we could let this be a freestanding communication and give us till Monday to send it out and the remaining dates can remain.
[Jenny Graham]: Thank you, Debra Vincent. So, Mayor, are you do you want me to do this or are you going to do it? I just, we probably can't both do it.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Would you mind doing it only so that while you're typing, I can let the residents speak and I'll keep track of that. And you can type whether you share it at the end or not. And which one am I working from? Member Van der Kloot, we were going to do yours because you severed the two forms. So let's start there. Let's start with Member Van der Kloot. Kathy has a motion on the floor. Before that motion is called to change the date, we're going to let the residents speak on this issue. So Anne-Marie.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: hold on um i am here except to get myself okay so i do have a couple of things that i want to address and that is with all due respect i know it was brought up that this was a um topic that came up 20 years ago and even though it might be a topic that other people might know is a new topic it's been 20 years for a lot of people that are involved now that's one And as far as, we're gonna be debating this forever, but as far as people thinking that when people were saying that they weren't heard, I believe, just to clarify, is the night of the meeting in June, when there were people that unfortunately were cut off because they weren't able to say what they wanted to say. And from what I understand, the motion went basically more in regards to 50 emails. And it wasn't open to everybody else. I just want to clarify that. The other thing is, is that we're sitting here and you guys are talking about a timeline. So if I'm understanding this correctly, you're going to have this out by Monday. And how long do the people have to fill out and complete them and return them?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: We're working on that tonight so that there's proposals, we don't have that set in stone.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: Okay, because at this point here you have a member who's saying that they don't want to delay any other days or dates, and it's really not fair to ever applies to this, that if it's postponed at the beginning, that it shouldn't be postponed in the other dates because it's a domino effect. The other thing is, is that once the applications are in, since people don't think it's going to be cut time consuming, and again, time is of the essence unless people don't want their kids in school. The fact remains is who's going to be interviewing. the people that apply. Who is selecting the applications? Has the diversity director seen the application before it goes out? Has the city solicitor seen the application before it goes out to make sure that it's live on?
[Lisa Evangelista]: 15 seconds.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: Okay. And I have had a lot of questions of not to be disrespectful to anyone, but why is it so important to put down our sex orientation to find out if you want to be on a committee or not? Because I don't think when you go and apply for a job, you're able to do that. Because that is, it's okay.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Okay, good, good questions. And I think we're here to hash a lot of those out. But thank you for the questions. Nadine.
[SPEAKER_59]: Thank you very much.
[Nadeen Moretti]: It's not so much a question, just part of what I really didn't get to finish saying before. So I'm reading it. That's why I'm not even on video because it's just easier to do it this way. Bear with me. It was mentioned that the school committee has full authority to change the name, which I guess I fully don't understand. But it's not just about, say, at least six of you, OK, or about the seven. It's about a whole city, which I know you keep hearing. I know this is set in stone that it's changed, but the problem is the name Columbus Elementary for the last 90 years represents the people of Medford of all races. And by pushing to change it, you're taking that away from everybody. If I'm gonna make this more personal aside from being a former Columbus parent, I'm half Puerto Rican, half Sicilian. Puerto Rican bloodlines and culture evolved through a mix of Spanish, African, and indigenous Taino, I think that's how you pronounce it, and Caribbean Indian races. And as a result of my mixed heritage, Columbus still has no negative effect on me. It was 500 years ago. I think if this was chosen 90 years ago, there was all different races back then, and it would have been an issue you know, probably back then. We live in the cancel culture right now. And I think this is just a product of that. And I think it's being rushed. I think that there's more important things to deal with. You know, we have children that have been out of school for one year, especially vocational students suffering because they're not in there enough. This is just not a priority. And I hope you really think about that. Thank you for your time.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you. David McKillop.
[McKillop]: Hi. So to finish my point, this letter that I was reading was basically talking about exactly what people brought up, which was racism. Back in 1891, the systematic racism against Italians was horrific, just as it was everywhere else in every other situation. But President Harrison created the Columbus Day holiday to end that, to bring people into the fold. And I think that to sit there and talk about racism and white supremacy, I don't think President Harrison was a white supremacist when he was thinking about this. In fact, the Italian consulate in Italy itself Sent over a statue of christopher columbus to forge a union between the two countries And this is why it is so important to the italian culture. It's not just Christopher columbus and is in the history of the man. It is a symbol of a way to in to include the italian american community and that's when it was created in 1892 And it was created and after 13 I don't know, generations of people celebrating Christopher Columbus and it morphed into a symbol more so than the name and the person. It's a symbol of inclusiveness and to take that away without anybody being able to vocalize it is taking away that symbol. So again, I say to you, like I said to you on Monday, people's perceptions are their reality, and you are taking away that reality. Please, I implore you, please do not drive the stake further. The jury is out on the history of Christopher Columbus, as Carol pointed out, and I think there has to be more conversation. I just want to leave you there. I implore that you think about it, and I applaud Ms. Van der Kloot for even thinking about it after Monday's conversation.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, David. Nicole.
[Jean Nuzzo]: Hello, how are you? Thank you for letting me speak. I just wanted to ask one thing, and this is the major thing that is going around Medford. Does anyone care about the division that this is causing Medford right now? That's what I really want you council members to actually think about is what this is doing to Medford. This isn't just actually a Medford thing. This goes way above Medford. This is now a state thing where other people are speaking about this. Have you thought about that at all?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Personally, very much so, yes.
[Jean Nuzzo]: Okay. So I'm not, none of you really know me, but I come from, I'm an Italian American. My parents and my great grandparents are all, you know, I'm the first to come over here. And the thing that Columbus is so important to us, it's not the person, as David said, it's what it is to Italian Americans. South Medford is a very Italian-American community, just like a lot of Medford. You are basically taking that away and stomping on all our traditions, everything that we care about. A lot of people that are against this, as you say, they're not really from Medford. They might now live in Medford, but they don't know the culture. No one on the committee is actually Italian-American. So you don't know how we actually feel about this. I have a son. He's in the second grade. He came home to me, he doesn't know anything. And he said that Italians are bad. And I said, what are you talking about? Columbus is bad. He's a bad person. Nobody, you don't know what you're talking about. So this is my, my nine year old child is coming home saying this. And he said that someone told him this in recess. So you have to think about not only what you're doing to the Italian community, but what you're doing to our children. Nicole, you have 15 seconds. So that's what I just want you to think about is that what this means to time community and what we feel about is not about the person. I don't think Columbus is bad, but it's about what the meeting is, why Columbus was even brought up as David has discussed. It has nothing to do about him. It's made you Nicole. Okay. Thank you.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, Nicole.
[Deanne]: Kristen.
[Kristin Scalisi]: Hi, am I unmuted? Yes. Okay, great. I just felt like I needed to make a very specific point that even though some of my fellow Italian Americans here keep acting as if the Italian American community is united on this matter, I just want to say on the record that this is not the case. I am 100% Italian descent. And I have been arguing against honoring Columbus since the 90s when I refused to apply for a Knights of Columbus scholarship, which made my grandpa not speak to me for a week since he was the grand knight of his chapter at the time. And also, despite what some people want us to think, the horror at Columbus's acts is not a modern day phenomenon. There are writings. contemporary writings at the time in the 1500s by people like Bartolomé de las Casas, who was a colonizer, was so horrified by the treatment of the natives that he renounced his land grant, freed his slaves, became a priest, and went back to Hispaniola to try to help the natives. He was not a perfect man himself because it was the 1500s, but he did not believe that people deserve to be tortured and enslaved. He wrote contemporary accounts of the torture that the natives under the Spanish and the colonizers. And these acts are so diabolically and disgustingly violent that I couldn't even feel comfortable discussing them in front of children. So why should they go to a school that honors the person who spearheaded them? And if, frankly, as a culture, if we insist on sticking with Columbus to name the school, a man who didn't even set foot in the United States, just says to me that members of our community can't think of any other Italians or Italian-Americans who have done great things for our country. And to me, that's just sad. I think we can do better. We can honor Italians at the same time if we want to. I can think of plenty of people off the top of my head who would deserve to be honored as Italian-Americans without having to, you know, name a school after a man who did terrible things that I wouldn't even talk about in front of a kid. Thank you.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you. Jean. Jean, you're unmuted.
[Jean Nuzzo]: Can you hear me now? Yes. Great, thank you. I'll be brief. So I think these conversations and the things that people are talking about illustrate very well what I alluded to earlier, and the fact that the change management process is not a process that needs to be jammed through for expediency. for political optics in an election year. And I think that's why looking at these conversations, that's why this needs to be a more longer term conversation, right? I think people are still overlooking that for a lot of Italian Americans, it's not about Columbus and what he did in his life. It is about what he became to Italian Americans who used that opportunity under Harris to lift themselves up and stop being lynched and beaten and prosecuted. Although I will say as someone of Italian descent, Italians are still treated badly in certain circles and people still lock down on them. And there is stereotypical issues that occur specifically in Hollywood and the way Italians are projected and portrayed on television. So this idea that Italian Americans don't suffer anything isn't true. but it's not in the same regard as what's going on in other areas of our culture right now. And so there's a great opportunity here as we move forward to create healing, but that's done over time. It's not done by a three week effort to put together a random committee and decide on a name out of people submit. It's more than that. And I agree with the previous speaker, but there are many Italian icons that could be selected instead. But again, that's something that Italian Americans should be picking. We shouldn't be told again, like we were told originally. And you have 15 seconds. So again, I would urge you with someone who is a certified project management, change management consultant, and have been doing this type of work for 25 years, that it needs to be measured or it's going to create a deeper rift. It won't be something that will be forgotten. Thank you.
[Clerk]: Thank you, Jean.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Mr. Carbone?
[Christopher Carbone]: Yes, thank you. Christopher Carbone, my daughter Sarah actually attends the Columbus. With regards to the application, which is what this segment of the meeting was supposed to be about, I think the application should have a section in there, not just for their address, a party, a person living in Medford at a certain address could still send their children to another school. I think there should be a section in there that says, have you or any of your children attended the Columbus School? How many? When they something along those lines. And the reason for that is because I think the people who are most proximate to the school who send their children there or have sent their children there should have a larger voice in this discussion. I think that that I mentioned my first set of comments and I think it's true now because we're going to be the people going to be most affected by the school's name case because we are most proximate to it. And how else do I know that? Well, I know that because when Mr. Rousseau first brought up this issue back in June, the first thing he said was, I sent my kids to Columbus or something to the effect of I couldn't believe they still had the name Columbus. That's saying something important. I think the people who send their children to that school should have a greater voice. Now, how will that greater voice be? I don't think there should be a certain number of people on the committee who attended it, but I think it should be something on the effect of a tiebreaker or something along those lines. So I believe that the application should be amended to include people who, so that you say, how many, do you live in, do you send your children to Columbus? And if so, when? So that can be part of it. I think that if we're going to ask people, and I strongly oppose asking people their sexual orientation, I think that is, there's no reason for that. But if you were to ask that, I don't want a straight person I don't know why a straight person who lives in West Medford should have a greater voice than a gay couple who send their kids to the Columbus. I think those people should get priority, and I think that's remarkable.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Mr. Carboni, we do have the question. Are you a current or former member of the Columbus Elementary School community? If so, how so we can potentially make that a question mark if we should ask for the date of when they attended or worked there. So thank you. Martha? Dr. Cushing, you might be muting them and unmuting them. I think we're both playing around. There we go, Martha.
[Martha Ondras]: I am now unmuted, I guess. Thank you very much. I am in favor of changing the name of the school. Columbus doesn't represent Medford particularly appropriately, and I don't think he represents the Italian American community for that matter. I would like to endorse the application process. I think you can separate the, I know I, in my work as a, in a foundation, I often have applications submitted where the, the demographic information, the race and, sexual orientation are put in a separate document. So those do not become part of the application decision. They are simply tracked for reasons that the city wants to know the makeup of its participants. And I think that's, excuse my dog. She's pretty restless right now. But I think the, process should be a good one. I don't think it needs to be. I think delaying it or claiming that there are other things that are more important are essentially diversion tactics. And I think we need to address this. It's been a long time coming. Thank you. Thank you, Martha. Philippe?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: I will unmute you. Or try.
[SPEAKER_10]: OK. Can you hear me now?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Yes.
