'I Grieve Much of What Happened Tonight'

Editor's Note: for more information about this story.

Before unanimously approving the sale of Eagle Elementary School for $1.1 million to the Islamic Cultural Association (ICA) during a marathon five-hour meeting Tuesday, Farmington School Board members bluntly criticized rudeness and expressions of bigotry they heard during the meeting.

While some residents left the room over what they called "a lecture" by board member Sheilah Clay, officials did not hold back in expressing disappointment in some of the statements made from the podium. Comments were split between Muslim and interfaith advocates who supported the sale; and Jewish residents and neighbors who criticized the ICA as anti-Semitic and complained that officials failed to notify residents about the sale and appeared to be pushing it through without taking into account impacts on the neighborhood or other possible buyers.

More than once, school board president Howard Wallach had to gavel the meeting back to order, as members of the audience called out comments and interrupted speakers. Laughs punctuated comments from Muslims that the proposed cultural center would bring the community together and be a benefit to the neighborhood.

Both at the podium and from their seats, audience members complained that the board had not respected them. They felt officials should have known the issue would draw a large turnout, and should have moved the meeting to one of the schools, as they've done on other occasions.

Some said the board should table the sale, given the size of the agenda and of the crowd. Those who came to discuss the sale were asked to wait outside the board room, while officials honored a number of students, parent volunteers and staff. And even after that, they sat through a lengthy 2011-2012 budget presentation.

One resident complained that police officers were called. Wallach declared a recess when residents didn't respond to his call for some people to move into the lobby, because the room was overcrowded.

"You had the police throw us out," Ina Lutz said. "What country was I in? It was unbelievable."

Tim Devine, who has served only a few months, was impressed that so many people came to the meeting to express their concerns.

"I'm proud to be an American tonight," he said. "I'm proud of this community tonight, because whatever else happens ... many people have behaved admirably, and even courageously tonight."

At the same time, he said, some of the behavior was "abominable, juvenile." He said he was embarrassed, as a fourth generation attorney, at the behavior of attorney Steven Reifman, who threatened to sue the board as whole, and members individually, if the sale went through.

Clay minced no words. "We have had many issues that raised people's emotions," she said. "I have never seen what I saw here tonight, in terms of disrespect and outright rudeness from the audience ... I am so disappointed at the behavior. We're better than that."

She said talk about property values declining if the ICA moved in was familiar to her; African Americans heard the same comments when they moved into white neighborhoods. "I know what that feels like," she said. "When does the discrimination stop?"

Clay was particularly incensed by Reifman's comment at the absence of retiring director of operations Cheryl Cannon, suggesting that she was vacationing in Mecca. "What kind of statement is that?" she said.

Board member Debby Brauer took offense at statements that board members had held closed sessions to discuss the sale. She said the board acted ethically.

"I grieve much of what happened tonight," board member Priscilla Brouillette said. "So much of what we experienced tonight just hurts." She felt the proposed sale was a "very solid financial decision" for the district.

Wallach said adults "really didn't do a good job of modelling behavior for our young people." He was listening for "any evidence of a concrete nature that would give me reason to say somebody ... has made a mistake, and therefore we shouldn't vote in favor of the sale. I haven't seen evidence that there is a reason not to proceed."