HomeMy WebLinkAboutTRC Agenda and Packet February 2 2023
Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission Agenda
Thursday, February 2, 2023, 7 PM
Emma J. Harvat Hall
City Hall
410 E. Washington Street
In order to encourage input from the public, the Commission intends to offer the opportunity to
participate in the meeting remotely. However, this meeting is in-person, and those wishing to ensure
their ability to participate should attend the meeting in person. If you instead wish to participate
remotely, you may attempt to do so by joining the below link. Please note that the meeting link and ID
for the first Thursday of each month is different than the link and ID for the third Thursday of each
month.
First Thursday Meetings https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_cMIaaV6cTxGwOlWu2-hFHg
ID: 867 2424 8095
Third Thursday Meetings https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lcIl8llPSRq1u0xPlL-1Ew
ID: 895 3695 0485
If you have no computer or smartphone, or a computer without a microphone, you can call in by phone
by dialing (312) 626-6799 and entering the meeting ID when prompted.
Meeting Agenda:
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. READING OF NATIVE AMERICAN LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
3. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES FROM JANUARY 19, 2022
4. PUBLIC COMMENT OF ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA (TRC MEMBERS SHALL NOT ENGAGE IN
DISCUSSION WITH THE PUBLIC CONCERNING SAID ITEMS)
5. FACILITATOR SERVICES PROPOSAL
6. CORRESPONDENCE
7. FOLLOW-UP ON TESTIMONY FROM THE MEETING OF JANUARY 19
8. ICCSD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PERFORMANCE INCIDENT
9. A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO PLANNING COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVES TO ADVANCE RACIAL EQUITY
SECTION EDITION 2022 DISCUSSION
10. ANNOUNCEMENTS OF COMMISSIONERS/STAFF (TRC MEMBERS SHALL NOT ENGAGE IN
DISCUSSION WITH ONE ANOTHER CONCERNING SAID ANNOUNCEMENTS)
11. ADJOURNMENT
MEETING PACKET CONTENTS:
1. NATIVE AMERICAN LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
2. DRAFT MEETING MINUTES: JANUARY 19, 2023
3. CORRESPONDENCE FROM COALITION TO ABOLISH PRISON SLAVERY AT UI
If you will need a disability-related accommodation to participate in this meeting please
contact the Equity Director, Stefanie Bowers, at 319-356-5022 or at stefanie-bowers@iowa-
city.org. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your
accessibility needs.
January 19, 2023
Draft Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Minutes
Emma J. Harvat Hall, City Hall
Commissioners present: Mohamed Traore (via Zoom), Chastity Dillard, Wangui
Gathua, Marie Krebs, Lauren Merritt, Eric Harris.
Commissioners absent: Clif Johnson, Sikowis (Christine Nobiss), Kevo Rivera.
Staff present: Stefanie Bowers.
Community members who spoke at the meeting: Yawavi Kpognon, Paul Landouyou.
Recommendation to City Council: No.
Meeting called to order: 7:03 pm.
Reading of Native American Land Acknowledgement: Dillard read the Land Acknowledgement.
Approval of Minutes from January 5, 2023: Merritt moved, and Harris seconded.
Motion passed 6-0.
Public Comment of Items not on the Agenda: Kpognon and Landouyou spoke on discriminatory
experiences they have had with past employers.
ICCSD Elementary School Performance Incident: Commission members plan on attending the
Iowa City School Board meeting of January 24 to discuss the school performance incident.
Facilitator Services Proposal: Dilllard read an email sent to the TRC from a prospective facilitator
that read:
Dear TRC Commissioners,
Regretfully, none of us on the team from the Facilitator Services Proposal are available tonight to
attend the TRC meeting.
We know the Facilitator Services Proposal is on your agenda.
We want to let you know what we have heard from the City regarding their processing of the
proposal.
In response to our questions, Geoff Fruin responded on Friday, January 13, that the City is
currently reviewing the proposals and expects to have a number of questions for us. We have not
received them yet.
