Scituate School Committee member Maria Fenwick appeared before the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee on Tuesday to address community concerns regarding the recent elimination of the district’s specialized DEI director role. The transition, which follows the departure of former director Jamil Adams, involves the creation of a new "Director of Support, Engagement, and Advocacy" (SEA) who will oversee both DEI initiatives and the district’s mental health and social-emotional learning (SEL) programming. Fenwick acknowledged the community's emotional response to the restructuring, noting that the "difficult decision" was driven by a need for better vertical alignment among school adjustment counselors and preventative anti-bullying efforts.

"We understand that this for people who have not been sort of following the discussions that we have been having about this need, we understand that this felt shocking," Fenwick told the committee. She emphasized that the district remains committed to equity, citing the expansion of METCO staffing and continued curriculum audits. "I actually don't think that DEI and [SEL] are as separate as people make them out to be," Fenwick added. "I don't understand how a person who is truly working on and towards social-emotional outcomes would be able to do that without a DEI lens."

Committee members expressed skepticism regarding the breadth of the new job description and the loss of a dedicated DEI figurehead. Carrie Borcowski questioned the logic behind the change, asking, "When we say that students’ needs have changed—what does the data tell us their needs are now that weren’t being met specifically with Jamil’s role?" Elena Galada raised concerns about the feasibility of the combined position, noting, "Was there ever discussion around two roles? It just seems like a lot for one person to take on." Angela Dre echoed this concern, wondering if the district could realistically find a candidate with both clinical mental health licensure and "true DEI expertise in leadership."

The committee also heard from Shannon Burke, who voiced the anxiety felt by many parents. "What has happened has generated a lot of emotion because people are concerned about whether or not we need to be concerned about DEI in our community and in our schools," Burke said. Natasha Galada (Reverend Stewart) spoke to the personal impact of the staffing change, stating, "Jamil was important... his personality and that’s hard to replace." Committee Chair Tom offered a broader perspective on the committee's purpose in the face of local friction, noting that "DEI is a bit of a boogeyman right now" and the committee’s work should aim to "demystify it" through tangible community benefits like elder care and disabled beach access.

Earlier in the meeting, the committee addressed routine business. Motion made by Tom to accept both July 23rd and September 30th minutes. The motion was seconded by Angela Dre. Motion Passed (6-0).

The discussion then shifted to the Scituate Town Library, following a recent department meeting attended by committee members. The library reported being open 64 hours per week—comparable to the Boston Public Library—but with significantly fewer staff members than neighboring Hingham. A major takeaway was the current "void" in community "LIT nights" (Learning and Intimacy Together), which were previously facilitated by Jamil Adams. The library currently lacks staff with the specific training required to lead these sensitive community conversations. Elena Galada reported that the library is seeking an additional full-time staff member to serve as a volunteer coordinator, which would allow for more school outreach and the management of a tax abatement program for seniors.

The committee concluded by discussing ways to improve their own visibility, as Chair Tom estimated that "probably 5% or less" of the town knows the committee exists. Members discussed creating a dedicated committee email address, a newsletter, and potentially a social media presence to better connect with residents. Guest speaker Katie Scopleti, a local resident, encouraged the committee to be more visible, noting that "there are community members that are meeting" and looking for ways to support DEI efforts. "I do think more people know you exist than you think," Scopleti told the group.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:57 p.m.