2006-02-09

I have read the candidate statement and web site of School Committee candidate Jesse Segovia, and I was surprised not to see any mention of what must be his most conspicuous involvement with the Lexington Public Schools to date: his vigorous support of David Parker.

The minutes of the August 29, 2005 Selectmen's meeting show "the request of Jesse Segovia to use the Battle Green on Tuesday, September 6, 2005...for a rally in support of David Parker." Mr. Segovia followed the rally with a pro-Parker guest commentary in the September 15 Minuteman. He was clearly one of Mr. Parker's most active supporters, at least among those in Lexington.

I'm sure almost everyone in Lexington remembers Mr. Parker, who got himself arrested for refusing to leave Estabrook School because the administrators refused to accede to his demand that they shelter his child from classroom materials depicting same-sex parents, such as the book Who's In A Family, or classroom discussion of such families, even families of his own schoolmates.

As Mr. Segovia quotes [that is, he used to before this letter was printed] on his web site, "Sunlight is the best disinfectant." I hope he will take his own advice and shed some light on how his support of David Parker might motivate his candidacy for School Committee and how it might influence his tenure if he were to be elected.

Jon Dreyer

Addendum

For brevity, my letter did not include more evidence of Mr. Segovia's support of Mr. Parker. He spoke in support of Mr. Parker at the May 17, 2005 School Committee meeting. On August 2, 2005, he held a pro-Parker sign at the Concord Courthouse (along with Brian Camenker of the anti-gay Article 8 Alliance). Also on August 2, he appeared on TV on NECN speaking in support of Mr. Parker.

There appears to be no history of any other involvement with our town or our schools by Mr. Segovia on Lexington's main web site or its alternate site. Nor does Mr. Segovia mention any prior involvement whatsoever with our town or our schools on his web site, other than as a parent and jogger.

Fundamentally there are two issues here:

1. Whatever his words say, Mr. Segovia's school-related actions show that he is a one-issue candidate. The only thing he has ever done involving our schools is to support David Parker, and he has done this consistently, vigorously, and publicly.
2. Since his candidacy, Mr. Segovia has chosen to remain as quiet as possible about this one issue.

Voters have a right to know.