They hope to get the answers from us by the end of the month. At that point, they expect to return
to the TRC to confirm that you understand it and don't want to explore any further changes.
From there, he said they will plan to have the agreements with the facilitator entities ready to
present to the City Council.
That is what we know about the process right now.
Staff noted that a meeting was being held later in the week for them to discuss the proposals.
Books and Materials Sent by Divided Communities: Traore prepared the following summary for
chapter two.
Background
Planning for community initiatives should be tailored to the specific context, goals, opportunities,
and challenges of the community.
What shapes the path and form of initiatives:
• History and legacy of efforts
• The planning undergone in development stages and sequences
• Degree, character and extent of community infrastructure and organization will.
Each initiative needs to be responsive to the goals and special character of the community or state
in which it is located.
What helps to achieve highest priority goals and optimal “operations” of the initiative:
• Detailed assessment of the community's:
o Concerns and problems
o Stakeholders
o Patterns of practice
o Processes
Shaping the Planning Process
The planning process should be iterative or flexible to make changes as the initiative proceeds.
Creating the Planning Group
• Critical components of planning group(s), a mix of:
o Backgrounds and understanding of the community and government
• Elements or characteristics of planning group members to consider:
o Understanding of the community
o Ability to work well and efficiently together
o Preparation and support they will need
• To establish goals, a series of initial questions can help, such as:
o What is the group's collective vision for a more equitable community?
o What would have to change for each person in the community, regardless of race,
to thrive and feel protected and respected?
o What would the planners like this initiative to accomplish?
Structuring: Important Checkpoints
The geographical area and subject matter concentrations that are likely to emerge should be
considered.
Take into account the goals and planners' understanding of the community
• Opportunities and challenges that the initiative will face should be identified:
o Opportunities for residents' broad awareness of the need to enhance racial equity
o Desire to reduce polarization and achieve mutual respect
o Challenges: backlash by a portion of the community or disagreement about the targets of
new programs
• The scope and mission should be worded to engage a broad group of people and match
the initiative's influence and geographic reach.
Goals should be tentatively listed and prioritized, take into consideration:
• The time needed to achieve goals
• The likelihood of government officials seriously considering the changes recommended.
o Will the powers that be make a good faith effort to implement the
recommendation(s)? What happens if they don’t?
The initial membership list may communicate to the public whether the initiative is a serious
endeavor with the power to bring about needed change.
• Commission members should have personal abilities and preparation that match their
need to bridge likely differences in discussions and decision-making
o Have expertise or assistance in: structuring the initiatives or plans, dispute
resolution, administrative, legal, and counseling
• The combination of members should encourage people to trust the seriousness of the
process - membership or outreach should help to alleviate answers to questions like:
o How will it enhance racial equity?
o Why should people believe that the community's diverse views will be
represented?
Organizational issues
• Convener and Host Institution (sponsor or host of the initiative, organization or programs)
o Operating in public meetings can be made difficult in the following ways:
▪ A bitterly divided community
▪ Active social media comments about the initiative or related work
• Leadership and Staff
o Commission members are typically layering their commission work over already
demanding work and personal schedules and are usually volunteers.
o Leadership for the group should be experienced
▪ Have the confidence of both public officials and broad segments of the
community
o Generational and political differences among commission members
▪ can increase diversity and potential clashes in approach to the task(s)
▪ can also offer the potential advantage of anticipating a broader set of
political reactions and increasing support for the initiative
• Funding
Planners can help to alleviate issues for commission members and staff by:
• Committing to providing counseling, communications, and facilitation assistance
• Establish support for commission members and staff, anticipating that some are not
accustomed to public criticism and arguments voiced during public meetings.
• Prompt advice from legal counsel regarding the applicable public meeting laws and how
commissioners can achieve their goals without violating the letter or spirit of the laws.
An advantage of the multiple-organization approach is that each committee can be constituted
with a narrower subject focus in mind.