[SPEAKER_10]: Okay, thank you. So good evening everyone. So I've heard for the past hour and a half people arguing on both sides, right? And everyone's kind of making their own case. And so for me, I don't have a horse in the game as Mr. Carbone had mentioned, but my son will be going to Columbus in a couple of years. So we have been kind of looking at the school system. And one of the things that I was more concerned about is just kind of looking at this objectively is I was a little bit surprised to hear that we still don't have an estimate as to how much this costs. So for example, like if I'm doing work on my house, I'll get you know estimates to figure out how much it is to figure out if I can get into the budget right before I go ahead and do something. But given that I've kind of heard that we've been like $3 million. below the budget for 2020. And again, you guys will have a better idea, just I've heard. But for 2021, we'll have to come up with a new budget. So I'm kind of just wondering, like, you know, where does this money come from? Does it have to come from other programs, other materials that we can't give to our students? If it's not that much money, okay, well, you know, whatever the decision is fine. But if it's something that's like, you know, hundreds of thousands of dollars, and obviously that becomes cost prohibitive. So i'm just trying to understand like how that how those decisions made right because at the end of the day we're trying to get the best education for our kids and now it's the best environment as well so all these things need to come into consideration so just trying to get a better idea of how that how that stuff works and that's it for me thanks thank you remember russo then we'll go to kelly
[Paul Ruseau]: Thank you, Mayor. I just wanted to comment on the demographics question. As with the superintendent search, and it's true that it's not actually set in the, it's not in the resolution, and that's a failure of my own because I, having done the superintendent search survey, that is exactly what we did. There was, you'd finish the whole survey, and at the end, there was a button that says, you know, there would be a demographics survey you could fill out. It was completely unrelated to your, actual application and we could not correlate or collate those things. So, and the reason was described by Ms. Andres about, you know, getting a sense for, so who in the community are we reaching most importantly, so we can figure out who we're not reaching is the purpose of that. It's certainly not to decide that we want to have a gay person on the committee and, you know, that's not the purpose of that at all. But it does read that way, so I totally own that. I would say about the cost, I don't have a clue what the cost is. I think there are probably many options around cost. And like the Columbus apparently right now, they need new envelopes for their letters, a new letterhead, like they need to order them because they are out. So there's no additional cost to order them with a new name. If they were throwing away 10 years worth of envelopes, then of course, That's totally a different conversation. And then I also wanted, Mayor, there's also a member of the public who has been trying to get attention, and now I don't see her. And I don't remember her name, because she's been there waving her hand. And it was David, I believe, was the first name, although there was a woman in the video. And I just wanted to make sure we could get I'm afraid I don't remember the name, but if they could come back on and I see them, I'll raise that again. But they've been waving for quite a long time and I think they're just getting this.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you. Just let me know. Thank you.
[Cunha]: Kelly. Hi, my name is Kelly Cooney. I'm sorry I'm late. I was at the Human Rights Commission meeting and I didn't intend to speak, but after hearing what I heard when I came on, I felt compelled to as an Italian American and I don't know I implore this belief that you have to live in Medford for a long time to have your opinion be matter but my mom bought a house my parents bought a house here when I was five so I think 30 years counts but I'm not sure, and I just wanted to kind of speak to Kristen's point as someone who is a long, you know, someone who's lived here a long time and is Italian American that I fully support the name change. I think that it is, you know, my daughter's three and a half and she already knows that Columbus wasn't a good guy and that doesn't take away from my pride in my heritage and my ethnicity and my, you know, my 92-year-old grandmother who I just lost in January who's Italian. She had a lot of pride in being Italian too and also knew that Columbus is not somebody that we really needed to uphold and I keep hearing repeatedly, it's not about Columbus, it's not about Columbus. So if it's not about Columbus, then why do we care about changing the name? And let's move on. And we can still talk about Columbus in context. It doesn't mean that he's gone forever. We can still talk about him. We can still learn about him. There is lots to be discussed in historical context that is important, but that doesn't mean that he needs to be lauded on a school name. Thank you. Thank you.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Bri?
[Bri Brothers]: Hi, can everyone hear me? Yes. Great. I haven't lived in Medford for very long, and I just want to say I really appreciate all the work and all the discussion that everyone has put into this. I wanted to offer a perspective to maybe consider how this looks to our children, specifically the children who attend the Columbus School. In that I think kids today are growing up in a time of immense racial racial tension Information is more readily available to them than it was even to me when I was in school and These kids are smart. They ask about this stuff and I think it's important that we show our kids that when we know better we do better and I don't, I don't think it's any of this is meant to detract from what Columbus means to Italian Americans, but it's, you know, when we learn things, I think it's important that our children see that we adapt to new incoming data and that we learn from history. People keep saying, I don't want to erase history. This name change is erasing history, but why would we also continue to ignore it? And, um, you know, I just, I think it's just, In terms of, and then my second point was around the monetary concerns that folks have been bringing up. And to that point, I wanted to say, truth be told, there is never a right time to bring about true systemic change. There's never a right time to confront inconvenient truths and do the right thing. The right thing is usually the most painful thing. And if there was a fundraising effort, you know, to make this change happen, I would contribute to it. And I'll come out and say, my kid, when she's school age, is not going to go to the Columbus school. Great. You have 15 seconds. Thank you. But I don't care. Medford is my home. I would gladly contribute to see us know better and do better for our kids. Thanks.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you. Eunice?
[Eunice Browne]: OK, thanks. Caught me off guard there. Thank you very much for your time. I just wanted to say that I think this whole process would have gone a lot better if it had been handled better back in June. To me, this is not a school issue. It is a community issue. There's a difference. and you're renaming a city building in a neighborhood that affects an awful lot of people. The entire community should have been notified far ahead of that June meeting, not 48 hours early to meet the letter of the law. What about all the people who are not regularly on social media or perhaps not at all? Notification had been done primarily on the Medford Public Schools site. What about people without kids in the system? They don't check the MPS site because they have no need to. I realize how hard it is to reach people these days, but a far better effort needed to be made for a community issue of this magnitude. It should have been in the transcript and notification made in other ways. I take exception to it being said that the community was heard. We have not. You gave 48 hours notice over a weekend and made a decision for which you will not reverse, and that's why the community is irate. And at least one of the school committee members states he would make this change even if everyone said not to. That is arrogant, and that person is not listening to all constituents. and notification of this particular meeting was no better. The patch posted notification of tonight's meeting exactly 37 minutes before the meeting began at 5.07 this evening. How is that right? If we had a couple of June 15th meeting, we'd be in a better place right now. A wedge has been driven in this community that is probably irreversible. And as others have stated, you have far more pressing issues going on right now. Thank you.
[SPEAKER_59]: Thank you.
[Lisa Evangelista]: Eileen. If I may? Yes, yes, Lisa. I just want to give everybody clarification. It's up to Medford Patch, Medford Transcript, what they want to print, and when they want to print it, they're private companies. Thank you, Lisa. You get the information at the same time everybody else does. Thank you. Eileen.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Sorry, Aline. Hold on one second. Trying to unmute you. Oh my gosh.
[Clerk]: Dr. Cushing, are you trying?
[Ilene Lerner]: There you go. There we go. I just want to say, it's so sad that so many people are looking at this as an attack on Italian Americans, who certainly have just, you know, suffered discrimination and oppression. And even to this day, probably experienced some of that. It's not about hurting Italian Americans, you know, it's about moving forward. And I just want to laud all the people that spoke in favor of the name change. And I wanted to add a historical fact to what others have said. Even if we don't look at Columbus and say, oh, he did this and he did that. If we just look at the funding for the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria, where did the money come from that funded those three ships that set out on those voyages? It came from the confiscated estates of Jews and Muslims in Spain who were hunted by the Inquisition who either had to convert to Christianity or leave the country or be burned at the stake. So we can see even the voyage of Columbus was tainted from the start with the spoils of oppression. And we see how all oppression is linked to each other. And there is white supremacy and Italians have been subjected to that white supremacy, just like black people, people of color, Jews, Muslims. And I just want to say to the Italian community or some of the Italian community that doesn't understand or wanna
[Lisa Evangelista]: want to progress. 15 seconds.
[Ilene Lerner]: Join with us. Join with the oppressed and fight against oppression for everybody.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, Tony. Then we'll go to Robert. I apologize.
[Tony Puccio]: You're on.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: You're on Tony. Yes.
[Tony Puccio]: So I just wanted to say, um, I was going to read something tonight, but just listening to the meeting and picking up all the different conversations just turned into my list has turned into a bunch of points. And, um, sorry if it sounds that way, but I just want to start by saying I can solve this problem right now. This is what we do. Let's start by renaming every school in the district, okay? School A, school B, school C, school D. Let's just have a stale district. No culture, no nothing for anyone, okay? That way they will just solve all the problems for everyone. We'll wipe this right off the board. We can be the most boring city in the universe, okay? And we'll move along to the city streets and we'll move on to the buildings and all the corners that we name after all the people who have done so much for this city. Let's just go ahead and cancel it all right out, okay? And that way we can all live equally and no one will have any problems with anything. The next thing I wanted to say is the woman, I'm sorry, I don't know her name, who spoke for the Medford Mercury, it is up to the Medford Mercury and Patch the Patch to post those things, but it's also the responsibility of the city to make sure that those things reach those papers in time so people have the appropriate notification. 37 minutes is not acceptable. Does anyone considered it's more than just taking some chisels to a concrete building and changing a name. You have to think about all the paperwork that goes into it, changing the all the letterheads and the websites and whatnot. There's a lot more to this than just putting a sign up, you know, and tying it to the building. This is pretty elaborate. This is really something that needs to have more thought go into it. Paula, I'm sorry, Mia, thank you so much for finding that book. Some of us already have that book. We know that book. And what that book really states is the city has already spoken. They've already voted on it.
[Lisa Evangelista]: They chose that name, okay?
[Tony Puccio]: They wanted that name. That's why it was selected 90 years ago. Just please consider all these things and consider how many people that this is affecting because it really does affect people and people are irate. Thank you for letting me speak. Thank you.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Robert Galasso. Yeah, Paul, you mentioned he was waving. Let me just... Okay, I don't see that he's on actually anymore. So, Amy and Mariana.
[SPEAKER_31]: Hi, everyone. I just wanted to respond to a few things. One thing is, you know, going back to what council committee member said, this name change way back when was the result of the community coming together and wanting a name that had some more social justice and progressive consideration in it today. And that's all people today are asking for. I'm sure at the time people were, there were plenty of people opposed. Plenty of people who had anti-Italian sentiments were opposed to the name change. They were wrong then, just the way I would say that people who are opposed to more inclusion and social justice today are wrong today. Segregation wasn't popular in its time. It divided communities. People who wanted their schools to stay white felt they weren't heard. And we look back now and they were totally wrong. I can think of a number of cultural figures from my cultural background that I wouldn't want to name a school after. I have Romanian relatives. I don't want to send my kids to Kočescu High School or Middle School. Not everyone from your culture is worth elevating. And if we're going to elevate heroes, I want to pick them carefully. And my last point to this guy who said, let's name all the schools by numbers and have no culture. New York City has PS1 through, I don't know, 200. And I would highly challenge anyone to say that New York City doesn't have any culture because of how they named their schools. Anyway, that's it.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Dan?
[Dan]: Can you hear me?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Yes, Dan.
[Dan]: Yeah. I just want to say, Mayor, this is not directed at you or member Kreatz, but to the other members of the school committee, it's pretty obvious by the signs of the petitions where the citizens of the city stand. This is an election year. And let me make it clear. You have awoken a sleeping giant in this city and be prepared to suffer the consequences at the next election. We will vote yous out. Everyone yous. So be prepared for that. That's all I have to say.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Melissa?
[Melissa Dubuc]: Hi, how are you? I joined the meeting late, so I apologize if things have been brought up that I didn't hear.
