You are standing by and helping to hurt the very students that you vowed to protect.”

Edda Petrillo, Mt. Hope Student Union

A large contingent of students and teachers, wearing red in solidarity, showed up en masse to the Monday evening meeting of the Bristol Warren School Committee meeting at Mt. Hope High School.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, student union member Edda Petrillo took to the mic to read a prepared statement voicing the group’s disapproval of the committee’s decision to deny the approval of a contract for a consultant to conduct professional development in preparation for a project-based learning initiative within the high school.

“What happened at the last meeting was racist, plain and simple. Yes, Ms. Simpson-Thomas, the facilitator chosen by [Mt. Hope Principal Dr. Deb] Dibiase, focuses on support for black and brown students. However, just because she focuses on black and brown students doesn’t mean that she’s ignoring other students or denying them an opportunity,” Petrillo said. “It’s 2021. The vast majority of our population agrees that there’s racial discrimination in our society and this just further proves it. Come up with any excuse you want, but if you’re not supporting students at a disadvantage, you are not supporting the whole student body and ensuring their future success.”

The statement referred to an interview the student union conducted with Chairperson Marjorie McBride when she was elected to the head position on the committee.

“Ms. McBride, you said that student representation is ‘critical.’ That you ‘don’t think we have enough’ and that ‘we need to build on that again.’ Yet, when people on this committee are showing blatant signs of bigotry and discrimination towards those very students, you say nothing,” Petrillo said. “You are standing by and helping to hurt the very students that you vowed to protect.”

The statement goes on to call for the resignation of McBride, Vice Chairperson Tara Thibaudeau, and Treasurer Sheila Ellsworth — who all voted against approving Simpson-Thomas’s contract, along with Victor Cabral and Karen Cabral.

“The Mt. Hope High School Student Union has no confidence in this committee and we demand that Ms. McBride, Ms. Ellsworth, and Ms. Thibedeau, as well as any member unwilling to commit to protecting all students step down,” Petrillo said. “We also demand that proper legislation be put in place so that the responsibilities, term limits, and qualifications of committee members can be properly defined.

“We want all of you to think, really think, about why you’re on this board and how you affect everyone in this district.”