Charlton Select Board votes 4-1 to send letter asking Dudley‑Charlton school committee to publicly reject antisemitism, contingent on legal review

The Charlton Select Board on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, voted 4‑1 to approve sending a letter to Superintendent LaMarche and the Dudley‑Charlton Regional School Committee asking the committee to take a public stance condemning antisemitism, bigotry and racism, and to decline use of certain Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) materials related to the Israel‑Hamas conflict; the board’s approval is conditional on review by town counsel.

The move followed a public comment by Jean Costello, who identified herself as a member of the Dudley‑Charlton Regional School Committee but said she was speaking as a private citizen. Costello accused a Select Board member of having made false and defamatory accusations against her in a previous meeting and urged the board to reaffirm a commitment to civil discourse. “These accusations are entirely false and defamatory,” she told the board. “I condemn terrorism, antisemitism, and hate in all forms.”