[Melissa]: I know that this has been passionate on both sides whether we are for the change of the school or not. My suggestion would be, because this is really taking a toll on the city, people are writing nasty comments back and forth to each other on Facebook and other things. I think it's doing a disservice to our community as a whole. Why can't the school committee take a step back and allow the community themselves to vote on it? Because I think if the community gets to vote, whichever way it goes, at least everybody will feel like they have input and they've actually been heard. And I think it will be a little bit easier to digest if it was done properly by a vote for the people in the community, they have the opportunity to vote whether they're for or not for the change of the school in the city that they live in. And then at that point, if it is voted at the name of the school get changed, then we can move on and maybe think of a different name. But I think this is sort of being done in a not so great way. I think this is an opportunity to show the city that we care about what everybody has to say and not push it one way or the other. So thank you.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, Melissa. Member Graham, I'm not sure if you want to screen share so we can ask over the amendments and changes. I think we're changing the date of the 12th to the 15th for when the application form for membership in the advisory committee will be prepared. We're moving the suggestion, E on Paul's at least, the suggestion new name for the school, including the following. while we move to the naming form proposals. We're gonna add the availability of those applying to be on the advisory committee to the form. Yeah, that's already there. Okay, and then we have questions about the demographics, including, and I know it's been discussed, so we're gonna take out Number three, sexual orientation.
[Jenny Graham]: So can I just step back and tell you what we have accomplished so far before we go forward? I think you should screen share it so we could all just take it. I'm happy to do that. Thanks. I just want to point out this is a five-page resolution and we have addressed one paragraph of the five-page resolution. So cover page one, at least. Nope, not even. We're sort of in the middle. So this started from Paulette's and I will cobble them together as we talk. But what we have covered is the application committee, the advisory committee application. I added a bullet here that says the superintendent will create a form no later than Monday, March 15th. The form will be translated in a manner consistent with all district communications. The availability is listed already. I made this update to clarify when we ask, which was already on the form, if you're a member of the Columbus School community, if so, how and when, student, family, staff, and in what year. The demographics information, I added a clause that said will be collected but separated from the main body of the application. I am not in favor of removing sexual orientation because again, the goal of collecting these demographics is to understand who we are reaching and who we are not reaching. And that is a common best practice question that is put in surveys all the time now because we want to know that we are reaching all members of our community and they are an important portion of the community.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Okay, thank you, Member Graham. So we'll just, if anybody has questions on this or any additional changes, we could comment. I see Member Ruseau's hand. Go ahead.
[Paul Ruseau]: Thank you, Mayor. I just wanted to comment on the demographics. I know that it is sometimes a problem for some people. These lists of not only the options, but the actual categories within each of the options, but I may have these backwards, sorry, are from the federal government's list. This work to get this stuff together and what we are tracking as a district for participation in our surveys. was something we did for the superintendent search. So this isn't like I just made it up. This is from the federal government and the best practice that I believe member Graham mentioned. So I too would be opposed to removing any of these.
[Jenny Graham]: They are all optional though. You're not obligated to answer any of the demographic questions.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: They're all optional. Okay, so if there's any other amendments, any members, would like to make to this section, please let us know now. Otherwise we can do an all-inclusive motion to amend this section so that it will, or we can do it at the end as well and move on, but.
[Kathy Kreatz]: Can we just go back up a little bit? I can't see some of the screen.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: We can, maybe Memogram could increase the.
[Kathy Kreatz]: Yes, if you could maybe just try to increase it up to 125 maybe. Perfect, thank you. I'm just taking a few more moments to read it. Sorry, I'll be right there. Take your time, Member Kreatz. I do have a question. Mayor, I just have a question. Yes, Member Kreatz. Yes, I know I'm looking at Paulette's, you know, her, her resolution, and she does have the application form and suggestion will be posted and communicated out to usual mechanisms. including translations. Okay, that's number two. I'm sorry, I'm just reading the wrong paragraph. The application will clearly state that interpretation services will be available to any community member who so requests and technology, laptop, camera, microphone will also be provided. I'm not seeing that. Okay, so there, okay, there it is. Okay.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: And if we can all read number four as well to make sure there's no questions on number four can just work our way down to application timeline next. If there's no further questions, we can go on to the name selection form details. And I'll read out loud. I mean, I can read out loud as well. I read from Paul's for the first section. I'll read from Paul S for the second. It's submission of names for consideration. The school committee will request the superintendent or her designee to develop a form to be used to submit names for consideration. The form will include the following name, full name, address, contact information. Are you a current or former member of the Columbus Elementary School community? We will add, and if so, when. Name you are suggesting and a brief explanation of why you think the name should be considered. Relationship of the suggestion to Medford are related to the name you submitted, if so, how. Any other information that you can provide to the advisory committee for their consideration. Individuals applying to be on the advisory committee may submit names. Each name submitted for consideration should be listed on separate forms. the name of Christopher Columbus will not be considered a valid submission. Mayor? Yes, Member Van der Kloot.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Just so you know, on this, as this differs from Paul's in just two ways. I added the sentence about, are you related to the name you submitted? And I also asked that each name be submitted on a different form. Otherwise, mine and Paul's are the same.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: The same. And then I just want to make sure there's a timeline so that people have more than enough time to do research and submit names. So do we want to put a timeline here?
[Jenny Graham]: So Mayor, I put all the timelines in a separate section. So just because the timelines were sort of commingled. Yep. That's fine. That's OK. We'll do that separately.
[Paul Ruseau]: So if there's any other questions, Member Ruseau? Thank you, Mayor. I also have a number, I'm trying to figure out if it's actually a different place in Member Van der Kloots about paper versions of the application form being available. It's number six on mine. Is that anywhere in Member Van der Kloots, and if not?
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: I forgot to add that, Paul. It should be added.
[Paul Ruseau]: So, I mean, I don't, I think it's for both the applications and for the, the names, so I don't care where it gets added, if it gets added twice or not, but it's just saying that there will be paper forms for those. Thank you.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Any other questions or comments from the school committee? the submission of names for consideration. I will see if there's any. Nadine? Nadine? Did you want to speak? Did you want to speak on submission of names for consideration?
[Nadeen Moretti]: Well, I just had a quick question about the whole process. And forgive me if someone answered it already, because I may have missed it. So is there no possibility of this being tabled, this resolution, or it was speeding up the process? Am I understanding that correct, I guess? I'm trying to wonder why it's being sped up. This isn't gonna help figuring out how our kids are gonna get back to school or a healthy learning environment. I guess I'm just lost. So Kathy had brought up changing the timeline, is that being considered? I'm just curious.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Yeah, we didn't get to the timeline section yet. The only timeline we've got to was when the form would be complete, which will be, we changed that from this Friday to Monday. Okay, but- Timeline hasn't been discussed yet, and there's no motion on the table to table the matter. No motion on the floor to table the matter right now.
[Nadeen Moretti]: Can residents do that?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: No, I'm sorry.
[Nadeen Moretti]: Thanks. I figured I'd ask. Thank you. That's all. You're welcome.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Ann Marie?
[Ann Marie Cugno]: I'm here. I'm just getting it ready. I guess I'm the only one banging my head on a wall here. I asked a few questions before, and that was, The reason that the question on the application came up is because I know legally you can't do that on your sexual orientation on an employee application. So I was wondering and I was asking that question on a legal base. But as of right now, there's still no question, there's still no answers to did the city solicitor see it? Has the diversity director seen it? You know, I understand that people are saying, you know, people knew about it, people didn't know about it. Again, we're talking the priority of the school committee. If there are people right now, on the committee that feel that the name should be changed. I don't understand why it is such an urgency that if they have the name change done, whether you do it next month or in two months or in four months, it's going to be there. The change is going to come. So I don't understand why that's happening. Second of all, Again, I don't know if I'm gonna get any answers, but people keep on saying this isn't gonna be time consuming. You have just mentioned, Madam Mayor, that you're only on the first section of five, and we have been on for close to two hours. Being involved in the system, I know how much time it takes. But again, we still have no answers to how much is it gonna cost? How much time is gonna be put into it? Who are the ones that are gonna be selecting these applications? How are you going to put everyone on the same schedule? More importantly, everyone now is going to be looking at their screen to observe what they're voting on within 10, 15 minutes. I don't know about anybody else, but I hope to God the budget doesn't you guys don't work on the budget like that.
[Lisa Evangelista]: I am Murray. Thank you.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: I'm sorry, Lisa.
[SPEAKER_40]: Don't be sorry, Ingrid.
[Ingrid Moncada]: Hi, I have a question. I think I missed if this was answered already, but I want to know who is eligible to apply for the committee. Is it all methamphetamines? Are we going to check that it's a methamphetamine or can it be anyone? And also, Also, the same with the application for the name change, are we going to ask for residents only or is other people that don't even know if we're going to be have a chance to, to apply and then the other question is what about Columbus kids, or, well, any kids but, um, What's the, are they gonna, will they be able to give ideas? Is the Columbus School gonna have like a different way to submit names, a different process that is gonna involve more their opinions? I think that will be important. There's just, I don't know.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, Ingrid. Yes, you do have to be a Metro resident is what we have on our sheet right now. So if this is approved, you'd have to be a Medford resident. And we are down the line going to discuss who will be eligible and definitely want to give some, there's section 10, at least in Paul's and I believe Paulette's has it as well. That's why we ask on the application, if you're a parent or teacher at the Columbus school, so we can discuss that as we go. Member van de Kloot.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: On mine, I have a separate paragraph devoted to the Columbus School. Now, the original intent was to have a very lengthy process with students being involved. The time frame makes it shorter. and certainly will not be as we intended when the original motion was drawn up. But there is a piece that's dedicated to it.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Yes, thank you.
[Jenny Graham]: Mayor, I can share my screen for the... Thank you. For this section. which is I've titled Application Timelines and Submission Guidelines for Advisory Committee and Name Suggestions. So the application form and suggestion form will be posted and communicated out through usual mechanisms the district uses, including translations to prominent languages on Monday, March 15th. And again, on Monday, March 22nd, the application and submission period will open Monday, March 15th and close on Friday, April 16th. at 5 p.m. A paper version of both applications will be created by the superintendent's office. Residents may request a paper version by contacting the superintendent's office at this phone number.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Mayor? Yeah, Jenny, Member Graham, it's not screen sharing, so maybe, sorry, thank you. Sorry, sorry. Member Vanderlew, will we screen share?
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Yes, so I think that there was a difference in Paul and mine about the date that the applications were due. And part of it is that there's a vacation week built in there. So he had them due on the Friday of vacation week. So which, Paul, if I recall, originally it was April 26th, 24th, 23rd, right on yours? Is that correct? I pushed it.
[Paul Ruseau]: I have been the 23rd. Yes.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Right. So that's the Friday. So that's the Friday of vacation week. And that's usually the day when we're then getting our packets of information. So I gave more time, less time to apply. I have it done on Friday, April 16th. which does cut off time, but it's because of vacation week. I wanted to make sure that our office staff had enough time to collect all the applications, to collect the names, and to prepare them to give them to us as appropriate. So that was the reason why Paul and I had a different time. I just wanted to be clear on that.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: And what your date was, what member of it include?
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: April 16th. So in essence, people have four weeks to apply.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: To apply in name change.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Yeah. Again, it just had to do with the vacation week issue.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: And just if you're applying to be on this committee and you have to submit your application, by April 16th that you're interested in being on the committee. Couldn't we open it up to suggested names a little longer?
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: You could, I just didn't know who was gonna be, since it's vacation week, who was gonna be in the office and they need to be collated and sent out to us. So you could, but just realize whatever office staff is in the superintendent's office or whatever.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Well, name changes would be going to the committee, not necessarily to us. So people could have all of April vacation and then be able to submit a name after that.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Wait, say that again.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Mayor? This is with regards to timeline for the advisory committee and the name suggestions. So my question is, advisory committee will have to submit by April 16th. And then the proposed name changes, I'm asking, should we give people a little bit more time, even if it's through April vacation, to have the ability to do some research and write up what name that they are suggesting? And the name suggestions would then go to the advisory committee.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: So Mayor, Paul and I, and this is one of those key talking points that I mentioned to you earlier, we have a big difference between us on the process of what happens to the name submissions. I have them all going, if we receive 50, I have all 50 going immediately to the advisory committee once it's formed. Paul has a process where we wheedle them down. What happens is we would, at our school committee meeting on April 26, which is what he designated, and Paul, if you wanna speak to this, because I'm speaking for you, But he had it that the school committee would wheedle down the number. So let's say we got 100, we would each pick four. And he has a fairly involved process where they're weighted. And I found that confusing. And I thought that the whole intent of the advisory committee was, in fact, to vet the names. I did not feel that I could receive the names on a Friday, April 23, and in our Monday meeting, April 26. be willing or able to then only send to the committee my top four choices. It's a very significant difference on how we approach this question.
