Councillor Gaffney Plays Roulette With Public Safety

Councillor Gaffney Plays Roulette With Public Safety

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is an engineer college in Worcester Massachusetts. It is known worldwide for its engineering programs and graduates.

WPI has an urban campus with public streets. Like many cities in the USA the drivers in Worcester drive aggressively and arrogantly. Some drivers just go to fast for the small streets.

There are about one incident a week where a motorist strikes a pedestrian. Half of the incidents are hit and runs. About half of the incidents result in death of the pedestrians.

Last week a driver struck an older man on Shrewsbury St. A long time resident of Worcester said in a letter to the local newspapers that she was afraid to cross the streets of Worcester as some drivers go “ 50, 60, or 70” miles per hour.

My wife and I were almost struck by a speeding car as we enter the cross walk at the Marine Corp. League. The cross walk signal was blinking bright yellow. It seemed that the motorist sped up.

It is my opinion that when a motorist strikes a pedestrian, he should receive an automatic 500 dollar fine regardless of fault. This would help remind motorists they MUST in all cases yield to pedestrians or stop for pedestrians in some situations.

This issue of pedestrians and public safety is a serious one. People are dying . It should not be a political football. The crosswalk signal should be built as requested by WPI. These are public streets for which the City and City Council are responsible.

Is money a higher priority than public safety and our lives?  Councillor Michael T.  Gaffney like many others seems to think so. They seems to believes that pedestrians have no rights except to get out of the way of their speeding vehicle.

I was told than a firefighter was angry that I criticized the Majority Leader of the State Senate, Harriet Chandler, proposed bill to fine pedestrians.  He was especially irked by the suggestion that motorist be automatically fined for striking pedestrians.

A pedestrian when struck by a car does not harm the motorist and the pedestrian never gets up and runs away from the scene of the accident.

Councillor Gaffney has previously made statements contrary to public safety. 

At the mayoral debate he stated that when a motorist strikes a pedestrian the motorist suffers emotional anguish. He said nothing about the pedestrian pain and suffering.

So we have a situation where Councillor Gaffney will delay or not expedite a public safety issue because he wants WPI to pay for it.  WPI already makes payment to the City in lieu of taxes.

If Mr. Gaffney believes that WPI should pay more to the City then that can be negotiated. However to hold as hostage or leverage an issue of public safety such as cross walk signals makes no sense and is playing roulette with our lives.  

A reasonable person could conclude that Mr. Gaffney is using this issue to further his rumored career move to State Senate. If so, shame on him for endangering the lives of Worcester residents and the public.

A reasonable person would install the cross walk signals now and negotiate a possible increase of WPI’s payment in lieu of taxes later.

Unfortunately I do not know of many people who think Councillor Gaffney is reasonable.

Lost Colored Soldiers Honor Roll

Mr. James Bond

The Lost Colored Soldiers Honor Roll

The City Council of Worcester voted on March 29, 2016 to restore or replace the Honor Roll of Colored Soldiers from Worcester who served in World War II. The vote was 11-0.

In 1943 when the Honor Roll was erected the United States Armed forces were segregated. The so called Colored soldiers (dark skin soldiers) were organized into separate units from the White soldiers.  Latino soldiers were assigned units based on how light or dark their skins were.

Asian soldiers also were in separate units.

The Honor Roll was located in the Laurel Clayton section of Worcester which had a large Black population. The neighborhood was displaced first by the building of Interstate 290 and later by the building of Plumley Village. 

The people who lived in the Laurel Clayton neighborhood still keep in touch with each others. They used to have reunions, but these have been less often as the residents have aged.

Interstate 290 destroyed many neighborhoods in Worcester including the large Jewish neighborhood around Water St.

The restoration of the Honor Roll of Colored soldiers is important to the Black community as the soldiers not only fought for their country against Fascism, but for their race in the constant struggle to prove equality and to gain acceptance from the majority race.

Still today the Honor Roll is a symbol of this struggle for justice and equality.

Idella Hazard a Worcester resident whose family goes back to at least the Civil War said at the City Council meeting that the City has accommodated the Italian community in the Shrewsbury St. area by preserving and moving several times the statue of Christopher Columbus.

Ms. Hazard implied that not to restore the Honor Roll would be disparate treatment of Black people.

The VFW of mostly Black veterans led the process to get the Honor Roll restored. Mr. James Bond the VFW leader spoke for the group at the City Council meeting. Mr. Bond said it was an important issue for him and the Post.  Members who have long time roots in the City like Jack Toney and other were a force.

