Residents and staff urge school committee to re-examine Brown report findings, raise racial-equity and staffing concerns

Dozens of residents and current and former staff used the public-comment period at the Barnstable School Committee meeting on Feb. 5 to call attention to what they described as longstanding racial-equity problems in the district and to press the committee to reopen investigations and restore community trust.

Several speakers referenced a 2005 external review by the New England Equity Assistance Center at Brown University and said the district has not followed the report’s recommendations. Rockwell Swindler, identified in his remarks as a 31-year Barnstable High School teacher, said the district was formally investigated and that “eliminating [a course] to avoid looking racist is by definition systemic racism.” He also criticized the district for firing a long-time central-office administrator, Marybeth Taylor, whom he said had been “put on leave, fired, and then denied unemployment” after reporting incidents of racism.

Why it matters: Speakers said the issues are not isolated incidents but part of systemwide patterns that affect students’ academic opportunities and trust in schools. Several commenters connected personnel decisions, curriculum changes and logo revisions to the district’s ability to serve students of color.

Committee members and the superintendent responded that they would review the Brown report and other materials. School Committee member Andre (last name not specified in the transcript) said the committee would “look at” the district’s identity and history and that the goals subcommittee would include the topic in future discussions. Superintendent Sarah (last name not given in the transcript) told the meeting she had not previously been familiar with the Brown study and said she will “familiariz[e] myself with it in order to be able to comment at our next meeting.”

Other public commenters described patterns they said had persisted beyond the report. Danielle Hill, a Hyannis resident, read passages from the Brown University study and said staff interviews and student surveys showed teachers do not consistently encourage students of color to take academic risks. Maria Reed, a former 35-year district teacher, said she had observed similar patterns and urged staff and the committee to “show these children the love” and improve support.

Several speakers asked the committee to reintroduce three differentiated course levels in the high school (they cited college-preparatory tracks) and to investigate personnel decisions, including reinstating or reopening the investigation into Marybeth Taylor. Rockwell Swindler asked the committee to “formally bring back 3 levels of learning,” and another commenter asked the committee to “apologize to our local Wampanoag tribe” for actions around the school logo.

The committee did not take immediate action or vote on any of the requests during the meeting. Chair Kathy (last name not specified in the transcript) and Superintendent Sarah urged people to use published grievance procedures and noted the district’s civil-rights and Title IX coordinator — Marybeth Taylor — is a published point of contact listed on the district website. The superintendent said Taylor “has been through a tremendous amount of training” and is available to initiate or support investigations.

Ending: Several committee members said they would study the Brown report and follow up at future meetings; the transcript records members asking staff to supply the committee with relevant documents and to schedule the topic for future consideration.