[Paul Ruseau]: Member Ruseau. Thank you, Mayor. And I agree, Paula, that Member Van Der Kooten and I did approach this issue. Can you hear me OK? Yes. Yeah, okay, thank you. Approach this issue a little differently. I sort of see this as very, it's sort of like this three-pronged issue. If we just give all of the suggestions to the committee, I think 50 is, no offense to member Vanderbilt, but a bit naive. There will be hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of submissions, if for no other reason to make it difficult to accomplish the work. That is what is going to happen. If we get hundreds and hundreds of submissions and we give all of those to the advisory committee, we have now sort of baked in a requirement that they can't possibly get their work done in any reasonable timeframe. Also, this is completely indirectly related to how many people are on the advisory committee. If an advisory committee has 10 people and we give them four choices, we can all imagine they can do a good job of figuring out what their suggestion is. if an advisory is 10 people and we give them 300 names, we need to give them two years to do the work. So I feel like these three pieces are directly related to each other, because if we do not in any way, shape or form, call the list in some fashion, whether we agree to do it sort of in some blanket way in this or or do it in the fashion that I had suggested in my resolution, which was again, just a first draft idea. But I do feel very much that we have an important decision to make, unless we wanna hear back from the advisory committee that they are only 30% of the way through the hundreds of submissions they got when they come to us and say, we just can't do it in this timeframe. So we can set ourselves up for failure on this, if we don't do this right, is my opinion.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Or mayor. And member Kreatz has her hand as well. So member Van der Kloot, if you wanna just.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Yeah, just to answer that. Or we can set ourselves up for failure by receiving, if you're a number, Paul, of 300 on Friday afternoon, and expecting me without, I don't have any time to vet them. And on so what basis am I going from 300 to four? It's just not real. The reason you have the advisory committee is to do the work. I mean, part of it will be when they will go through and, you know, the first ones, they'll, you know, but that's not, if you're having us do that initial work selection without establishing what criteria we're using, it's a crapshoot. And I think that it undermines the whole process.
[Kathy Kreatz]: respond. Member Kreatz? Yes, so I completely agree with Ms. Van der Kloot and I strongly believe that all the names must go to the advisory committee and that committee will thoroughly research those names. They're going to have to Google, maybe go to the library, break up into groups, That's what I believe the committee is being formed to do, to research all the names, to come up with the best name for our community, and it should be the community which is formed via the committee that's researching these names. So I motioned to accept the resolution the way it was put forth by Ms. Van der Kloot, where the advisory committee will be formed and will receive all the names. Yes, maybe we could get a copy of the names so that we can also just review them and be familiar with the names that were submitted as suggested names. But the process of researching and thoroughly you know, reflecting on these names and taking into consideration, you know, everything that's going on in our community, um, just from what we heard this evening, it's, it's very, very important that the community, which is comprised of the advisory committee is part of the process and doing the selection. You know, the entire, if we get 300 names, I believe, yes, they should get all of those names.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: I agree with that too, member Kreatz, thank you. And this is a public committee, so all the records will be public. Everybody will be able to see all 300. And I think it's the job of the advisory committee. So that may be something we have to vote on. Member Ruseau.
[Paul Ruseau]: Sorry, I'm happy to second that. I just think the next section ought to be interesting. Thank you.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Okay, so we are gonna change that. All name suggestions will go to the advisory committee.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: So can you use mine, my wording since I worked it out?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: We'll work that change in while we take a few more comments. We have Adam.
[Melanie McLaughlin]: Was that, I'm sorry, Mayor, was that a motion and a second? Because I'm trying to keep the tally.
[Kathy Kreatz]: Yes, I did motion. I didn't hear a second. That was a second by member. Okay, thank you. Thank you. I didn't hear it either. Okay, thank you.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: We don't necessarily have to take the role. Well, we can take the role if there's opposition. So if anybody has opposition, we can do a roll call now. Otherwise, we're kind of just working with a living document. You can call the roll. Okay, before the rolls call, then let me
[Melanie McLaughlin]: Um, can I also have a wording of the motion just so I can record it in the tally sheet accurately? Please.
[Kathy Kreatz]: Okay, I'm just hold on one minute.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: It would be it would be Paul Paulets that we accept Paulets wording on on this language. So why don't we write it in and then screen share it? and I'm gonna call on the residents that would like to speak on this issue. Mike Kugno.
[Mike Cugno]: Thank you, Madam Chair. Sorry about that. We have, I don't understand the process that's going on here, but I believe this should be in a committee, subcommittee, not the committee of the whole. We're doing so many processes against Robert's Rules of Order that it's just absurd of what's going on. We're taking address, we're not taking address for people that are calling in. We're doing this on a zoom meeting. Uh, people can't come in to talk. I just want to know what is going on. Why are we not in, in chambers discussing this? And prior to that, it should be in a subcommittee to discuss, get the processes down, bring it back to a committee of the whole, let them vote on what they can see, what they can review after weeks of looking at it or days of looking at it. as opposed to looking at it for 15, 20 minutes on a screen and deciding upon it. This is flawed. This should be tabled, put to a committee, subcommittee meeting, then brought back to a committee of the whole, voted upon, then brought to the full committee at some point in time later in the year. I don't understand what we're doing here. We're against every process that we've put forth in this city from time and material going forward. I don't know why you're allowing it. My address is 871 Felsway in Medford. And I haven't heard the last few people coming up since the beginning, giving their addresses at all. They could be calling it California, Florida or Cambridge or other cities around the city. We have not identified themselves or they haven't identified themselves. Can you answer any of those questions? And going back to what was asked before, if we don't know the cost, we don't know what's going on. How can we decide tonight on what we're going to do to go forward? These are all questions that need to be answered prior to taking- Mike, you have 15 seconds. And again, we don't have the answers. I would suggest someone to step up and table this. If you have to step down and let your vice chair step up, you put the motion forward. I'll let someone else put the motion forward to do this correctly.
[Lisa Evangelista]: Thank you, Mike.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you. Thank you, Mike. My privilege, Mayor Point of privilege member McLaughlin.
[Melanie McLaughlin]: Thank you, Mayor. I just want to let the community know that part of the role of the advisory committee, I believe will be researching the cost or we could include it in the document, so I don't want people to think that. You know, we won't be aware of what the cost is as we're moving this forward. And again, I just want to some time ago, and we have been working on this for approximately a year. So this is not the first time that we've been thinking about this document or looking at this document. And this is not the first time we've had this long school committee meeting. And it's not the first time we've heard from a number of people that are here, both publicly, privately, phone calls, emails, letters. So just so folks know, we have been listening. for quite some time, and we will be certain to know what the cost is and to make that public as part of our advisory committee. Thank you.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, Member Ruseau. And then I see two people with their hands up, so I'm gonna take the three people with their hands up next.
[Paul Ruseau]: Thank you, Mayor. I just don't want to get into a back and forth, but The policy of the Medford School Committee for at least the last 30 years has mandated this process and it has not happened for 30 years. That is not a reflection of following our procedures. The fact that we have policies and procedures that are ignored by some folks is within their option. As a committee, we can sort of ignore our policies, but we also should follow them in my opinion, when they're literally in black and white. And this policy is in black and white. This lays out exactly that we as a committee design the advisory committee with graphic detail, frankly, what we should be doing. So I do recognize that we have not done this as a community perhaps for at least 30 years. And I look forward to this becoming a regular thing for advisory committees. We have to have a hunger, making Medford a hunger-free community advisory committee. We passed the motion to do that. So we will be going through all of this again. We also have another advisory committee for the vision committee for the high school. So those are both going to follow this same format as is the policy of the school committee as passed at least 25, 30 years ago. I'm not making this process up and nobody else here is either. Thank you.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: We have Sharon and then Lee. Sharon, you gotta wait till we unmute you, please. It doesn't do it. It takes some time for me for some reason. Oh, geez, where'd you go? Dr. Cushing, could you maybe try, I'm not able to unmute her.
[U1EIl_L-LWc_SPEAKER_00]: Yes. Thank you. Sharon, as we click ask to unmute, a symbol should come, there you go.
[Sharon Deyeso]: Okay, is that better? Yeah, it was on my end too, sorry. I'll just take about a minute of your time because we hear about all kinds of odd things during these months in this country and around the world. I have one comment about the whole thing, about anyone who really started this movement on Columbus School. It isn't just about being Italian and taking it away from the Italian community. It's like a witch hunt. I'm thinking with some of the Confederate plaques that were taken down, some of the review of different cities, what a name change, et cetera. If somebody must've said, oh, we better start looking at Metro, what can we change here? You know, we do, as a couple of commentators said, have very important vigilant moves to make during this COVID. No one really wants to be in a big hot seat. However, it goes beyond just Italian in Columbus. Let's take an example. How many people have been to Rome, you know, to Italy and went to visit the Colosseum? Being a history humanities minor in college, and I also did teach in Medford for a while, I had tears in my eyes when I went there because of the architecture in the history. And I could just imagine the chairs and whatnot. I didn't leave there that day and go on to the huge triumph of Marcus Aurelius and say, we better get after these Romans. You know, pagans lived here one time and we need to tear the Colosseum down. Is that what you want to do next? Because what's next? You're just going to stop this now? Because buyer beware. There may be people who are so upset about this, not because it's Italian or anti-Italian or anything else. You need to do better constructive, not destructive things with your elected time. And I know some of your intentions were on a side. I haven't seen all the history documents yet, so I can't give a full opinion of that. But you really need to look at that. And you have 15 seconds. Thank you. So please, please examine this closely. I am not the change of that name. I think he was a famous navigator, we would not be having this conversation if it weren't for him going through uncharted waters. Thank you very much and good evening.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you. Deanna, and then we're going to go to Grace.
[Deanne]: Are we all set? Yes. Hi, I just have a comment and a question. Why are you trying to erase history?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: And maybe you wanna go into your comment.
[Deanne]: Well, technically that's my comment. Why are you trying to erase history? Why is the school committee trying to erase history?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: I think that's one of many, many arguments and there's arguments on both sides. So I'm not sure if anybody's gonna answer it specifically.
[Deanne]: Oh, that's a question to the school committee.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Member Van der Kloot.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Yes, um, so in my mind we're not erasing history we're changing a name to what might be a more appropriate name in this day and age. Columbus will still be taught, like you said he was a famous navigator. There's much history there. It's to be appreciated in its totality. It is part of the Massachusetts strands of education. I think it's both fourth and then again in middle school where students discuss Columbus. So it's not in any way a shape to remove Columbus from the curriculum or not to teach it. It is a question of saying, what name do we want to put on this building that will embrace and bring our community together? Unfortunately, Columbus is very divisive, as you can see in this discussion.
[Deanne]: Well, I don't agree with it. Because if you're still going to teach about Columbus, you're going to teach about this. So why take a name off a building that's been there for umpteen years?
[SPEAKER_40]: Lee, I'm going to come to you. I forgot. Sorry.
[Lee Conlon]: Am I on? Yes, Lee. OK. I have to say, thank you, Madam Mayor. And listening to, I've come in and I have to say my ignorance to a point of listening to all, to everybody. But I have to say for one thing, I am in shock and totally disappointed in the school committee when this woman asked a question in regards to the Christopher Columbus and that, and nobody wanted to step forward. But yet, why? I don't understand. Our city is full of history, good history, bad history. So you're starting with the Columbus School because somebody got that in their brain that that had to be changed. Well, we could go through the whole city and change every street, Let's go to the royal house and ban that from going in. That's slavery. There's so much history, and the Christopher Columbus is history to the people who live and have grown up in Medford. I'm not Italian, but this means a lot to me. This means a lot. This is how it has been. I would really like to know, and my main reason was asking, whose idea was this? to do this. And again, like many of our people, many people in the city have been blindsided with it. Ms. McLaughlin said this has been going on a year. Well, that's fine, but it hasn't been going out to the public in a year. And what is the big rush? With Mike saying things need to be done correctly. You have 15 seconds. Okay. That's all, those are my thoughts from just someone who lives in Medford her whole life. Thank you, Lee.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: This was proposed. Yeah, this was proposed in June and was on a school committee meeting. By who?
