Race, Columbus School Dominate Contentious Public Comment Tuesday

MEDFORD, MA — A lengthy and at times contentious public comment session at Tuesday night's City Council meeting focused largely on issues of race and racism in Medford, particularly when it comes to the much-criticized process of renaming Columbus Elementary School.

Many residents spoke in defense of the late educator Jean Barry-Sutherland, including her husband and sister, after a social media post from an unnamed member of the Renaming Advisory Committee purportedly questioned her treatment of students of color.

Barry-Sutherland, a former principal of the Columbus School who died in 2016, is among the popular choices for the renaming.

Patricia Brady Doherty, a former city councilor, accused the committee member of "denigrating the Italians who took the time to vote."

"He said they all voted for Jean Barry, and they cheated," Doherty said. "He wasn't sure that Jean Barry hadn't treated Black children badly. That's the equivalent of saying, when did you stop beating your wife?"

Barry-Sutherland's widower, Thomas Sutherland, got choked up at times as he talked about the impact she had on her students. He recalled an encounter with a 35-year-old man who she had taught in fifth grade.

"He said the life lessons I learned in the fifth grade with Jean I still use today," Sutherland said. "The impression Jean left with people was amazing."

Councilors spoke favorably of Barry-Sutherland and encouraged sensitivity toward her family, who they said had been dragged into a hot-button political issue.

"The family should not be subjected to the politics of this process," Councilor Adam Knight said.

At times, the conversation strayed beyond the Columbus School – an issue the City Council repeatedly stressed it had no control over – and into the perception of Medford as a "racist city."

Many residents who spoke said several developments over the past year, such as the declaration of racism as a public health crisis, the pushback to a pro-police rally, a report of fireworks being shot at police officers last Fourth of July and the Columbus School renaming process, left them feeling disenfranchised.

"We're sick and tired of people telling us we're racist when we don't see color," Doherty said. "No one's standing up for us."

Residents sparred at times with members of the City Council. Councilor Zac Bears clarified that the declaration of racism as a public health crisis was not done to single Medford out as a "racist city" but rather to acknowledge systemic racism nationwide.

"Racism is a problem across the country, and yes, even here in Medford," Bears said. "You may not want to hear it, but when we deny systemic racism, we ignore and erase the daily experiences of many Black, Latino, Asian and Native American people in our city."

"I will not sit still and get a lesson in racism from an individual on the Council," Anthony D'Antonio said later, to which Bears fired back, "I'm tired of listening to people deny racism" before order was called.

Other speakers accused elected officials of having a "Marxist" agenda before the conversation returned to Barry-Sutherland and the Columbus renaming process. Gwendolyn Blackburn, a longtime colleague of Barry-Sutherland's, concluded public comment by saying she was "appalled" by what had been said about the educator.

"I can't believe, all that Jean Barry did in this city, that I'm hearing what I'm hearing," Blackburn said.