Sexual Abuse Survivor Demands Change To Babylon BOE Meetings

BABYLON, NY — Frustrated community members are coming together to change the structure of Babylon's Board of Education meetings.

More than 300 people have signed a Change.org petition titled "Demand an equitable and respectful Babylon Board of Education meeting." The petition comes in response to a December 13 meeting where attendees, alumni, and claimed survivors of sexual abuse said they felt bullied and "silenced" by board members.

Brittany Rohl, the creator of the petition, said that the behavior of board members and superintendent Linda Rozzi was "painful" for many sexual abuse survivors, who were interrupted and silenced while attempting to speak.

Rohl was the first of dozens of women since October to publicly claim they were sexually abused by district employees. Attorney General Letitia James launched an investigation into the Babylon School District in November, after numerous community members shared their traumatic experiences at a previous board meeting.

Attendees of the Dec. 13 meeting also said that the proceedings started late, and many people were not allowed inside due to limited room capacity.

"The result was that the community continued to lose faith in the Board of Education," Rohl wrote. "Regardless of the intent with which the 12/13 meeting was planned, it sent a message to the community that the Board of Education is not willing to listen to us as parents, alumni, and students."

The petition lists ten demands to be endorsed at the board's January 10 meeting.

They include:

• An apology from board members and Rozzi for the December 13 meeting
• The location of the January 10 meeting to be held in a larger space to accommodate all in-person attendees
• The time limit of speakers to be increased from three minutes to five minutes; permitting Zoom attendees to comment in the Zoom chat and participate in the question and answer portion of the meeting
• Enlist an independent professional service to ensure a high-quality Zoom livestream
• A code of conduct for attendees
• Allowing attendees to ask questions to a specific board member
• Allowing attendees to provide feedback after a meeting

"After this painful meeting, we as a community need to know that the next Board of Education meeting will be accessible, respectful, and fair," Rohl wrote.

The board will hold an executive meeting not open to the public at 6:30 p.m. Monday to "immediately entertain a motion" to meet "for the purpose of contract negotiations."

The board has not yet responded for comment.