[Lee Conlon]: Like, why? It was a, I don't know. Nobody wants to give like a straight answer. To be honest, Madam Mayor, nobody can say, like the person who brought this to and their reasoning why. Everything's, you know,
[Melanie McLaughlin]: Okay. Remember McLaughlin? Remember Ms. Stone? Sure. Mayor, I will share that myself. I was one of the people who signed the motion, the original motion, to move this forward for all of the reasons that have been discussed here tonight. And I am sorry that the individual that is speaking feels like this hasn't been discussed. It has been discussed. and shared and shared out. It's been on the television. It's been in the newspaper. It's been in social media. It has been, you know, any number of places. But I, with a few of our colleagues, put this motion forward almost a year ago. Thank you.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Member Mustone?
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Yes, I also signed on to the resolution with Member Ruseau and Member McLaughlin. And I want to say the reason why we proposed it is because as we've learned of Columbus's legacy in recent times with more research and history, we realized that is not someone that we would like to hold up in a standard for our children. Most people know I have six children, four in Medford Public Schools. He is not someone that I want my children to think that's who we want to represent a school in the city of Medford. We've heard a lot of conversation on both sides tonight. I've had personal conversation with a number of people. I have thought about it thoroughly. And I know that there are many other opportunities to name a school and that we're not erasing history. It's that he is not someone that represents what I wanna teach my children. I agree that he was a navigator, but other than that, there's nothing that I wanna encourage my children to say, this is someone that we admire and someone that I want you to look up to. So I think that's how I agreed with my family discussing it that I signed on with Mr. Russo and Ms. McLaughlin. Thank you.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, member. Ms. Stone.
[Caldera]: Hi, I just have a couple things to say. And I first want to say thank you all for doing this and moving with this name change. It goes on with the overall goal of our community to be more equitable. and as someone whose father is from the Bahamas, where Columbus actually landed, and then he, because of him, decimated the entire Native population. I, you know, his history is important, but he didn't discover this land. There was already people here with rich culture and traditions and religion. And it's also important to note about that. And then I do have a question with the overall process that you guys are doing. Is there any plan or a plan in your current plans to run any of the new names by the school's racial equity task force?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, Grace. We're still going through the process, so we can take that into account, absolutely. Paul, I'm going to people that have not spoken yet at all, and then I will.
[Hollings]: Good evening, May, can you hear me? Yes, Paul. Good evening, Madam Mayor and members of the school committee. I just have a question and a comment. My question is, and you're probably gonna cover this, I'm sorry if I'm cutting you guys off, but the name change, is it gonna be reserved for somebody who was a resident of the city or had an impact directly on the city of Medford? Is that one of the qualifications? And if so, I hope it is. And my comment would be, Um, I know this is going to, there's going to be a lot of discussion on this, but I think one of the names that should be considered would be Crystal Campbell. I don't know if she went to the Columbus. I tried to reach out to her cousin, find out before I got put on here, but I think that'd be a really nice gesture. I think that'd be, and I think someone like that who, you know, lived in the city, um, or went to the school or had a serious impact on the city should be someone that the school gets named after if that's the route that it seems like that's the route that it's going to go. So. That's all. Have a good evening.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, Paul. Member Van de Koot, I'm looking at yours. I thought yours had that it would be that this preference to naming it after somebody from Medford, but I'm just, can't locate that line.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Member Ruseau had that.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Okay, there is language, Paul, and all that we're gonna debate on this being named after somebody from Medford. So we wouldn't get to that section yet, but we will. So thank you.
[Jennifer Kerwood]: Jennifer Kerwood, I don't believe you spoke yet. Hi, thank you. Jennifer Kerwood, 43 Willis Ave. I apologize for not having my video on this evening, but considering some of the comments I've heard tonight, I think that perhaps the advisory committee should have alternates or just a larger number than 10, simply because there will likely be people who join in order just to simply disrupt the process. And if we could possibly put something in there so that once people are on the committee, there is a means of replacing them, should that be, I don't know, I just think it's likely. And I think it should be something that we consider that. perhaps even just more than 10 people, a larger number. So that way, if there is someone who is disruptive, it doesn't have as much of an impact with such a small number. That's all. And thank you guys. Thank you.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you. Yes, one speaks about 21 people, one, I think 15. So we didn't get to that yet. Member McLaughlin? And we'll discuss alternates.
[Melanie McLaughlin]: Thank you. I'd like to make a motion. I wanna hear from everyone that wants to speak tonight. And I'd like to make a motion that we move public comment till after we go through the document. So that, cause a lot of the questions are really relevant to the document and we haven't gotten the opportunity to go through it. So if we could move public comment till the end of the document so that people can actually see the entirety of the document, I think that would be really helpful. I'm wondering if I might get a second.
[SPEAKER_40]: Member Van der Kloot.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: I, I think that's problematical Melanie, because so many people have already felt that they haven't had the opportunity to speak to now say that this may take us another three hours to work through the whole document. So I think the way the mayor's been feeding them in. As time-consuming as it is and how sometimes questions are being asked that we will answer, I think we just have to be short and say, we'll get to that. But I think you might make a tough situation even more difficult if you shut down any ability to talk while the meeting is proceeding.
[Melanie McLaughlin]: One clarification, I'm not interested in shutting down. I know you're not.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: how some people might perceive it, Melanie, and I know you're always open to hearing from her.
[Melanie McLaughlin]: Thank you.
[Jenny Graham]: Member Graham. Can I make a suggestion that we complete a round of public comment, we then close public comment so that we can actually work through this document with the comments of the public in mind, and then we can open for a brief, maybe shorter timeline, public comment when the document is completed, so that we can hear from everybody, we can use that information to react and complete the work of this meeting, and then we can take public comment again. But this is disrupt, this back and forth, we're not making our way through this document in a productive way, so I'd like to see us try to be more productive as we get through this document. Is that an amendment to the motion? If you would like it to be. Yes, please. Then you have a second.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Can you please explain that? I think the document needs to be screen shared so we can see where we're at and continue to plug through. I did mention
[Jenny Graham]: Yeah. So the motion is to take a round of public comment starting now. Everybody gets three minutes. Two minutes. And then we close public comment and we work through the document. When we are done, we can take another round of public comment, but we will not take public comment during the working through of the language. We are not making forward progress.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: As long as we don't vote on the language in its entirety before the second round, I think that's fine. That's fine. Okay, motion on the floor by Member McLaughlin, amended by Member Graham, seconded by Member Graham. Roll call.
[Melanie McLaughlin]: Member Graham?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Yes.
[Melanie McLaughlin]: Member Kreatz? No. Member McLaughlin, yes. Member Mustone?
[Clerk]: Yes.
[Melanie McLaughlin]: Member Ruseau? Yes. Member Van der Kloot?
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Yes.
[Melanie McLaughlin]: Member Lungo-Koehn?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Yes, six in the affirmative, one in the negative. So right now public comment is open. I'm going to go through Mr. Carboni.
[Christopher Carbone]: Um, so just on the issue that's currently before us. Um, I agree with the council person can include and Councilperson credits in so far as, um, The committee that is being formed should have access to all the names and have the ability to go through all the names. And the reason for that is I trust my neighbors to make the best decisions possible. That's the whole reason we're having public comment. That's the whole reason why we have these discussions, is because our neighbors are going to be the ones together that can make the best decision. I believe whether they submit four names or 4,000 names, The people we put on that committee will be in the best position to actually do what's to choose the best name, not as sort of a rubber stamp to the acceptable ones that our betters give to us, but instead that the people on the committee would make the decision. I support expanding the committee to be slightly larger. I think it's a bad idea to cut a couple of comments that they have. And Otherwise, I support the continued work of everyone here to try to get through this project, warts and all, no matter how difficult it might be on any of us. Thank you very much.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you. Annemarie.
[Ann Marie Cugno]: OK, so if I'm understanding this the correct way, If I'm understanding this correctly, you're going to take a round of questions now. You're going to go and work on the document. And then once it's done and you're all finished, you're going to come back to take more questions from the community. So we're after 8 o'clock now. So we're going to expect you to come back at 10, 11 o'clock. That's one. Second of all is the fact that, you know, everybody keeps on saying everybody's been hurt. I think everybody forgets the fact that if everybody had been heard in June, you would have had your 600 signatures against the, I don't want to say against, but versus the 300 signatures. So I guess my question again, isn't this a mute conversation? Because everybody keeps on saying that everybody's been hurt. And these questions and concerns from the community started when we finally did hear about what was going on. And again, it's just frustrating because I've asked questions. There have been other people tonight that have asked questions. And out of respect, it would be nice if we got some type of answer because you still don't know. You don't know any of this. And as far as the comment on process and policy, As a former school committee member, we had many processes and policies, we just didn't throw this up and say in one night, we're going to do this, whether people you know agree or disagree with me. I just think that the process, again, you're going to have people against him for this, but this is a community. community has been speaking, and it seems like tonight that people are asking questions. There still has not been one person who has stood up and answered any of them or addressed any of them. But on June 30th, or whatever the day was, those answers to those questions were all answered. As a school committee, you're supposed to be representing the community. Thank you, Anne-Marie. Thank you.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: I can just comment to that. Most of the questions that are coming in relate to answers that we haven't even got to yet. The amount of people on the committee, how we're gonna submit the applications, who's gonna look at them, are we gonna look at them and then give five to the committee. We just wanna get through that a little bit so that we can answer those questions. We don't know how much exactly this is gonna cost. I believe the main amount is gonna be for signage. We are trying to answer the questions as best we can and just get through the documents so people know what they wanna comment on after, whether they're for or against something and we can make those changes as needed. Amy and Mary.
[SPEAKER_31]: Hi, Amy Esperanto, 47 Westville Road. Sorry, I didn't say my address last time. I just want to respond to the person who said that changing, taking the Columbus name off the school is erasing history. Once upon a time, as a culture, our history was painted on cave walls. And if it wasn't on a cave wall, it wasn't history. And then we developed oral history and writing and other means of preserving our culture and history. History isn't entirely based on what things are named or what things are called. I'm sure most of us learned about World War II somewhere in our middle school, high school, college experience. But there's no Mussolini Elementary School in Italy, and there's no Hitler Elementary School in Germany. And it's not because people there want to forget history. It's because they make careful decisions about who they elevate and who they honor with having a school named after you as an honor and a privilege. It's not bland history. If it were just history, we could call it anything. We could call it the War of 1812 Elementary School, if that's what it was about. But naming things is about imbuing them with a significance and an honor and a privilege. And if you're really invested and honoring and elevating a murderer, rapist, thief, genocide, genocide, someone who committed genocide, I really want you to think about what that means. What is your culture? If that's your culture, what's your culture? Because the Italians I know, that's not their culture. The Italians I know, they, They honor, you know, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Enrico Fermi, Galileo, all sorts of people who made notable and valuable contributions to the evolution of humanity as a species, who brought us up and not down. And I would really encourage people to think about, like, if you want to honor our culture- Sorry, you have 15 seconds. What about it do you want to honor? That's it.
[Nadeen Moretti]: Thank you, Nadine. Thank you again. I just, I want to reiterate what Deanne had said. I was actually going to ask the same question. Why is it okay to still teach about Columbus, but we can't have the name on the school? I guess none of that makes any sense to me whatsoever. I think that there's a crowd of people that were pretty, pretty proud to be at that school. I did mention earlier that I, all my ethnicity. So I'm a proud Italian. I don't spend so much time worrying about Columbus, neither did my children, the name, because they were doing other things, more important things. Not looking at the name and saying, my gosh, why do you send us here, mom? This is atrocious. That's not how we roll. So I guess I can't understand why it's such a big to-do. But again, if it's OK to teach Columbus history, then it's OK to keep the name on the school. And this meeting shouldn't be happening, because it's a clear, clear agenda. you know, from a few people and there's people for that change, but many more against. And our voices deserve to be heard. And we're going to keep speaking no matter how long this takes tonight, because it's all right. So I just, I don't understand that that makes no sense. If someone wants to tell me how we can still teach it, but take it off the name of the school, then something's wrong. I don't know if anybody has an answer. Member Ruseau.
