Residents Ask Town To Apologize For Firing Black Firefighter

BROOKLINE, MA — Several residents petitioned the Select Board Tuesday night not to appeal a state commission's ruling to reinstate a black firefighter who reported he was harassed after he reported a racial epithet left on his voicemail.

The Massachusetts Civil Service Commission ruled last week in an 83-page report that the town failed to show just cause in firing firefighter Gerald Alston who reported racial discrimination after his supervisor left a voicemail with a racial epithet on his voice mail nearly a decade ago, and was fired in 2016, asked that he be reinstated. The town had 30 days from Feb. 14 to appeal that decision.

Tuesday night ahead of a closed-door session to discuss litigation related to Alston residents and supporters filled seats and implored the elected officials not to appeal but to apologize, and move forward.

Town Meeting Member Raul Fernandez said reading the commission's 83-page findings was eye opening.

"This is a really unique case, where we were able to see a retelling of the events," said Fernadez. "What we read there was really just troubling for us."

A major takeaway for him, he said was how the town treats people who report racism.

"When we hear people complain about racial discrimination our orientation should be to believe them, the same way we treat women who have claimed sexual assault," he said to applause.

He was one of many who encouraged the commission to accept the findings of the commission and change the narrative.

"The idea of Brookline being progressive is becoming kind of a joke: We have to live our values," he said.

A mother of two Brookline elementary school students said children in town said children are watching how the adults handle this.

"At Baker right now, there have been three recent meetings, my children have been called slurs, N-word is being used, it's happening in our schools," said Julia Lanem. She noted there have been several meetings at the school to address the situation, but she said, the children know what's happening in town and are watching what happens in this case.

"We need leaders to say we got it wrong, and that's OK, we get it wrong as adults," she said.

Others pushed harder.

"The whole world is watching, the Town of Brookline has been exposed for what it has been doing all along; committing acts of racism," said Brookline resident Arthur Conquest.

Town Meeting Member Regina Frawley called the moment "a chance to right history."

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Commission Rules Brookline Should Reinstate Black Firefighter

Photo by Jenna Fisher/Patch Staff