Community Corner
Is It Okay to Bring Children to a Public Meeting?
A Framingham woman is looking for the public's help in identifying a mom, who left a public meeting with her young kids, after a Town Meeting member suggested she should have left the children at home.
Does a young family, whose home abuts the Marist property, have a right to
attend a public hearing with two small children?
This the question Framingham resident Deborah Butler posted on the the e-list Frambors last week.
Butler said a Town Meeting member confronted a woman with her children at the Framingham Zoning Board of Appeals meeting on Tuesday night, when the Marist property was on the agenda.
The mother had lost her babysitter at the last minute, and had wanted to participate in the public meeting, so she brought her children along, explained Butler.
After the Town Meeting member confronted her, according to Butler, the mother left the meeting in tears.
Over this weekend, Butler announced she is looking to identify the mother.
"Many town residents who reached out to me about the incident want to apologize to the family on behalf of the Town Meeting member,"said Butler.
"Our hearts are broken and we feel we must try to make things right for the family," said Butler.
Find out what's happening in Framinghamwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Do you think it is okay for a parent to bring their children to a public meeting? Post your thoughts in the comment section.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