[Paul Ruseau]: Yes, I think at this point, I guess it's time for me to answer some of these questions. We teach about the Holocaust. We don't name shit after it. Excuse my language. And you know what? It's really hard to come up with a curriculum for third grade girls to explain how they were sold into sex slavery. That's not a real curriculum. I would send my kids to Columbus Elementary School if that was what we were teaching them. And that is what we would have to teach them if we taught them the truth. We're not teaching them because there is no valid way to teach little kids the kind of truth that is involved. When we teach kids about the Holocaust in our education system, I don't think we actually teach our first graders about the ovens. I'm hoping that that's not what's happening in our first grade classrooms, but we do teach it. And we also don't name anything after those people. Okay, so that's that. And then, you know, I keep being accused of being the person that led all of these women on the committee to slaughter. It's so obviously sexism, it's beyond comprehension. Each one of these people voted their own way. They have the exact same capacity to decide and vote, just like I do. And so I appreciate that I've led them all to slaughter, but it's just an obscene level of sexism that is so disgusting, frankly. It is disgusting. Member Graham, Member Van Der Kloet, Every single one of these members made a decision to vote the way they did based on what they had heard from the community and what they had read and thought. So Ms. Coppola is shaking her head crazy like, yeah, no, they didn't. You're right. I have some blackmail on each one of them and that's why they voted. Or better yet, they don't have minds of their own because this is the 14th century and these are women who do whatever I tell them. You know what? I didn't tell any of them how to vote. And I would not tell them how to vote because I respect them as independent people that can decide this themselves. So I was one of three people that put this forward. I'm more than happy to keep taking all the crap for it because why share it, frankly. But the fact is that they decided this, a majority. I am one member with zero authority by law. Not one person here, not even the mayor in her role as chair has any authority None. We only have authority when four of us vote for something. So I get it. You don't know the law about school committee and what our authority is and isn't. And I understand that it's ridiculously complicated, but you know, some of this stuff is just so ridiculous. And I just feel like at this point you've worn me down. So now I'm going to answer your questions. Ready? I look forward to your Facebook posts.
[SPEAKER_40]: Tony. Mayor point of privilege when a privilege member McLaughlin.
[Melanie McLaughlin]: Yes, thank you. Um, I just have to say that I'm sure that everyone is, um. You know, feeling really riled up now and a lot of energy around this and I am, you know, I personally want to apologize to our bipoc community that has been on this call for all of this time. I think that this is really, um, hurtful and, um. and embarrassing, frankly. And, you know, I do feel that I'm voting my values here. And for people that know me, I think you know what my values are. What I learned about Columbus was, you know, akin to pedophilia. In my opinion, they were rapists of, you know, rapes of children and what have you. And people say it's 15th century compared to 21st century. And I don't think that was ever vogue. I don't think cutting people's hands off was ever vogue. I mean, these are the things that I've learned. And in good conscience, I felt that. And also, and most importantly, listening to people who have gone to the school and who feel really disenfranchised and left out and upset about someone who enslaved people being named on one of the buildings in our school. And that's where I'm at. And that's why I agreed to put this motion forward, because I think it is a reflection of my values. And thank you.
[Tony Puccio]: Tony. Thank you, Madam Mayor. Tony Pucci, 11 James Street. So, I hate to be the one to follow up committee members those posts because I'm going to be the one who has to comment on it but that's what we have in our school committee thank you for showing your character yet once again. So I don't want to attack him, and I don't want to sit here and spend the rest of the night defending Columbus but the same people who are saying Columbus spread disease. and all that on America, the one stating that he never set foot on the soil of America. I just want to clarify that as well. There's other books out there that you can read, everyone. You don't have to be the one that follows just your narrative, okay, because there are other historians that promote other views. Anyways, what I really wanted to get into was Mia and committee person Kreatz both started the meeting off with important points and those were never addressed and we're moving along to Mr. Cuno's point which was What's going on here? This city has basically lost faith in you. You have divided us, the school committee, okay? So we don't trust you when you're gonna get involved and start making this committee to rename. We don't want you guys involved in that because we don't trust you anymore now. You have lost out. We don't have faith in you anymore. Do you understand this? You keep saying you're listening, you're listening, but you're not hearing us. You're really not understanding what we're trying to say here. Okay, you're listening, but really listen and understand and act upon what we're saying here. There's a lot of people that have a lot to say about this. And you guys just want to push this through and ignore everyone. And that's how we all feel right now. We all feel ignored. Like this is just something you're going to do, whether we like it or not. That's how we feel right now. And it's agitating and aggravating. maybe even on both sides of the agenda. It's not cool. Real quick, Paulette, again, thank you, committee person.
[Lisa Evangelista]: Sorry, Tony, 15 seconds.
[Tony Puccio]: Thank you, Lisa. You stated that you had a problem with this 20 years ago when it was brought up. Why are you making an issue now? You had 20 years to deal with this, but now all of a sudden, well, we'll just throw it in there because everyone else is on board. There's so many bad things going on about this. Thank you, Tony. Table this, push this, not tonight.
[Cadee Stefani]: Eric.
[Eric Fox]: Eric, are you there? Yes, hi. Sorry, I did get out of an unstable internet connection. Mostly, I just want to say I applaud the school committee for the action they are taking. It's something that is, from my understanding, something that has been building up for a while. It's just one of those things. It started off, you know, regardless of who brought it up in a school committee meeting first, a germ of an idea to with the school of this horrible man's name started a long time ago and has slowly, slowly, slowly been building up momentum until finally, earlier this year or earlier last year, it finally got to the point where, okay, this makes sense. And more people are on board and are for it. And or moving forward. I also just recently learned the history of the name of the Andrews school, and how the person who the Andrews middle school was named after was deeply involved in the Medford community was a person of color. And once I learned that it really made sense to me that is the type of person you want to name a school after. So in as we go through this process. I think it would be excellent if you know there's more examples out there. I'm sure there's plenty of other people deeply involved in the Medford community. maybe they're a person of color, maybe they're not, but who are really shining examples of who this and what this community can be and who deserve to have a school named after them and not someone who has absolutely no connection to Medford at all. Christopher Columbus never came to Medford. So I'm happy to see this process moving forward as a person who is raising biracial kids and who was married to a person of color. Move forward. That's all I have to say. Thank you.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Diane.
[Diane Abramson]: Unmute. Thank you. I'm unmuted now. My name is Diane Abramson, Diane Galeno Abramson. I grew up in South Medford. I was an educator in the Medford public school system for 35 years. I was honored by the Anti-Defamation League on many occasions. I rewrote the curriculum for multicultural education in the city of Medford. What I am hearing tonight is beyond comprehension. We have come to a point in the Medford School Committee where the issue of education seems to be a secondary issue in comparison to the rabble rousing that is going on now over the name of the Columbus School. I grew up around the corner from the Columbus School. I am a proud Italian American. My family lived in Medford and continues to live in the city of Medford. I do not know who the new people are on the school committee, but I can tell you one thing, how upset and how horrible this is. We are not a revisionist history community. We are pulling things out of our hats in a way to to denigrate the memory or denigrate the school and denigrate the Italian-American population by saying, Columbus is this, Columbus is that, and here's the history, and I vote my conscience, and using all kinds of language which is totally unequivocally inappropriate from a school committee member. I'm talking to you, Mr. Rousseau. I'm talking to you because I find your behavior reprehensible. and I just simply cannot understand what is going on in the city of Medford, what is happening to the common sense of the school. You have 15 more seconds. And that's absolutely fine. I rest my case, but you can be sure that everyone on the school committee and Madam Mayor, you will be receiving a rather lengthy treatise from me about my opinions about this whole nonsensical situation that is killing time that should be devoted to addressing the needs of the children. Done. Rachel?
[Rachel Rockenmacher]: Me, Rachel Rockenmacher. Yeah, I'm a parent in Medford. I live in South Medford, a couple blocks from the Columbus School. My child went to the Columbus grades K through 12. I've been here for decades. Not that that should matter. And I was a very active member of the PTO throughout all my child's time there and was an officer as well in the PTO and certainly did my do's in that hall of 12-hour shifts and bake sale on election day, et cetera. I wanna applaud the school committee for taking on this important issue. And I wanna say that when my child was an elementary school student, I know there were other children too who did take issue with the name Columbus being used for their school and refused to buy school t-shirts and stuff because they didn't wanna applaud that person. I think it's important not to honor people who don't deserve to be honored. It does nothing against Italians or Italian-Americans. There are plenty, and like other people have said, there are plenty of other Italian-Americans or Italians to honor with the name of the school. There are many other options. And I really hope that people can see that and realize that not everyone agrees with sometimes people who oppose this change have been saying, oh, everybody who lives here opposes this. And that's absolutely not true. I live here and I support it heartily. And I'm horrified at the kind of vitriol that's coming at our school committee members by the people who oppose it. And I hope we can re-engage in some more civil discourse. Thank you.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you. Eliza?
[Eliza Laudato]: Hi. I'm a South Medford resident. I actually voted the Columbus School and an educator, though not in Medford. And I think people seem to be really confused about what this meeting is for. So I thought maybe I was confused. I'd like to clarify if this is about stopping the renaming of the school or is it about focusing our efforts onto best representing the community in the renaming that's already been decided upon? Can somebody field that question for me?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: This is the policy on how to rename.
[Eliza Laudato]: Okay, so what we're trying to figure out is how to do it, who's gonna be involved in it and how we can move forward. Is that accurate?
[Clerk]: Correct.
[Eliza Laudato]: Okay. The comments that I've been hearing seem to confuse me that maybe I came to the wrong meeting. So thank you for clarifying and thank you for all of your hard work. I think that this is an important issue and I'm glad that we're doing this. Have a good evening. You too, thank you.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Nadia.
[Nadia Purifory]: Hi, I'm Nadia Purifory, a longtime resident of Medford. Thank you, Madam Mayor and school committee members. I just had just a couple of comments. I just, I feel like honestly, no matter what I'm going to say is really not going to change anyone's mind. I feel that almost with any issue, unfortunately, with the school committee, and I've never felt that way raising all eight of my children in Medford. I'm a nurse at hospital in Medford. I'm involved with PTG. And I just, since this happened, I don't even know when it was June, I guess. I just feel such a distrust towards all the members except for Ms. Kreatz. But otherwise I feel, you know, I am against the name change. I'm proud Italian American. My parents came from Italy and Columbus does mean a lot to my family, you know, growing up. And, um, I just feel the way it was done was just very sneaky. I wish that the community was involved and I felt we weren't, I felt it was hidden that the name change was done. in a sneaky way. And now I'm concerned with the new, you know, decision for the name change. I don't think we'll really be involved. I think the school committee will just make the name change on their own without any community involvement, or at least the part of Medford that wants the Columbus name removed. I don't think they'll listen to the members who don't wanna change. I just feel hurt. And, doesn't seem like the Medford that I grew up in. Thank you. Thank you, Nadia.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Member Van der Kloot.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Yes, Nadia. The question for me is, and I've said this all along, is there no one else that we could honor from the Italian community that might in fact bring a great deal of pride I understand people have very different feelings about Columbus, but part of the issue is, is there any way to move forward? We are saying we need to move forward. We understand, and I think a lot of this meeting is because we want everybody to speak, but again, part of the, the need at some point is to say, is there anybody else? Who else? And we're trying to say, if you want a voice in this, apply to the advisory committee. We're working out the nuts and bolts so that, and certainly all the work I did on the resolution was to make sure that no one person could slant the committee in such a way that a final name was predetermined. Um, so that's just a, you know, that's part of what I was looking at is to make sure the process was clean. I understand you don't like the back process. I understand that it's painful. I hear it. But going forward, how can we make sure that we are doing the best job? And I encourage you to please apply for the committee.
