Shrewsbury Equity Reports

06/14/2023

DID YOU KNOW? Researchers have quantified the impact of air pollution on our community? This image shows our annual pollution-related health outcomes here in Shrewsbury.

Read more here: https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/centers/schiller-institute/sites/masscleanair.html

06/13/2023

DID YOU KNOW? According to a recent study, individuals living in Massachusetts towns with the highest rates of gun ownership were 3.6 times more likely to die of firearm su***de than towns with the lowest rates of gun ownership? They were no more or less likely to die from non-gun su***des.

Read more here: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4200315

06/08/2023

DID YOU KNOW? The American Psychological Association issued a formal apology to People of Color in 2021?

Read more here:https://www.apa.org/about/policy/resolution-racism-apology.pdf

06/07/2023

DID YOU KNOW? The 2022 MCAS test results for 10 Grade mathematics show significant disparities at Shrewsbury High School?

Only 1% of Asian students and 3% of White students did not meet expectations. In contrast, 10% of African American students, 13% of English Language Learners, 15% of high needs students, 16% of Hispanic/Latino students, and 28% of students with disabilities did not meet expectations.

The gaps are even wider when you add the number of students that only partially met expectations.

See data here: https://profiles.doe.mass.edu/mcas/subgroups2.aspx?linkid=25&orgcode=02710000&fycode=2022&orgtypecode=5&

06/06/2023

DID YOU KNOW? A 2022 report on Shrewsbury’s Teacher Diversification Project shows continued racial disparities between SPS students and staff, as well as disparities between different roles within the schools.

Learn more about the project here:https://campussuite-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/prod/11162/b2004386-1ca3-11e6-b537-22000bd8490f/2432747/49eedef8-e7f1-11ec-9c6e-0aca6eca568d/file/Diversity%20in%20Hiring%20SC%20presentation%20June2022.pdf

06/05/2023

DID YOU KNOW? According to a newly released study, home purchase loans to borrowers of color did not match their respective population shares. Black residents comprised 6.5 percent of the statewide population, yet only received 3.4 percent of conventional loans. Hispanic/Latinx residents comprised 12.6 percent of Massachusetts’ population, yet only received 6.6 percent of conventional loans.

Nationally and statewide, Black and Hispanic/Latinx households today are still far less likely than white households to own their own homes, in large part related to the historic disparities in wealth, supported by the practices of redlining, blockbusting, racial covenants, appraisal policies and exclusionary zoning, with effects to this day, potentially affecting financial institutions’ loans to people of color.

Shrewsbury data shown below. Read more here:https://financialequity.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/MCBC-Mortgage-Report-2022.pdf

06/02/2023

DID YOU KNOW? Hamilton is the first town in Massachusetts to mandate composting? Here in Shrewsbury, composting is only available through a private company.
https://www.hamiltonma.gov/government/waste-reduction-committee/organic-waste-program/

06/01/2023

WHAT DO YOU THINK? A 2020 equity audit raised concerns about the concept of the “Shrewsbury way.” Please share any experience you’ve had with this and/or your thoughts on the use of the term.

Learn more here (“Shrewsbury way” referenced in the Representation and Tokenization section on page 29): https://campussuite-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/prod/11162/b2004386-1ca3-11e6-b537-22000bd8490f/2119314/132d54a2-b6df-11ea-8847-0acc8effa653/file/SPS%20FINAL%20EQUITY%20AUDIT%20-%20June%2022,%202020.pdf

05/31/2023

DID YOU KNOW? According to the Town Clerk, the first female Shrewsbury Selectboard member was June Tomaiolo in 1973. It took an additional 50 years for Shrewsbury to elect it's first non-White Selectboard member, Carlos Garcia, in 2023.

05/30/2023

DID YOU KNOW? 52% of Shrewsbury residents voted against Question 1 in the 2022 election? (Question 1, which passed, amends our State Constitution to add 4 percentage points to the state’s income tax for annual earnings over $1 million.)

Read more here: https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2022/11/10/massachusetts-millionaires-tax-ballot-question-1-town-map/

05/28/2023

DID YOU KNOW?

At the close of the Civil War, people recently freed from slavery in Charleston honored fallen Union soldiers.

05/26/2023

DID YOU KNOW? Beginning July 1, 2023, undocumented Massachusetts residents will be eligible for a Massachusetts driver's license, thanks to the Work & Family Mobility Act? This act had overwhelming legislative support and moved forward despite an attempted veto by Governor Baker. Senator Mike Moore voted in support of this Bill. State Representative Hannah Kane opposed it.

Learn more about the Work & Family Mobility Act here: https://www.mass.gov/guides/work-and-family-mobility-act-wfma
Read Michael Moore's statement here: https://www.senatormikemoore.com/new-blog/2022/5/16/senate-passes-work-and-family-mobility-act
Read Hannah Kane's statement here:http://www.rephannahkane.com/uploads/1/7/1/0/17106940/media_advisory_workfamilymobilityact.pdf