Mr. Bill Coleman

Mr. Bill Coleman played a major part as well in the publicity he gained for the restoration. The story appeared in over thirty news papers and on NPR.

The restoration will cost about 20 thousand dollars. It was suggested that it be placed at City Hall. I would like it to go next the bronze GI statute on the Franklin St. side City Hall.  Placement there would give both additional meaning.

To the Black community this is important. I know it is important to Councillor King. It might be important to one or two other Councillors.  However I think that the Honor Roll vote is just political capital for others.

Maybe the 11-0 vote is a sign of less racism from City government, maybe not.

I am happy that it is being restored and I hope that it does not face the same mechanisms as plagued the Major Taylor relief.

Dr. Cornell West

Dr. Cornell West, Too Smart

Dr. Cornell West spoke at Worcester State University on March 30, 2016. He is a difficult man to understand, but most philosophers are. He certainly stepped on everyone’s toes without any apparent concrete ax to grind.

At first Dr. West talked about love and how it will change the world. By love he means agape love or the love of human interactions and charity. He felt that this should be our primary motivation. He reminded me of a gentleman in Worcester who also says that his enemies will be swept away with this love.

Next Dr. West talked of integrity of the individual and how we should not succumb to the prostitution of ourselves for money and banality.

It was almost sermonlike.

Then toes started to get stepped on. He said many of the churches preached the gospel of prosperity or pray to God and you will get rich or free of material want.

He attacked President Obama, saying a Black President, a Black Attorney General, and a Black head of Homeland Security, and the racist cops still are not being punished.

Dr. West had a good word for Malcolm X whom he saw as an model of the redemption of the individual, a man who could change his life for the better in terms of social interactions and leadership.

The Constitution of the United took a hit. Dr. West pointed out that the Constitution made legal the exploitative nature of the political bosses of the American Revolution, codifying slavery.  His point as I understand it is those things that are legal are not always just; we should not fall into the trap of thinking legality equals Justice.

There was an irony I suppose in his analysis of Donald Trump. Dr. West sarcastically called Donald Trump “brother”. He said brother Trump was not yet a fascist.  Dr. West thought Trump to be an egotist who liked showing off how smart he is. The irony is that Dr. West seemed to be doing the same thing.

Unfortunately most of his audience was Worcester State University students who did not seem to grasp the shock values of the Dr. West’s assertions. The terms he used like “neo liberal” seemed to confuse many.

From my own experience terms used by contemporary college students like “intersectionality” go over my head as well.

Dr. West is in his sixties and a generational gap may be developing with semantics of the 1960s and 2010s. I heard some of the students leaving say that they wanted to cut through the crap and get to the message.

One of the things Dr. West does not have is a cause to fight for. He did not say he wanted to close down Guantanamo. He did not say he wanted $15 minimum wage. He did say he was for a general redistribution of power.

 When you do not have a cause,  speech becomes more philosophical or ethical.  It is like someone showing off how smart he is. 

What I learnt from Dr. Hampsch, one of my philosophy teachers at Holy Cross, is that Karl Marx changed philosophy when he said our job is to make history, not just to study it. That thought repeated itself as I listened to Dr. West.

What Would You Do With 91 Million Dollars A Year?

What Would You Do With 91 Million Dollars A Year?

The Worcester School District is being underfunded at least $91,000,000 per year. This is according to the calculations found in M. G. L. Chapter 70 and the statutes for special needs education.

The purpose of this money is to ensure that school districts with low incomes and property values receive resources similar to the richer school districts. This makes sense especially in terms of the low class sizes needed for quality education and for the intense educational effort needed by some special needs students.

However for years or decades Worcester has been shortchanged by millions of dollars. Thinking of it as a tax refund might bring clarity. The State owes you a $2000.00 refund, but only gives you $1500. This is certainly unfair and possibly unlawful.

The excuse I most hear is the money had not been proposed in the Governor’s budget. This go along to get a long mentality is objectively harmful to the children of Worcester. I understand that several legislators have raised a fuss about the Governor’s education budget. Good for them, I hope that is a work example for the Worcester.

I was surprised when a person who supports Worcester Public Schools asked me what would the School District do with the money.

The answer I had for him was fairly easy, but also incomplete.