[Nadia Purifory]: Yes, I just think if it was, you know, from the beginning, if it was done differently, I would, it's not even mostly about the name. It's just the way it was done. You know, if it was, if, if the community could have been fully involved in the decision, I just suddenly heard it, I think on social media and I was like, what is going on? And then I just feel like this is one thing. And then what's going to be next. Let's change the Brooks school. Could my church suddenly the name get changed? I just feel like this is, what's happening throughout the country? And is this like a trend that's going on? And suddenly I'm here and my kids are learning about white privilege at school or Black Lives Matter. I don't know what direction Medford's going in, but it's definitely not the Medford, like I said, that I raised. I'm the youngest of nine that we grew up in here. There was never an issue. My husband's black. My kids are half black American, half native American. I've never seen race as an issue in Medford. And suddenly there's just more problems. We should be focusing on education and kids' mental health. They should be back in school. That should be the focus. There should be more, we should be having our community more pulled together. I don't even see anyone. My children don't see anyone. That should be the focus, not on the Columbus school change name right now. We should be focusing on, I've been in contact with Marie Cassidy numerous times at the Medford Network because I feel like I don't see any other parents. My children don't see any other children. And I'm concerned for their mental health. Not about the Columbus School. We shouldn't be wasting all this time on this right now or the money on that. It should be money for programs for our children to be connected. Thank you.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, Nadia.
[Nadia Purifory]: Thank you.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Joanna?
[Joanna]: Am I unmuted? Yes. Hi, I just wanted to thank you all for voting to change the name, the time is now. And I feel bad, I feel bad for Nadia that she's heard. I think that the other, the people that oppose the change, well, the change is done. The people that oppose it should have a big say in the renaming. There's plenty of heroes to name the school after. Columbus was not a hero. I'm Italian American, Mi'kmaq, which is Native American, Irish, I mean, I'm a hodgepodge, but that's not even important. What's important is at the beginning of the meeting, you said there would be some decorum. And I think that the people that have shown a little disrespect, not a little, but they shouldn't be attacking you. And I just want to thank you. Thank you for changing the name. Thank you.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you. Hendricks?
[Hendrik Gideonse]: Hi, Hendrick Gideons, North Medford. Thank you, Madam Mayor. I moved to Medford in 1990. And when I got here, it was really quite unfriendly. And I didn't feel welcome. And I understand that many other people that are newcomers, like I am only being here 30 years, we have felt like our opinion wasn't valued. And what is happening now is that Medford is changing because people are moving here. The population is changing, the values are changing, and To me, this is very much like making a mistake around people that come to visit you at your house. If you have somebody come over to your house and you say, well, my boss gypped me out of this. And it turns out that they're Roma. and that they're offended by that. And they say, do you know where that comes from? That comes from the expression, gyp is from gypsy. And that hurt my feelings because it made me feel like you were pointing the finger at me. And then when you do something like that, you say, I'm really sorry that I hurt your feelings and I'm not going to do it again. And what can I do to make it right? And what I'm hearing from the people that say how Medford is changing and they don't wanna change, to me, this is about being polite. If you find out that something hurts people- Enrique, 15 seconds. Thank you. You change what you're doing so you stop hurting people. That's what good people do. And if you find out that calling a school the Columbus hurts people, You change it. That's what cities are supposed to do. They're supposed to respond and act the way that morality dictates, which is to stop hurting people. Thank you.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you. I'm trying to go to people who haven't spoke yet, Erica.
[Erica Hunt]: Hi. Can you hear me?
[Clerk]: Yes.
[Erica Hunt]: Hi. My name is Erica Hunt. I live on Fulton Street, and I'm a proud Italian American and mother of three biracial children in metropolitan schools. The pushback to this foregone conclusion only highlights the need for massive change for racial justice in our schools and community. People saying they are not being listened to are repeating the same racial tropes heard over and over in any situation of progress or change in the city. I don't tie my worth as an American to Christopher Columbus, and actually it perpetuates the hidden caste system in America. I am completely in agreement with the change of the name of the Columbus school, and that's all I have to say.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Mayor.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, Erica. Member van der Kloet.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Yes, I just wanted to mention that Ron Giovino has had his hand up for a long time, but he doesn't have one of the regular little hands. So just to make sure he's on your list.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Sure. Ron can go next. We haven't heard from Ron yet. Let me just unmute you, Ron.
[Ron Giovino]: Thank you. I just have two points, procedural points. I'd love to see this get moved towards a decent end here, but two points. The beginning of this meeting three hours ago, one of the rules was that everybody has to give their address. It was mentioned by Mr. Cook know a little while ago, given the fact that there are so many organizations outside the city involved in this process, I think it's extremely important that people are mandated to give their address. Second point is the language that's been used. We were asked to be respectful. I know a lot of citizens haven't, but not one committee person admonished their colleague when he used that language, language which in the 62 years I've lived in the city, I've never heard an elected official use. So I'll give him an opportunity to apologize for that. Not that it should come from me, it should have come from one of his colleagues, but very, very disappointed. Thank you.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Ron, what's your address?
[Ron Giovino]: 326 East Porter Road, and I've lived in Medford since 1959. Thank you for asking.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, Ron.
[Paul Ruseau]: I'm not sure if you don't watch a lot of political activities in Medford, but I heard a lovely story about how the governor of Massachusetts used Medford City Council meetings as entertainment This is not a community where we are all polite in our political discourse, right on TV. And that has a history going back long before I was born. We also just had a president for four years that thought words I would never utter in front of polite company was front page news every day. So I use the word crap a couple of times and I'm not gonna apologize for it. It was, If you think that that was offensive language that you've never heard from a politician, then you haven't listened to a lot of city council meetings, because I have heard it many times much worse. So thank you for the admonishment, and I don't apologize.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Please, if we could just work through comments, if everybody could choose kindness and just be respectable. Please, please, let's get through this. Jessica.
[Rivieccio]: Good evening, Madam Mayor and committee members. I did not plan to talk this evening because I knew it was going to be this three or four hour long situation where most of the people supporting OR and Mr. Comeau would be, you know, battling back and forth. Okay.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Point of personal privilege member Ruseau.
[Paul Ruseau]: Okay speaking, but I'd like to know their maiden name.
[Rivieccio]: Jessica, your name and address. I'll give you my address. 6 22 Boston.
[Paul Ruseau]: I don't know your maiden name, Mayor. If my maiden name is considered appropriate, then I would like to know this person's maiden name as well.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Well, if you want to know, you can't ask for the maiden name. You
[Paul Ruseau]: Rousseau for 15 years, I don't understand the disrespect, but it's an unacceptable level of disrespect. I expect that she will either use my correct name or she will be asked to not speak.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: If we could address Mr. Rousseau as Mr. Rousseau, you name and address the record, and then you have two minutes, you have the rest of your two minutes, please.
[Rivieccio]: Jessica Ravicchio, 622 Boston Ave. I'll be happy to give Mr. Russo whatever he thinks he deserves, but I really think he needs to put his felony records up so that we could all see who he actually is. Thank you, Madam Mayor. Have a good night.
[Paul Ruseau]: Mayor, if anybody wants to directly address a member, I'm fairly certain that's against the violation of Robert's rules, and I think they should be ejected from the meeting. Is there a second from a member?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Yes, everything needs to be addressed through the chair. Please. through the chair.
[Paul Ruseau]: It's no longer. This is a committee of the whole, as I understand it, and the public actually does not have a right to participate and speak. They have a right to watch. That is the law. And I think that if we can't maintain decorum, then I think we should consider ending all public participation.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: I'm not in favor of ending participation, If we could just stop with the insults. We need to move on. We need to get through this. And we wanna hear from people. We just, if everybody could please be respectful. Mayor. Member Van der Kloot.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Yes, I think people should also only have one last chance to talk. I think that we've allowed ample opportunity for people to, you know, and many people have spoken several times and, So I think that we've been more than generous with time. If there's people who haven't spoken, they should get a chance to speak. But we're getting tired and the commentary is dissolving.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: I think we've heard from everybody that has their hand raised. We can always take a motion. If we get through another paragraph or two, we can always take a motion to hear more public comment. and not wait till the end. Let's just get through another paragraph or two at least, and we will hear more public participation. Yes.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: So one of the questions is I've seen principal K here and some level of question was around the Columbus participation. And I wondered if we should, Talk about that. Paul and I do have the Columbus participation in a different way. You know, it is part of the bigger question of who's going to be on the advisory council, membership on the advisory council. Perhaps, you know, when you have multiple devices and then they close on you. This one's Paul's, sorry. Anyway, would that be acceptable? Mayor, can I talk about that for a minute? Yes, please do. Yes, thank you. First, I have a paragraph about participation by the Columbus School staff and students. And it's a separate paragraph says in recognition that the staff and students of the Columbus school are dedicated to their school. The school committee requests the principal to create a representative group of staff to solicit input from their colleagues. Additionally, student input is highly desirable. And if it is feasible, student participation will be encouraged in any way the principal deems to be workable in this very short period of time. The goal of both staff and student input is to come up with three to five names to submit for consideration to the advisory committee. The names will be submitted by April 26th. So we're saying to the principal, there's only four weeks. We had originally envisioned a much greater, longer period where we were gonna get student education and input. Therefore, in recognition of that, I'm saying, oh my gosh, you know, principal, I don't know what you're going to be able to do. And I don't, I understand to me, it's not, this is one of the problems with a very tight timeline, I believe. It's not giving a great opportunity for student input. Furthermore, the principal of the Columbus or her designee, as well as two staff members selected by their peers. And then I have, or appointed by the principal. I didn't know which way to go. I wanted committee input and I wanted the principal's input.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: We'll be appointed as- If I may, before you finish, will you please screen share that? Or I don't know if member Graham has that right in her document.
[Jenny Graham]: I can do that.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: We're gonna need to screen share.
[Jenny Graham]: Yeah, I would just ask that member Van der Kloot describe her intent and then member Rousseau do the same thing because we need to understand the intent so that we can then understand the details of the words. And we have not had an opportunity to talk about this as a group until now. So can we just start with,
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: overall intent, Columbus participation, the overall intent was that we originally said we wanted some student participation, and we were recognizing that the Columbus family if you would, including staff members should have some role. Member Ruseau will speak to this, but he identified six members as being on the advisory council. I thought that was a lot to ask for six members. I'm suggesting that the school have an internal process, however way they want to do it, to collect names that they want to submit, hopefully with some student input, but I don't know if the time allows, honestly. and that there would be three members from the Columbus community, and that is the staff, okay, that would serve on the advisory committee. And they would be elected either by their peers or appointed by the principal, depending on what we decided. So that was my thinking.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: And if I just may comment again, if we put the, principal and the two staff, that's gonna depend a great deal on how large, for me, the committee is, whether it's 11 people, 15, 21.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Right, but that was less than the six people that Member Ruseau suggested.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Correct. Okay. Member Ruseau?
[Paul Ruseau]: Thank you, Mayor, and thank you, Member Randall-Kluge, for summarizing yours. I actually don't think they're actually that far apart. one of the reasons that mine is the way it is, is that later in the process, we were going to be reducing the number of names and that their names that they were suggest name or names that they were going to come forth with as a Columbus community would just automatically make it to the list. And if a list was four, then it was going to become six names long, for instance. So I guess I since we've already decided that we're going to allow any and every name that comes forth to be in the pile. And all names will get the same amount of deliberation and consideration by the advisory committee. I mean, of course, they're gonna go through the list. So then I guess I'm confused. I think Columbus doing the work to come up with a couple of names or however many names they want to is good work that I think would be great. But at the end of the day, their names just get tossed on the pile on what will actually be a heap. So I think if they wanna do the work to come up with names and to provide a good defense of like, here's why we think this name should be the name. And I think that we may get a lot more at the starting point from the Columbus community because they won't have entered a couple of sentences on a submission form. They may have an actual like, document our presentation on the names that they've come up with. So that's still important and good work. But the number of members from the Columbus staff that will be on the advisory committee, I think I can go any which way you want. And I see Dr. Hay has her hand up. Two, three, six, I honestly feel that because we've already decided if there are a thousand names that show up on our table, they're gonna go through them. I'm a big fan of more people, divide and conquer that work to get it so that they can get through it.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Mayor, can I just, one thing, Paul, I just don't know, and when Kathy can, Principal Kaye can advise us on this. I just don't know with teachers being at the end of the school year, and it's such a busy time. A part of it was I was trying to lessen the obligation, even though I totally understand they may be fully invested or want to be invested. This is part, you know, this is why I've said from the outset, oh my gosh, I've got a problem with the timeline. It's really tight. We're not being able to achieve some of our goals. So, you know, that's my concern.
[SPEAKER_40]: Mayor? Yes, Member Graham?
[Jenny Graham]: Can we hear from Ms. Kaye before I speak? Ms.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Kaye, yes. should be able to press unmute, yeah.
