LYNN — Thursday night at the School Committee meeting, a parent approached the mic to address an event that occurred during the last meeting involving committee member Lennin Pen͂a.
“During the last School Committee meeting, at approximately 1 hour, 7 minutes, and 13 seconds, a hot mic captured a comment. The comment was ‘They are looking at us like,'” Dottie Brown paused here, refusing to say the word that was used, the r-word. Then continued with the quote, ‘”Makes you want to flip the table.'”
The r-word, often used as an offensive term against individuals with disabilities, is typically viewed as hate speech by many.
“This comment, regardless of the speaker’s intent or volume, was clearly audible in the public recording. As a parent with a child with an IEP, I find this not only deeply offensive but contrary to the inclusive values that this school system claims to uphold. So, my request is simple. Will the individual who made this remark take responsibility and address their actions? We teach our children to take ownership of their behavior. I am asking that we, as adults and community leaders, model the same accountability,” Brown said.
As explained by School Committee Chair and Lynn Mayor Jared C. Nicholson, although committee members are not typically allowed to respond to public comments, when they are directly addressed, they may respond.
Pen͂a stood in front of the audience and his fellow committee members to speak on his use of the word.
“First of all, I just wanted to say I apologize if I offended anyone with my remarks. You know, it’s never appropriate to use inappropriate language, and I own up to that. At the time, I was trying to manage a very frustrating situation and was having a difficult time,” Pen͂a said.
He went on to say that he is someone who grew up with disabilities, and he has children with IEPs and disabilities.
“I was being defensive. I was frustrated. I’m someone who grew up with trauma and always defended myself, because that’s what I grew up with. I felt like in that moment I had to be like that, and I truly apologize. That’s not where my heart is,” he said.
Pen͂a said the board is all there to do the best for their students and that he’s someone who likes to advocate for their educators and students, especially those who are most vulnerable, “like myself growing up.”
“I had to be very defensive my whole life, so I apologize if I was caught off guard in one of my private moments with a colleague. And I wasn’t addressing anybody. I was self-sabotaging myself like I did a lot growing up. I’m human. I made a mistake, and I truly apologize for that,” he said.