1.     Ensure the special needs students get all of the resources that are required for them to be successful.  

2.     Reduce the student teacher ratio so that all students can get more individualized instruction.

3.     Institute additional advance placement course to ensure that the students who seeking college preparation get it.

4.     Establish a school similar to the Nativity School in the Worcester Public School for children at risk.

5.     Repair and modernize the School district buildings.

6.     Establish an exam school for science and mathematics

There does not seem to be any urgency in our delegation to the State House, the City Council, or School Committee to get this money. In fact I have heard only four people in the City talk about it and two of them are in CPPAC.  Another person is in the teachers’ union.   Rep. Mary Keefe is the fourth.

This money would not only help the students be successful, but would add to the economy of the City. It would be a net gain as more money would come in than leaves.

It would also mean scores of new jobs. Hopefully most of these jobs would be obtained by Worcester residents.

The additional money and the improvements to the Worcester School District would have the additional effect of helping to stop the drain of money to the charter schools. A new exam school in Science and Math, a middle school based on the Nativity School model, additional Advance Placement courses, and smaller class sizes should make Worcester School very attractive, attractive enough for students outside the District to apply.

The children of Worcester would benefit more when the City Council stops its pipe dream of making Boston “jealous” and when the School Committee stops selecting candidates based on popularity.

I hope this wish list comes about within my lifetime.  

Does The Lack of Mrs. Binienda's Doctorate Matter

-Mrs. Binienda Does Not Have a Doctorate in Education

I learnt today Mrs. Binienda, the Principal of South High School and Superintendent elect for the Worcester Public School District does not have a doctorate degree.

This comes as a surprise to me as I have personally addressed her as “Doctor” and she made no effort to correct me.  I remember addressing two other women educators as “Ms.” and they immediate corrected me as to their proper title of “Doctor”. 

There was a lecturer at Holy Cross College whom I address as “Doctor” and he said that he was not and that I should call him by his first name.  The prefix title issue for me included a police man whom I addressed as “officer” and he said that he was a “Detective”.

In many ways I feel that I have been deceived by the omission of the lack of Mrs. Binienda’s doctorate by the people who knew that Mrs. Binienda did not have a doctorate degree. I feel foolish in some ways because I asked each of the Superintendency candidates whether they had a Certificate of Superintendency. Dr. Mulcahy answered that she did not, but she was working on getting one.

 A clue should have been that in the so called resumes (more of a summary) found on the Worcester School website Mrs. Binienda did not have the “Ed.D” after her name. My first impression was that this was an informal document as it did not list any schools attended.

Another clue should have been when I asked school committee member John Monfredo whether a doctorate was a requirement for the Superintendency.  He said it was not.

The point of all this is that Mrs. Binienda is a less qualified superintendent than is Dr. Rodrigues. Not only does Dr. Rodrigues have superior work experience and social experience, it is clear now he is better educated. In terms of education Mrs. Binienda was the least qualified.

I think that the parents and people of Worcester might have had a different view of the selection of Mrs. Binienda, if it was better known that she does not have a Doctorate of Education.

I wrote previously that with the selection of Mrs. Binienda everyone should be good soldiers and work for the success of Worcester’s children.  I still feel that way.

Now however I think it might be in the best interest of Worcester’s children, if Mrs. Binienda declines the Superintendency and let Dr. Rodrigues continue to run the schools which he has done well for several months. The declension of the Superintendency by Mrs. Binienda will relieve Dr. Rodrigues of the burden of doing the double duty of training his replacement.

It seems that Mrs. Binienda will not start working at 20 Irving St. until the upcoming fiscal year 2017. Running a Worcester High School is not an easy task and perhaps she could best help the children of Worcester by continuing as Principal of South High School.

I also think that the School Committee should reconsider its decision, given that Dr. Rodrigues is clearly the better fit with the revelation of Mrs. Binienda’s lack of a doctorate. Its vote was clearly one of choosing an old Worcester network candidate over a more qualified candidate.

For the sake of the children of Worcester I ask that Mrs. Binienda declines the Superintendency and that the School Committee reconsider its selection. Already the shadow of putting favoritism over education and experience has thrown what is an ugly shadow over the City School Committee and the Superintendency of Mrs. Binieda. 

Public Schools and State House Fantasies

        

            Anti opioid rally 2014

Public Schools and the Drug Fantasies of the State House

First let me start off by saying that the opioid crisis is real and something is needed to be done.  Overall it is a good thing that the State House recently passed an opioid bill.

The bill mandates drug screenings for public school children.

However’ there does not seem to be any evidence that the crisis is particularly acute in public schools.  In fact the statistical evidence is that drug use of any kind among high schools is declining.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse in a recent report said the following.

