HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/17/2010RECEIVED
SOUTHOLD TOWN ANTI-BIAS TASK FORCE
Minutes, May 17, 2010
ATTENDANCE: Jean Marie Merkel, Peter Bell, Eleanor Lingo, Jean Le Pre,
Marjorie Day, Pat Fulford, Cindy Smith, Mike Domino,
Merle Levine
Absent: Rev. Nathaniel Heyward, Betty Murphy, Carolyn Peabody,
Val Shelby, Edina Chechanowicz, Audrey Horton
MINUTES: Read and accepted with the following corrections:
Principal of Mattituck is Shawn Pettretti. Jim Bunchuck spelling.
Donations for the Picnic may be payable to Southold Town with a
Notation ABTF. Southold Town has a Trust-in-Agency set up for
Events. Town will distribute monies based on the needs of the event.
SCHOOL REPORTS
MATTITUCK: no report
GREENPORT: Cindy Smith, Marjorie Day, Mike Domino, Jean Le Pre and
Eleanor Lingo attended the School Board Meeting. The Board spent
much time on a discussion of the needed roof, since the architect was
there. Despite pleas from students and parents, and letter from
students pleading for the Board to not cut the 2 full-time teachers,
the Board persisted.
Board member, Dan Creedon offered cost-saving suggestions
to retain the teachers. However, the Board was adamant, and planned
to go ahead with plans for salary increases.
Mike Domino, concerned with the water problem of the
school, suggested that a program to include Boy Scouts, NFEC, DEC,
and a high school science teacher work to clean up Moore's Woods.
SOIJTHOLD: Eleanor Lingo and Jean Le Pre dealt with a complaint of a
mother that her daughter was subjected to bullying. The girl is in
9th grade, a girl of color, the boy a senior is white. Both students were
suspended. The girl's sister has been receiving bias letters in her
locker. As a solution, she was given a locker near the principal's office.
The principal, Mr. Galenti, wanted the mother to throw the
letters away. He was reluctant to meet with Eleanor Lingo and Jean
Le Pre.
The girl is afraid to ride the bus, and the principal has told the
mother to take her to school.
The principal was asked how many children of color were in
the school, and he didn't know. He was informed of materials given
to the school for the Frank Le Pre library.
After meeting with ABTF, these are the recommendations:
1) That it be reported to the police that the younger child had been
threatened, "I'll kill you," which the mother has documented.
2) That the School District Protocol re Bullying, Schools Against
Violence be reviewed.
3) Mike Domino recommended that an informal meeting be set up
with the Superintendent.
LANDFILL CONCERNS: Mike Domino has spoken with Frank Lipert re the
Fumes, and has called Mr. Bunchuck to set up a meeting.
THE FIRST ANNUAL COMMUNITY PICNIC
The Land Preservation Committee ruled that the picnic could not be held
at Laurel Lake Preserve since it was not within the prescribed use for
that venue. The problem now became finding another venue, probably
Strawberry Fields Fairgrounds.
Jeanne Marie Merkel prepared letters for the community and for
the congregations urging their participation. Many thanks to Jeanne for
a tremendous task.
NEW BUSINESS:
A card from Erase Racism, offering a monthly newsletter.
The play concerning the murder of Marcello Locerno, put on in the Southold
Presbyterian Church, played to a large audience.
Peter Bel renorted that the Tea Party Demonstration included about 50
People and our concern is that they are preaching divisiveness. It's
Not clear when their next meeting will take place.