Robert Gerardi is the new Chairperson of the Seekonk School Committee.
Emily Field will serve as Vice-Chair and Lisa Rizzo will serve as Secretary.
Field has been serving on the committee since 2022. Gerardi is a former School Superintendent who was the top vote getter in the April 7 town election.
The school committee voted 4 to 1 Monday to approve the donation of books from Love Lives in Seekonk, an LGBTQ advocacy group. Gerardi, Field, Lisa Rizzo, and Alicia MacManus voted in favor. Kyle Juckett was the lone ‘no’ vote.
The committee stipulated only the books which had been approved by school librarians would be accepted.
Gerardi said he trusts school administrators and teachers to only allow content in classrooms which is age appropriate.
“I am a firm believer that all information needs to be available to people at all ages. I believe we fill libraries with books I may choose to read, some I may choose not to read. I do believe all information is good information,” Gerardi noted.
Juckett objected to two books he claimed were focused on “gender ideology.”
“(Elementary school students) are not going to know what (gender ideology) means,” Juckett said. “It’s going to lead to questions, which then require answers which then potentially lead to a conversation in the classroom. If the parents aren’t aware of that and have the opportunity to (opt out), that’s where my concern has always been.”
“I think we have to give our educators a chance,” Field said. “I don’t think there’s a teacher in our district who would touch that subject with a ten foot pole at this point.”
MacManus believed the books promote “empathy” and “inclusivity.”
“We need to trust the librarians. That’s why they are here,” MacManus added.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here