BRJE statement on the elimination of the Office of Educational Equity by the Brookline School Committee

March 14, 2025

Friends & Neighbors –

In a stunning move, the Brookline School Committee voted 5-4 last night to completely eliminate the Office of Educational Equity, which provided critical leadership, training, and support for equity initiatives across our schools, impacting thousands of students, families, and educators. Watch the video here.

They did this despite organizing and advocacy from Brookline for Racial Justice & Equity, the Brookline Asian American Family Network (see their statement), and the Brookline Interfaith Justice Coalition, as well as many students, parents, community members, and more than 100 educators who signed a letter in support of the office.

The proposal to eliminate the office was moved by Val Frias and seconded by Helen Charlupski with Carolyn Thall, Jesse Hefter, and chair Andy Liu voting in favor.

We are thankful to Mariah Nobrega, Suzanne Federspiel, Sarah Moghtader, and Steven Ehrenberg for speaking passionately about the critical needs this office filled.

Superintendent Linus Guillory conceded that much of the necessary work the office does will be impossible to replace with a school by school approach to equity.

We are deeply disappointed by the PSB administrators who proposed these devastating cuts and the School Committee members who supported it. Their actions have set our district back and will undoubtedly have negative impacts on those students, families, and educators who rely most on educational equity initiatives.

It is important to emphasize that these cuts come at a time when PSB has struggled to address bias in our schools and has failed to address the yawning and persistent gaps in educational outcomes by race.

Shamefully, these cuts also align Brookline with the Trump administration’s unconscionable agenda to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion, making the School Committee’s vote even more regressive and egregious.

Note: There is still time for a School Committee member who voted in the majority to reconsider and reverse this decision. Town Meeting will vote the final budget in May.

Above all, our thoughts are with Claire Galloway-Jones and Cristina Hernandez, two women of color who have expertly, thoughtfully, and compassionately led this office which delivered way more than they were ever resourced to. Those of us who have been lucky enough to work with them understand what a loss this is for Brookline.

As a BRJE member said last night, “this town will break your heart over and over.”

For too many of us, moves like this are stunning, but not surprising. Brookline for Racial Justice & Equity was created nearly a decade ago as a community-based organization and still exists today because too many town and school leaders have failed to provide the kind of equitable and inclusive leadership we deserve.  

Which is why our approach to change has been partnership with one hand and accountability with the other. Since PSB administration and the School Committee just eliminated two of our key partners in equity work, they can certainly expect us to ramp up our accountability efforts moving forward.

We must also admit that a loss like this is attributable to our own shortcomings in building an informed, motivated, and organized constituency for racial Justice and equity. We must do more alongside our partners to build a powerful coalition to fight for educational equity in our schools, and we will.

While our hearts may be broken by this harmful decision, we remain undeterred and will continue to fight for equity for our students, families, and educators alongside all who are willing to stand with us. Please join us!