Groups in Initiatives or Research
Some of the community initiatives or organizations mentioned in the section - might be worth a
look or some outreach to learn more from them
• Director of Political and Civic Engagement for Indiana University
• Social Justice, Race and Equity Commission
• NYC Racial Justice Commission
• Vermont Truth and Reconciliation Commission
NOTE: Some communities chose to use advisory groups rather than public commissions. These
groups have less public authority and no power to compel disclosures or appoint staff.
Examples of initiatives and processes
(from pages 23 through 25) included below
Excluded Workers: Harris provided the history behind the Excluded Workers and how receiving
direct assistance payments has assisted many persons who did not qualify for the Covid 19
stimulus payments. The group is now working on the conditions in meat packing companies
through a grant received from the USDA.
Commission Announcements: None.
Adjourned: 7:53 PM.
City Board and Commission meetings are recorded and can be viewed in their entirety by
visiting this link.
AD HOC TRUTH & RECONCILIATION COMMISSION
ATTENDANCE RECORD
YEAR 2023
(Meeting Date)
NAME
TERM
EXP.
1/5 1/19 2/2 2/16 3/2 3/16 4/6 4/20 5/4 5/18 6/1 6/15
Dillard 6/23 P P
Gathua 6/23 A P
Harris 6/23 P P
Johnson 6/23 P A
Krebs 6/23 P P
Merritt 6/23 P P
Nobiss 6/23 P A
Rivera 6/23 P A
Traore 6/23 P P
KEY: P = Present
A = Absent
PUBLIC LETTER CONDEMNING COMMENT MADE BY PROFESSOR CLARENCE
KREITER: CALLING FOR SUSPENSION AND INTERNAL INVESTIGATION
To sign onto this letter, fill out the form at https://forms.gle/63454LXtUYG7zrs4A
January 24, 2023
Barbara Wilson, PhD
President, University of Iowa
president@uiowa.edu
Brooks Jackson, MD, MBA
Dean, Carver College of Medicine
Brooks-jackson@uiowa.edu
Edith A. Parker, MPH, DrPH
Dean, College of Public Health
Edith-parker@uiowa.edu
Sara Sanders, PhD
Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Sara-sanders@uiowa.edu
Liz Tovar, PhD
Executive Officer & Associate Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Elizabeth-tovar@uiowa.edu
Dear President Wilson, Dean J. Brooks, Dean Parker, Dean Sanders, & Executive Officer Tovar:
We, the undersigned, are writing to express serious concern about Facebook comments
made by a tenured faculty member of 28 years, Clarence “Clare” Kreiter, professor of Family
Medicine at the Carver College of Medicine. As shown below in Exhibit 1-Exhibit 2, Professor
Kreiter made public, racially biased comments in response to an event held during UI’s Martin
Luther King Jr. Celebration of Human Rights Week on Wednesday, January 18th, 2023, around 2
pm.
It was disheartening to see the public comments made by Professor Kreiter. As faculty,
students, and staff who care about the well-being of our UI community with the broader goals of
diversity, equity, and inclusion, we write to demand an immediate suspension, public apology,
and formal investigation as outlined in Operations Manual chapters 3.3 - 3.6 on Human Rights.
PUBLIC LETTER CONDEMNING COMMENT MADE BY PROFESSOR CLARENCE
KREITER: CALLING FOR SUSPENSION AND INTERNAL INVESTIGATION
To sign onto this letter, fill out the form at https://forms.gle/63454LXtUYG7zrs4A
We believe Professor Kreiter’s actions to be a breach of the following policies included in the
University of Iowa Staff Operations Manual:
VIOLATION 1: (16.2) “Staff members will adhere to ethical standards of professional conduct
and act in a manner consistent with the University's mission and core values for excellence,
learning, community, diversity, integrity, respect, and responsibility”.