      “2014’s Monitoring the Future survey of drug use and attitudes among American 8th, 10th, and 12th graders continued to show encouraging news about youth drug use, including decreasing use of alcohol, cigarettes, and prescription pain relievers; no increase in use of marijuana; decreasing use of inhalants and synthetic drugs, including K2/Spice and bath salts; and a general decline over the last two decades in the use of illicit drugs. 

     Misuse and abuse (or “non-medical use”) of prescription and over-the-counter drugs continues to decline among the nation’s youth. Past-year use of the opioid pain reliever Vicodin has dropped significantly over the past 5 years; 4.8 percent of 12th graders used Vicodin for non-medical reasons in 2014, compared to 9.7 percent in 2009. Past-year use of narcotics other than heroin (which includes all opioid pain relievers) among high school seniors dropped from 7.1 percent in 2013 to 6.1 percent in 2014; 9.5 percent of seniors had reported past-year use of these drugs in 2004”.

The private schools are not required to carry out drug screenings.  Given that this is a medical issue it seems prejudicial that the State Legislature was silent on drug screening for private schools. There are State laws on vaccinations that apply private schools.

This seems to be another matter where the public school children are treated in a disparate and maybe an unlawful manner.  The issue of mandatory drug screening certainly raises Fourth Amendment issues of searches by government agencies without problem cause. In this matter it is a search without reasonable cause.

The drug screenings are to be conducted by school nurses or other medical personnel.  I do not think each high school and middle school in Worcester has a school nurse; many of them were eliminated in budget cuts while ago. It is likely that there will be more layoffs next fiscal year due to school underfunding.

In theory the parents of a child is able to opt out her child from the drug screening. This raises process and procedure questions as how the parents will be informed about the substance and implication of the drug screening and how to opt her child out.

There are also questions about medical records. From experience in discrimination law every “oral“warning was actually written down and place in the employee’s file. I am pretty sure that the same will happen with these drug screenings.

I cannot imagine the process would be if the nurse or other interrogator came to the conclusion that a child was abusing drugs.  Such a conclusion is likely an automatic suspension from school.  Although the conversations with medical personnel are “confidential”, it is not the same as the lawyer client privilege. The medical personnel can be summoned to give an affidavit or to court.

The Mass Human Rights and PLP plan to raise these issues with the Worcester School Administration and the School Committee. It seems like an issue other groups should be interested like CPPAX and School Not Jail.

With the transition to a new Superintendent Worcester might not get to these issues for a while.  How other school district handle this new drug screening mandate could prove helpful.

 Perhaps the Worcester Legislative Senators and Representatives and the Governor’s office can sponsor an information session on how to carry out this mandate without violating the children’s civil rights. 

What Is To Be Done?

What Is To Be Done Now That Binienda Is Superintendent?

The success and education of our children is the only issue now. We have to work together to effectuate these goals.  Any division or animosity within the Worcester School District must be put aside.

Since the search was internal to the School District the candidates for the Superintendent job still have important jobs to do and continue to do the good their good work,   Dr. Mulcahy  to teaching English, Dr. Allen running  Norrback school, and Dr. Rodrigues  continuing his work as Assistant Superintendent.

Dr. Rodrigues faces a test of character as he has to teach his replacement the ropes.  I am sure he will pass this test and be of great help to Dr, Binienda.

I think that Dr, Rodrigues will eventually be scoped up by some school district which has a better appreciation of his talents and experience and education.

I think that Dr. Binienda will do a good job until she retires in a few years.

 As I have pointed out before there seems to be something irrational or illogical regarding the selection process. The irrationality became more evident when the two progressive school committee members were voted out of office. They were replaced by at least ideologue.

I have to say also that I was surprised by the votes of some long time school committee members who I thought were more level headed.

 One time several years ago then Mayor Joe O’Brian suggested that there should be regional or district representation on the school committee similar to that found in City Council to ensure minority representation. I was skeptical as there is a so called minority majority State Representative district that has never been filled by a minority.

After the recent events I might have to concede the point to the former Mayor.

The School Committee of Worcester is entirely White even though most of the children in Worcester Schools are not.

I do not think that this should last for long, for the good of the City.

For years the Worcester School District has been underfunded. It should be receiving at least 90 million dollars a year more than it is now receiving in accordance with Chapter 70 of State statutes. Yet I have seen no urgency by the School Committee to fully fund the schools.

There has been no effort to organize parents or teachers or the community in general to demand full funding.  Compare this to the student walk out in Boston. The children once again lead the way.

