School committee debates structure and reporting for anti-discrimination task force

School Committee members asked the superintendent to define clearer goals, deliverables and reporting timelines for the district's anti-discrimination (including antisemitism) task force and requested a report after the group's first meeting of the year.

Committee member Jared (last name not given) said he had considered making the task force a School Committee advisory committee to increase school committee oversight, but acknowledged the superintendent had created it as a superintendent-level body. Robodeau said he preferred the superintendent-run format because it can provide a confidential "safe space" for candid conversation; he also pledged to hold monthly meetings and to report the committee's plan and deliverables to the School Committee once meetings are scheduled.

Several members expressed frustration that past meetings of the task force were infrequent and that participants and some community members had not seen measurable progress. The superintendent said the committee would focus on both immediate incident responses and longer-term culture-and-climate work and that he would incorporate committee feedback into a year plan. Members asked that the committee's work be reflected in the district improvement plan and suggested quarterly or similar public reporting to the School Committee.

The superintendent committed to scheduling meetings starting early next week, to re-examine prior survey timing and participation, and to present a planned schedule and deliverables for the year to the School Committee soon after the first task-force meeting.