[Kathleen Kay]: Hi everybody, good evening. Thank you so much for being here and thank you for giving me this opportunity. I have first a question and then I guess depending on what the answer would be, then a comment. If in fact as a school, we're gonna work together to come up with some names, would that then negate the students from submitting any names individually if I understood correctly as part of the process laid out earlier this evening?
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: That would not negate the students from doing an individual name with their family's help. No, they could still submit a name.
[Kathleen Kay]: Okay, so that could make a very big difference as to how we would move forward if the students' names will be accounted for anyway. Are we doing work that maybe we don't need to do as a school because those names will come forward anyway? And then the other comment would be in that regard, given that we are coming back to school so soon and there's a lot of work to be done with that, having a smaller group of teachers to be on the advisory committee probably would be more palatable. And then, therefore, we would be part of the team that helps vet and decide on a name, as opposed to coming together as a school and getting the school excited that, yay, we picked a name, and now that name might not be the one that's chosen. Does that make sense?
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Yeah.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Yes, Mayor. Member Van der Kloot and then Member Graham.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: For me, Principal Kaye, what I really want to be is respectful to the time, the limitations of time that you have. I wanted to make sure that there was some place where your school was represented. I personally understand completely that there may, you know, doing a big school project just doesn't necessarily make sense. unfortunately, right now. So if you thought that, you know, if it was making everybody aware that they could submit names from your school and making, you know, that maybe would be what's really possible right at this point, making forms available, letting kids know, you know, whatever, that might be just, you know, what's real. And if the, do you think that, so originally I think it was that you and, you know, there were five members all together. I suspect strongly there'll be some interest so that you'll be able to have staff members who will want to participate. Am I correct?
[Kathleen Kay]: Yes, I do think so. And originally, you know, in my head kind of milling this around, more people was to try and have representation from like the upper elementary staff and the lower elementary staff so that they could be the representatives for the special education group and the support services, the specialists.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Did you see those though as members of the advisory committee?
[Kathleen Kay]: Well, that was my original thought, but I think now if we were to certainly educate the students as to why this is moving forward and if they are interested in putting their names, we could then as a school help the children through that process. I think that would be something we should do quite strongly for those kids who are interested, make sure that they are able to go through the process and fill out the application. And then if we had less people on the advisory committee, at least as a school, we would be able to have those discussions if, in fact, myself and, if it is me, and the two teachers who might be on that, if they could go back and talk to their constituents and be representative of that, then that to me seems like it would be a very fair process for the school input.
[Clerk]: Thank you, Kathy.
[Jenny Graham]: Are you- Member Graham? As I was sort of listening and trying to reconcile all of these pieces around the Columbus School's participation, I was sort of thinking through a model where we would let Ms. Kay move through a process within her building and put forward some number of, we can just call them finalists for the moment, to say that the Columbus School is going to, work within their building and recommend some number of finalists, like call it four. And then that the larger advisory committee is, in addition to those four, going to add six more finalists. So perhaps part of the process is getting from the list of potentially thousands, if we're going down this road of passing everything off to the subcommittee, maybe their first step is to get to a culled list of finalists before they do the rest of their work, where the finalist list can be published to the community, there can be some excitement about it, but that Miss Kay and the Columbus building could seed some number of finalist choices to that to that sort of population. So that was something I was thinking about, I guess for me, knowing how busy the end of the year is. The school building and the calendar and the schedule sort of operates differently than what I expect the rest of the advisory committee to operate like. And there may be more flexibility for Ms. Kay if we give her the latitude to operate in the confines of the school schedule, which is going to be completely different. then how the advisory committee is going to operate. So I want to make sure that we are not losing the Columbus's participation due to like schedule issues, which I think is a real possibility if we just ask teachers to participate in the advisory committee, which is just going to operate on a completely different schedule than their use than they operate on today. So I feel like it could be a prohibitive amount of time. If you're a teacher, you're going back to school, you're trying to get your vaccine, you're trying to get MCAS off the ground, you're trying to do the end of the year stuff like to ask them also to meet 567 some number of times with an advisory committee that is largely going to be made up of people with jobs elsewhere who aren't going to be able to meet at 2.30 or 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and it's going to be nights and weekends. I think there may be some value, but I will defer to Ms. Kay of putting a structure in place that gives her some autonomy to recommend finalists and makes that a feature of the advisory committee that the very first step is a list of finalists.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, Member Graham. And we also have Dr. Edward Benson who'd like to comment.
[Marice Edouard-Vincent]: Yes, I just wanted to comment in regards to what Dr. Kay just shared. I would be in support of her recommendation. I think with the school name being changed, I would like to see the involvement of Dr. Kay and maybe two members of her staff So even if there is some kind of smaller group that would be school based, I think that it would be in their best interest to be able to be actively involved in the advisory process. And so to give Dr. K some flexibility with her staff in terms of who would be willing to make the commitment to the meetings that are going to happen. They are currently at the building and I just feel that it's critically important that they are actively involved in the process. Thank you.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you, Dr. Edward-Vincent.
[Kathleen Kay]: Ms. Kay. Mayor, I just wanted to add one thing. Listening to everything that's being discussed this evening and going through a process, I just wanna voice a little tiny concern that I have inside, well, one of many, but if in fact we as a school submitted some names and then there were other names that came from wherever, be they children at my school through a different venue, I would fear that it might be taken that we didn't take the work we did in the school seriously if we were to submit a certain number of names to the advisory committee. Does that make sense?
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: So Dr. Kaye? Yes. Are you saying that it would be better for the school not to submit names specifically from the school?
[Kathleen Kay]: I am thinking that maybe if we want it really to be a transparent and a genuine process that any single child from the Columbus, if they wanted to submit a name and we're saying we're taking names from everybody, and that might be a more fair, a less.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Okay, so if you look at the paragraph that I wrote, which is on the screen, if we take away in the first large paragraph, if we take away the last sentence, the goal of both the staff and student input is to come up with three to five names. If we just take that out, Okay, remove that, then you have in recognition that the staff and students of the Columbus school are dedicated to their school, the school committee requests the principal to create a representative group of staff to solicit input from their colleagues oh um. Yeah, no, okay, that doesn't work.
[Kathleen Kay]: But it could in that we're going to be encouraging the students as teachers to be involved. Okay. And we would have whatever form it is the committee decides to use for submission, the teachers can help support the children as a class or as an individual to then submit those applications. And then if we had representation, whether it be two or three or four, from the Columbus School on the advisory committee, then we're involved in the process and then everybody's name has the equitable likelihood of being chosen.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Right. So my next sentence is, additionally, student input is highly desirable. And if it is feasible, student participation will be encouraged in any way the principal deems to be workable in this very short period of time. Yes, that would work for me. And then the last sentence to that paragraph is further the principal of the Columbus or her designee, as well as two staff members selected by their peers or appointed by the principal. And I have a question mark there because I don't know which is better. I don't know whether you prefer to say that you'll appoint them or whether you say, oh yeah, doing a vote is the better way.
[Kathleen Kay]: I would love for it if it could go for a vote and then the people who are really interested are the ones who the staff would then choose.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Great. So we'll take about that.
[Kathleen Kay]: And that's like a fair process to me as well from the teacher representation point.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Right. So thank you. Now, again, that's what I'm kind of suggesting to working through from what I heard Jenny say and whatever. Jenny, does that meet your?
[Jenny Graham]: Yeah, I just want to make sure that we don't make it so hard for the Columbus teachers and community to participate in the advisory committee that they don't. And then we have sort of left that voice out. Yeah, so that I think, Dr. Kaye, if you feel like there will be volunteers and excitement to do this work, I am totally comfortable with that. I just don't want it ever to be said that this committee did not value the input and thought leadership of the community at the Columbus School. So I just wanna make sure you're comfortable that this will work for you.
[Kathleen Kay]: Well, I am certainly committed, and I hope that we will have teachers who would be interested in being on this committee as well.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Do you think there should be more than the three representatives, or do you think that's a realistic number?
[Kathleen Kay]: You know, it's hard to tell because I don't know how many other committee members you have tossed around that you'd like to have involved. I mean, it would be nice to have a teacher representation, a specialist representation, perhaps the supports of providers, as well as an administrator. So that would make four. But if that then makes the advisory committee too large, I certainly see the value in not having as many as well.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: So why don't we just put the principal and as well as two to four staff members, and we can come back to that piece after we figure out the other members of the committee. That works for me.
[Kathleen Kay]: Dr. Edouard-Vincent, how about you? Do you think that's fair too?
[Marice Edouard-Vincent]: Yeah, I'd be comfortable with two to four members. I don't know what the total number is going to be.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Yeah, we can revisit it if it's too large.
[Marice Edouard-Vincent]: Yeah.
[Kathleen Kay]: Kathy, we appreciate you being here tonight. Oh, and I appreciate everyone being here too. Thank you so much for the support.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Okay, so by April 16, 2021, a Medford High School student who attended the Columbus School is a member of the CCSR and who is able to make the time commitment will be selected by his, her, their peers to be a member of the advisory committee. So make it a little bit more broad so that, I mean, what if we have a great student that is not part of CCSR?
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: You can take off the CCC. I use that only because it was an easy way for students to be elected by their peers. And so that's why I limited it that way. And also because I know that they're a service organization interested in community participation. Again, I'm just throwing out some of these things by saying there is having a high school student rep on any committee that we have is, I think, an appropriate thing to have. I'm absolutely fine with however people want to amend it.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: I think you could leave it in, but you could say preferably. So a Medford High School student, preferably one who attended Columbus School and or is a member of CCSR.
[Jenny Graham]: I think when I read this what I liked about it was that we are like again under the umbrella of making sure our Columbus school community is involved. I do, like, I think we shouldn't shy away from having additional members of the high school on the committee, but I would like to see us ensure that there is a member of the Columbus community that is currently in high school that can participate in this.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: My concern is with the timeline that is being suggested to fulfill every single
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: slot that we want to may take a lot more time than, I mean, maybe there's a lot more interest than... So Mayor, that's why I designated the CCSR because they have, you know, meetings and they have, you know, it's just organizationally, it's a really easy way that kids can get together and vote and say who's from Columbus, who's interested.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: That's assuming you're gonna have more than one person interested that even fits that non-broad category. That's my concern that we'll get to the last day and we say, we're supposed to have a committee today, but we have three slots that aren't filled by the exact specifications listed in the policy we set. So that's a concern of mine. HAB-Charlotte Pitts, Moderator, Secretary of Staff Members Meeting, Page 2 of 13 Miss Kay, would you like to speak? And before you speak, I cannot see Member Ruseau, Member McLaughlin, or Member Kreatz. So if you'd like to speak and chime in, please just- Member Kreatz has had her hand up, Mayor. Okay, yeah, I can't see everybody. So please just chime in. Miss Kay.
[Melanie McLaughlin]: Okay, so I just wanted to ask- Actually, Member Kreatz has had her hand up, Mayor. Sorry, point of privilege. She's had her hand up and she just unmuted and tried to start talking, excuse me.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Member Kreatz then, Miss Kay, if you don't mind.
[Melanie McLaughlin]: Not at all.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Thank you.
[Melanie McLaughlin]: Kathy, we can't hear you.
[U1EIl_L-LWc_SPEAKER_00]: She is unmuted.
[Melanie McLaughlin]: She should be able to unmute herself, member Kreatz. She's unmuted, but we can't hear her. There's no, there's no.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Member Kreatz, if you press the little arrow next to the mute button, It says test speaker and microphone sometimes, and then you hit yes if you can hear it. Sometimes that happens on my work computer. You can also change the option in there and that sometimes.
[Paulette Van der Kloot]: Member Graham, while they're trying to figure that out, bullet one and two essentially are the same and need to be condensed.
[Breanna Lungo-Koehn]: Why don't we allow Ms. Kaye, if you could make your comment while Member Kreatz tries to unmute. Sure.
[Kathleen Kay]: I just wanted to ask for clarity let's say there are three people from the Columbus who are on the advisory committee. Are they like sworn to secrecy or are they allowed to come back to the Columbus to speak to the other constituents and staff to sort of get input for them and then be representative of more people without having the people actually on the committee?
[Jenny Graham]: Elsewhere in this document, we talk about all the meetings being posted via compliance with the open meeting law. there would, if that carries, there would be no concern about that discussion happening. Okay.