We are no super-PAC, just a group of Westwood moms who want the best for all kids in town. We urged Heather Morrison to run for School Committee, after she proved to be a tireless advocate for kids during the pandemic. She attended almost every school committee meeting, offering her expertise as an executive at school for kids with special needs. We were drawn to her keen skills as an educator and admired her ability to listen to all sides. Few of us have ever worked on a political campaign. What started out as an exciting opportunity to support a candidate we feel will champion all our children, has become toxic in ways we never expected. Were we naive to believe the town we love, and chose to raise our families in, would be anything but tolerant.
There are two small groups in Westwood, doing a good job of dividing our town. Heather made a point of not aligning herself with either group to remain independent. I am confident the only people Heather intends to serve are parents and kids in Westwood Schools. She does not have a political agenda and I am certain of that. I don’t even know what political party she aligns herself with. What I do know is she will be a fierce advocate for the kids, and that’s all that matters.
One of the groups in town has a list circulating, that has become a lighting bolt. If your name is on “The List”, you are a good person and if your name isn’t, you're questionable. That in itself is appalling. This is a pressure campaign in its purist form. “The List” claims to show the community’s support for equity and inclusion in town. I purposely did not sign the list, because I feel it’s the easy way out. I don’t normally announce to the world what I’m doing to make it better, hopefully in some small way, but I will now for the sake of argument. I am in the Westwood Metco Welcome club. I have the emails of families involved, and there aren’t many of the names who signed “The List.” My son played on Westwood’s Special Olympics Unified Basketball team this year. The amazing coordinator struggled to find 12 kids for the roster. Where were all of the 1000 people who signed “The List” preaching their commitment to better our town? I have so far to go before I am even half of the person I hope to be. It appears to me that some people in town have it all figured out, and the rest of us are just problems to be fixed.
I only bring up “The List” because some of these self-professed kind humans have turned this into a smear campaign against Heather Morrison. I see great hypocrisy in people who claim to be in support of inclusion, yet they spread false, hateful rumors, and about someone they have not taken the time to know.
This campaign has shined a light on dirty politics in town. Adults carelessly throwing around the words racist and homophobe, only because Heather’s name isn’t on “The List.” Children being made fun of by other kids because of Heather Morrison’s School Committee sign on their parents front lawn. Online, anonymous comments maligning Heather’s reputation. What I thought was a race for school committee has become a lesson in humanity, and not the best of it. I’m asking my neighbors to think about their end goal. Are you truly working for the good of the people? Or are you working to win a campaign at all costs? We must lead by example, especially for the children who we want to be accepting of all.
We teach our kids to not judge a book by its cover. It’s amusing that some of the loudest voices in town, who claim to work toward that end, seem to be the biggest offenders.
I hesitate to send this letter because I am confident harsh, anonymous comments will come. I beg of you before you hit the send button, ask yourself are your words helping making humanity better? We are all neighbors, let’s talk, face to face. Together we can make Westwood better. Heather Morrison will make our schools better, I am confident of that.
Wendy Thurmond
Westwood, MA
49° and Sunny
