HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/17/2009Print
RECEIVED
From: Merle Sy Levine (merlesylevine~yahoo.com)
To: ANAMCARACENTER~EARTHLINK.NET
Date: Saturday, August 22, 2009 1:34:51 PM
Subject:
SEP 2 1 2009
Southo~l Town Clerk
Dear Jeanne - I Inow you sent an email that I could forward to everyone, but I seem to have had it swallowed in
my computer and can't resurrect it. Please forward these minutes to the rest of ABTF and I'll send a copy to
Eleanor and Jean Le Pre.
SOUTHOLD TOWN ANTI-BIAS TASK FORCE MINUTES for August 17, 2009
Attendance: Presen'l - Carolyn Peabody, Cindy Smith, Mike Domino, Pete Bel, Majorie Day, Edna Cichanowicz,
' Jeanne Made Merkel, Audrey Horton, Pat Fulford, Jean Le Pre, Mede Levine
Absent -- Eleanor Lingo, Val Shelby, Betty Murphy, Rev. Nathaniel Heyward
Guest-- Donna Riley, StonyBrook Univ. Intern, working with Carolyn Peabody on assessment
tools to determine the ethnic diversity and unity of participating school districts.
Acceptance of the Minutes - Request that the Minutes be sent early before next meeting.
ABTF Brochure updating: Audrey Horton and Jeanne Marie Merkel will prepare a new brochure, to include the
new members and will email a draft to members. ~
Collaborative Vigil: Edana Cichanowicz will contact Poppy Johnson at the Floyd Memorial Library in Greenport
to plan our participation in the next vigil on Sept. 26. The vigil commemorates the anniversary of
the LC.E. raid in Graenport that ~ with Southold Police support, carried away 12 Latino men.
Mattituck-Cutchogue Board Mebting: Complaint by Juanita .....(?) that the 6rh grade graduation did not include
participation by any children of color. Juanita has assembled a group to act as community
advisers to the School Board, to continue pressure on concerns for diversity participation;
Pat Fulford recommended that we have a formal involvement, which could be a model for our
interaction with the schools. The School Board meets the 3rd Thursday of the month.
Erase Racism Workshops: Teachers who were involved in the first workshop ara eligible to attend the second.
The first workshop dealt with personal beliefs, attitudes and biases. The second deals with ways
engage the community. We need to know the names of the teachers, and to send information
to them to ascertain if they are willing to attend the second workshops. Then we need to send
requests to their superintendents or principals. Cindy Smith volunteered to find the identity of
the teachers and Merle Levine is to prepare the letters. Jeanne Marie Merkel will send copies of
the Erase Racism, workshop 2, to Cindy. The worksho is an overnight program ,scheduled for
November.
Concern about police participation: Carolyn Peabody will speak with Scott Russell.
Member concerns about diversity:
Audrey Horton raised several issues: that we need to shed light on the demographics of the
schools and the need for hiring faculty that reflects and represents all the students. She also
pointed out that some people are looking for diversity in their selection of housing, so that their
children will have a fuller and richer school experience. There is also ecological racism --
housing available in areas of pollution.
Mike Domino suggested that the new editor of the Suffolk Times, Tim Kelly, know there is a
need to highlight the lack of diverse faculty to meet the neds of all the children in school:
there is one Hispanic teacher in Southold;; one teacher of color in Greenport and in Mattituck.
Aisc necessary for the public to know that the BOCES Employment Fair is a rich
opportunity to find a diversity of excellent teachers, something the superintendents have not
availed themselves of. Mike Domino, Peter Bel and Audrey Horton have agreed to act as
liaison to the Suffolk Times.
Peter Bel suggested that when the opportunity arises, to call on the NAACP and the
churches to build support for diversity in the schools, and also to reach out to the Latino
community.
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Merle Levine recommended that we find out how many children drop out of school in the 9th
grade in each of the schools, since they are not counted in the graduation record.
Carolyn Peabody recommended that we set up committees to be involved in the faces of the
School Boards, and act as facilitators with the community. The following committees were
developed for each of the school district Boards:
Pat Fulford and Edana Cichanowicz for Mattituck
Marjory Day and Cindy Smith for Greenport
Jean Le Pre and Mike Domino for Southold
Merle Levine and Caroline Peabody for Orient
The idea is to reach out to the community and the School Boards - similar to an adjunct
structure, contacting the Superintendent, finding like-minded community members,
including Sister Margaret and the NAACP, and working on the needs of the particular
community.
· Hampton Bays Picnic - Sunday, Sept. 13, from 1 ~ 6 p.m.
Diane Rulnik acts as chairperson. There will be a meeting in SOUthampton on Wed,
Aug. 26, at 5:30 p.m. Cindy Smith has offered to attend. We will contribute $250.
Rev. Coverdale is planning to have a bus, which would be a big help for our community.
Shelter Island complaint bY Trecia Lawrence. Interested in establishing an ABTF on Shelter Island. needs support
- Jeanne Marie Merkel will identify 2 people, and Audrey Horton will contact one person,
may be helpful. Her number is 749 5187 or cell -- 375 6267
Donna Riley shared a handsome brochure: Diversity, Unity & Respect -- Building Healthy Communities; pat out
by Stony Brook Health Sciences Center, with research studies incorporated by Donna Rilely,under the auspices
of Df. Carolyn Peabody. Donna is working with a group in each school district, using 4 assessment tools, to identify
ethnic diversity and unity.
Next meeting - Monday, Sept, 24
the ethnic