SOUTH WHIDBEY RECORD: Despite council resolution, anti-racism training not mandatory for city staff
Langley city councilmembers clashed with Mayor Tim Callison at the council meeting over the decision about whether to make the city council directed anti-racism training mandatory or not. While the council voted that all city staff members should be required to attend the anti-racism training, Mayor Tim Callison said that forcing unwilling people to attend the training would only cause resentment. The city attorney said that the state statute outlining the mayor’s responsibilities states the decision to mandate training falls to the mayor and not the city council.
Councilmember Thomas Gill said “I have horrible anxiety for most of this stuff and I know there’s a lot of people in that same boat.” Councilmembers Christy Korrow and Craig Cyr took a strong stand in support of mandating the anti-racist instruction. “This is a textbook case of white fragility,” Korrow said. “We are having a 30-minute conversation about protecting the feelings of a few people who are nervous about the training who might get resentful.” Kira Erickson has the story with more details about the meeting.
On the Ballot in 2021: Langley City Councilmembers
- Councilmember, Position 1: Christy Korrow
- Councilmember, Position 2: Dominique Emerson
- Councilmember, Position 5: Peter Morton