There is a definite need for a change in leadership in Worcester. It is not clear to me that Dr. Binienda choice is a symptom of this lack of leadership.

I wish Dr. Binienda good fortune in running the schools; our kids lives depend on 

Another Year of Struggle 2015 -2016

ANOTHER YEAR OF STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE 2015-2016

BlackLive Matter Baltimore Rarlly April 2015

In State Tuition Rally June 2015

EPOCA Rally Jobs Not Jail  June 2015

 The never ending Doj Dialogue  June to July 2015

Young People Rally July 2015

Remembrance of Women of Clor Killed by police  August 2015

Michael Brown Anniversary August 2015

5

Basic Income, racial Disparities Forum  September 2015

Kelly Square 4 Trial   Summer 22015 to January 2016  

Stop Arresting Kids at School Centro November 2015

    City Council Stop Arresting Kids at Schools December 2015

Stop Arresting Kids at School Dr. Rodrigues December 2015

School Committee Stop Arresting Kids at School December 2015

   Worcester Anti Foreclosure Team   blockade January 2016                                         

    MLK Day BlackLives Matter Demo  January 2016




Students Rights Forum   February 2016



Rally for $15 minimum wage   February 2016



Dialogues on Race    February 2016




Green Rainbow Regional Convention March 2016


March Against Racism, March for Communism  May Day 2016

Wrong Time for Meet and Greet

Wrong Time For Meet And Greet of Superintendant Candidates

The March 9, 2016 meet and greet event for the candidates for the Worcester         Superintendency of the Public School District was mistimed. The event should have taken place after announcement of the the newly appointed Superintendent on March 14, 2016.

I only saw two School Committee members at the event. Dr. Monfredo, who said that he would vote for Dr. Binienda, and Brian O’Connell who was non committal, came.

It is not entirely clear how the opinion of the people who came to the event could affect the opinion of the School Committee. This has not been the first meaningless political show put on by the City of Worcester.

Three of the candidates are qualified for the job, Dr. Rodrigues, Dr. Binienda, and Dr. Allen. Dr. Mulcahy is not quite ready to be Superintendent, but I think she will in the future be a stronger candidate for a superintendency.

Dr. Rodriques presented the strongest credentials for running the Worcester School District. He said that his experience as a Superintendent, an Assistant Superintendent, and the Manager of Special Education has shown that he knows and can run the complex Worcester School District. For every question I asked him, he was able to give me a detailed answer.

Dr. Rodrigues spoke of his experience regarding his moving to Worcester. He said that many students in the Worcester Schools are new arrivals and sometimes English is not their primary language. He felt that he might be able to connect to the students in Worcester Schools in ways more associated with their circumstances. It is well known that the Worcester School System is transiting to a majority minority student body.

Dr. Binienda touted her years as principal at South High School and another Worcester school.  She was also a special needs teacher. Dr. Binienda has an interesting idea of collaboration between Worcester State University and the Worcester high schools, especially in the area of criminal justice education.

However her answers to questions about the Worcester School were generalized without the details that in my opinion a person would need to hit the ground running as a superintendent.

Dr. Allen talked about the need to make the Worcester Schools more efficient. She also touted her years as principal of Norrback School. Like Dr, Binienda, Dr. Allen spoke in general terms. Nonetheless I was impressed with her sense of organization and place.

I suppose there will be another meet and greet after the Worcester School Committee appoints Dr. Binienda the Superintendent of the Worcester Public School District.

I think that Dr. Rodrigues will continue to work diligently and loyally as an Assistant Superintendent until the time some school system sees his abilities and experience and steals him away.  

 It is my opinion that Dr. Allen has the ability to turn around a school system in receivership.

I give Kudos to Dr. Mulcahy for throwing her hat in the ring.

Time will tell if Worcester will make a good decision on Monday. The lives of our children depend on it.

Green Rainbows and Quakers

Green Rainbows and the Quakers

On March 5, 2016 the Green Rainbow Party of Massachusetts held its regional convention to select state committee members. The state committee sets the policies for the Green Rainbows.

At the convention the presenter from the Society of Friends (Quakers) Anti Mass Incarceration Network stole the show with his strong condemnation of the unnecessary and unfair incarcerations of millions of people in the United States.

Phil said that the USA has five percent of the world’s population, but twenty five percent of the world’s prisoners. More than any so called authoritarian country or feudal country on Earth.

He also condemned indefinite or prolonged solitary confinement as counterproductive and torture. He referred to a United Nation protocol that solitary confinement for greater than 15 days is torture.

