It is both heartening and very dismaying to hear the many parents speaking with heartful and genuine passion on behalf of transgender students and a new Committee "inclusivity" statement being put forward tonight. It is heartening to hear the sincerity of those who spoke, but disturbing to hear the gushing praise for those putting this forward knowing how truly disingenuous the committee and administration has proven by their many contemptuous actions they are. One wonders at the apparent staggering naivete of those speaking.

In this administration these are the same individuals who are still thumbing their noses at the OCR Findings that found the district to have been severely in violation of federal laws and violations when it came to abiding the basic civil rights of METCO, and in fact all students. They demonstrate their contempt in so many of their actions and policies regardless of what feel-good statements they put forward as they did tonight. They fail to be honest and treat all of the public with the respect that their oath of office is supposed to require.

For the mayor to state as he did tonight (ever so stridently, apparently presuming that none of us remembers anything else he has ever said or done) "it is never never never never okay for the federal government" [to deny anyone their basic civil rights] is hypocrisy at its worst when he worked in collusion with the rest of the committee and super to hide what happened following the April 1st incident 3 years ago when they supported the 8th-grade history teacher (and head of the teacher's union) who told a METCO student "to go back to the plantation" and the many wrongs they heaped on top afterwards. He and the committee in fact went many steps beyond and made sure to reward and award the superintendent following her wrongful and disgraceful actions. The United States Office of Civil Rights stated in no uncertain terms, following a 2-year investigation, that this district had created a "racially hostile environment" not only with their initial actions, but also with their many layers of wrongful actions, including forcing the victimized student to be interviewed without a parent or METCO representative present and in the presence of the victimizing teacher, and many other clearly wrongful and/or discriminatory or unlawful actions. This administration went on to fire a beloved high school art teacher who refused to separate her "students of color" from sitting together. This committee and administration have sat by and allowed, rather failing to oversee appropriately, countless incidents of wrongful treatment of students and staff alike, including and especially those with special needs, many cases resulting in costly litigation and continuing still.

While it is noble and good for the parents who came forward tonight in support of transgender rights, one wonders where any of them have been during all of the tumult that has been reported on the past decade for the many other varieties of serious discrimination and abuse. Perhaps their children are generally younger and this group just hasn't been connected to the rest of the picture long enough to understand the pervasive toxicity in the district. That being said, there are many proven and public recent examples of willful wrongdoing by this same administration that these parents effused about this evening, which does devalue some of their message unfortunately. Even if these parents have chosen to pick and choose which issues they will fight for, at a minimum their arguments would carry so much more legitimacy if their message could be stated without the effusive praise for individuals who most certainly have proven over and over again that they do not deserve it. Their effusive praise hurts their credibility and damages a message that deserves unconditional support.

White trans kids matter more than children of color. 1st world problems of Melrose.

You took the words right out of my mouth. Adding in that it's trendy to support trans rights. And not too difficult to do because it's a small portion of the population.

Recognizing and righting racism, both overt & covert and actually taking real action? Too much like real work.

The BOA put the "Sanctuary City" on "FILE". This important subject deserved a vote regardless of what side of the issue you believed was the best decision for Melrose. But as usual most BOA ducked an important issue. Wright and Lemmerman were the only ones who showed any guts. Zwirko and his mother figure, Gail were the worst of all.

They got a new building a few years ago. Where are we with the new public safety building? Why is the BOA listening to nonsense and not working on our real issues?

The Boston Globe's Metro North section column poll on the issue last Sunday showed 80 percent opposed. A clear majority of the people testifying at the BOA meeting opposed it.

Although this is still a heavily Democratic city - a large majority of them believe in law and order and that illegality should not be rewarded while millions of immigrants are going through the legal process of coming here.

What about the flagrant illegality of Trump's administration? Why are you so willing to look the other way, even when the rest of the world sees this all plain and clear? History will judge your types harshly indeed (already is!). Just like that Alabama governor now headed to jail, shackles will be too kind for the heinous crimes this administration has already subjected the world to.