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Public comments press Select Board to clarify DEI charge after debate over antisemitism; DEI member apologizes for remarks
Summary
Community members urged the board to expand the DEI commission charge to explicitly address multiple forms of hate; a DEI commissioner apologized for statements at a prior meeting that residents said marginalized other groups, and the board opened a two-week window for written edits to the proposed charge.
A contentious public-comment exchange at the Select Board's Dec. 8 meeting put the DEI commission charge under renewed scrutiny and prompted a public apology from a commission member.
During the public-comment period, Maureen/Marion Hoda, speaking for Concord-Carlisle for Solidarity, said the commission's draft charge presented Dec. 3 "did not reflect community feedback" and accused a DEI commissioner of prioritizing antisemitism "over all other forms of hate" and describing concerns raised about Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias as "abstract" and "theoretical." Hoda said her group had engaged members of Muslim, Jewish, BIPOC, Arab, Palestinian, Asian and LGBTQIA+ communities and asked the Select Board to advance a charge that includes those perspectives.
Shortly after public comment, DEI commission member Bridal Farmer addressed the meeting in person and apologized for his earlier remarks. "Whatever imperfections that there were in those comments, I apologize for it," he said, adding that he "misspoke" and did not intend to imply hosts of a local film screening were antisemitic. Farmer said his intent had been to focus on local antisemitism and that he wanted to be more inclusive.
Later in the meeting staff introduced a revised draft DEI charge that explicitly lists antisemitism alongside other named forms of bias and oppression. The Select Board asked members to submit suggested edits within two weeks so staff could consolidate a working draft. Board members urged simplifying the duties section and ensuring the charge is clear about responsibilities, while also preserving language that acknowledges historically underrepresented groups whose stories lack robust written records.
The board emphasized the DEI commission's established role and said final wording will come back to the Select Board; public commenters were invited to submit written suggestions to inform the board's revision.
Next steps: the board requested written feedback and a consolidated draft; staff will circulate a revised charge for further review, and the Select Board will act on any final changes in a subsequent meeting.