Phil also said that most of the arrests are for non violent “crimes” such as drug possession. He pointed out that for decades many of the so called drug crimes were no crimes at all. Before the early 20^th Century there was no prohibition on any drug.  Each of the drug laws prohibition had at least a partial basis in race. 

 The presenter pointed out that the modern drug laws are a continuation of the slave plantation mentality of the majority society. After Reconstruction Period in US history the vagrancy laws were enacted to prevent Black people who had little or no resources from travelling to look for work. These laws were a means to repopulate the prison labor system, especially in the southern Untied States. 

The modern day drug laws and anti panhandling laws to some extent are a continuation of the system to keep the prisons full.

Eileen, an activist from the Northern Worcester County, spoke about gas pipelines being built in Massachusetts. Her message was that new gas pipelines are not needed and that they would be environmentally harmful.

What she said was not entirely encouraging as it seems to be a done deal that the pipelines in the Boston area are a done deal. However the pipeline in Northern Worcester County was likely going to be diverted through New Hampshire.

Brian, a town representative form Shrewsbury, spoke on the use of citizen petitions to have issues placed on the Town agenda.

                             

Dave, a co chair of the Nashua River Green Rainbows Chapter, reported that Jill Stein got fifty percent of the primary vote in the March 1, 2016 state election. She will get half of the ten delegates from Massachusetts committed to her at the Green Party US national convention in Houston TX.

This will be Dr. Stein’s second run for President of the United States. She, in the 2012 presidential election, received the higher number of popular votes that any woman had received in any previous Presidential election.  I wish her well this time around, although she will be overshadowed by Clinton and Trump.

Worcester Race Dialogues Still a Joke

Worcester Department of Justice Race Dialogues Still a Joke

Bait and switch came to mind as I sat listening to the speakers at the City’s Department of Justice (DOJ) race dialogue on February 29, 2016. Although billed as a discussion of race and a summary of the notes collected during the summertime hearings on race, it was only a rah-rah session for Manager Augustus. He spoke for a long time about the things he has done.

Neither the City Manager nor any of the scheduled speakers said a single word about or use the phrase “BlackLives Matter”. Many in the City are either afraid or disagree with BlackLives Matters. This is sad, as even the Presidential candidates have spoke to the issues.

Manager Augustus spoke of the Chief Diversity Officer he has hired, Dr. Malika Carter. She was in the audience and curiously not at the speakers’ table. This is not a good sign for her as many Black women in this City have been marginalized and forced out. I wish her good fortune and success.

The Manager then spoke of the sensitivity training that the police officers have undergone. He did not say anything about transparency of police policies and misconduct. These remain secret and unavailable for public scrutiny.

The other speakers were from private agencies and non profits organizations. They all said the right things and I have to also say that they do good work given their limited resources and mission statements.

The most interesting and, I think,  useful of the non profits is Community Legal Aid (CLA). It helps people with their civil cases such as housing, unemployment, and discrimination. Valerie Zolezzi-Wynham, Managing Attorney spoke how CLA diversified its staff and hired an outreach attorney specifically for the Asian community which has not much used CLA’s services. It also hired an educational Attorney to help students with their cases and “level the playing field”.

Mabel Milner is the chair of the Manager’s Committee against Bias and Hate. This Committee organized the meeting. Ms. Milner facilitated the meeting.  According to the Manager, her Committee has been enlarged to be more inclusive.

Ms. Milner indicated that Reverend Tally, the minister at the AME ZION Church, heads a subcommittee that reviewed the notes from last summer DOJ hearings. Rev. Tally apologized for the lateness of the summary and said that the review of the notes was not complete. He pointed out that the raw information could be found on the City’s website.

The speaker for the NAACP, Pat Yancy,  indicated that it had held a demonstration when a hangman’s noose was seen at the Post Office in the Denholm Building and that it held a support service for the Black church goers killed in South Carolina.

Members of the Progressive Labor Party had passed out flyers with five demands to fight racism in Worcester: Transparency of Police policies and misconduct, Stop arresting students at schools, Fully funded Public Schools, Jobs for Worcester residents, and End City use of police force against BlackLives Matter and the poor.

Reverend Tally promised the audience that there will be more discussions like the one tonight. I hope he is wrong. This meeting was a joke on the people of Worcester.  Like the hearings during the summer, people who should have attended boycotted and the words that needed to be said were not heard.

Leadership is needed in this City. Many people in leadership positions are just misguided or pretending.