Boards adopt statement condemning hate speech

Select Board · Meeting of June 10, 2026

Westwood's Select Board and School Committee jointly adopted a statement condemning hate speech after five incidents in town schools. Meeting by videoconference, the boards voted 3-0 and 4-0 to approve language calling the incidents, which included swastikas and racist, homophobic and misogynist vandalism, "especially concerning," particularly two tied to a Holocaust survivor visit at the middle school. Select Board Chair Marianne LeBlanc Cummings said the statement was "a promise to work harder and to work together," while School Committee member Nick Fitnovic said "what matters here is going to be the follow-up." The vote launches the Westwood Community Coalition to Combat Hate Speech, led by district equity director Latifa Frank, which LeBlanc Cummings said already has more than 20 participants across four subcommittees.

Members agreed to adopt the statement with a placeholder hyperlink, to be updated later with coalition contact details, on Town Counsel Pat Ahern's confirmation that doing so was procedurally sound.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 1,954 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of June 10, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.