VIOLATION 2: (8.2) “The University of Iowa values diversity among students, faculty, and
staff, and regards equal employment opportunity and affirmative action as tools to achieve
diversity. The University believes that a rich diversity of people and the many points of view
they bring serve to enhance the quality of the educational experience at The University of Iowa.”
For context of the event, the documentary JustUs was produced from inside an Iowa
prison by Cedric Theus and Maya Ben-Shahar to highlight the efforts of prisoners, ex-prisoners,
and activists in reforming the criminal justice system and ending the racial disparity in sending
Black Americans to prison in Iowa. A flyer from the event held at Boyd Law building quoted
Cedric Theus, “This is the story of my community and what we’re doing to help solve Iowa’s
incarceration problem.”
On the JustUs Facebook page, Prof. Kreiter’s first comment (removed as of January 20)
offered his opinion on addressing bias in incarceration in Exhibit 1, “we must first be honest
about group difference in behavior repertoires.” In response to comments made by the JustUs
Documentary page, Kreiter further suggested that the disparities in the criminal justice system
PUBLIC LETTER CONDEMNING COMMENT MADE BY PROFESSOR CLARENCE
KREITER: CALLING FOR SUSPENSION AND INTERNAL INVESTIGATION
To sign onto this letter, fill out the form at https://forms.gle/63454LXtUYG7zrs4A
are caused by individual actions, alluding to Black and Brown individuals needing “civics
lessons on appropriate interactions with law enforcement” to “[take] responsibility for behavior.”
The page's admin rightfully asked Kreiter if he concluded that by watching the film and/or
through personal experience. This question was ignored by Kreiter, suggesting a lack of
willingness to acknowledge the lived experiences of Black and Brown individuals as evidence
against his claim which baselessly places blame upon victims, rather than perpetrators of racist
behavior.
“When there is no justice, there is JustUs.”-Cedric B. Theus
However, this post is not the first time Professor Kreiter has made discriminatory remarks
on this public platform. On his publicly accessible Facebook profile lists credentials as current
professor at The University of Iowa, with a long history of offensive posts. On August 31st, 2020
(Exhibit 4), he stated “tomorrow’s lesson will be on generalizing from small biased
sensationalized samples,” with an infographic by Nature - one of the world’s most cited
scientific journals - with which he appears to disagree without the basis of supporting evidence.
In another post from September 24th, 2020 (Exhibit 5), he wrote, “it takes a minimum
amount of intelligence to figure out and cooperate with legal structures that keep us civilized,”
once again placing the blame for police brutality on innocent Black and Brown individuals as
well as making the heinous claim that said individuals are “uncivilized.” These are only a few of
the many past examples of Prof. Kreiter expressing hateful, discriminatory sentiments on his
Facebook profile that can be viewed without adding him as a friend.
PUBLIC LETTER CONDEMNING COMMENT MADE BY PROFESSOR CLARENCE
KREITER: CALLING FOR SUSPENSION AND INTERNAL INVESTIGATION
To sign onto this letter, fill out the form at https://forms.gle/63454LXtUYG7zrs4A
Furthermore, he publicly lists himself as a faculty member of The University of Iowa, an
institution that claims to not stand by harmful comments that Professor Kreiter has posted for
several years, i.e., “University of Iowa condemns Trump order against diversity training”
published October 8, 2020, on the Daily Iowan. Further evidence of discriminatory rhetoric is
documented below in Exhibit 6-Exhibit 7. Need I say more about a leak in which Prof. Kreiter's
professional university email was listed in 2015 (Exhibit 8.)
In addition to public remarks on Facebook and leaks, a 2018 opinion article in Iowa City
Press-Citizen, “Understanding discrimination and the suppression of free speech in academia,”
further reveals his opinions on the exclusion of race-related data in most research studies in the
educational psychology field. He argues that race is an “innate factor... that might explain and
address the variation in learning and achievement across groups,” and that “if we insist every
racial group must be equal in all quantitate and qualitative aspects of their identity, then in
everything where real differences exit, we will see prejudice and injustice.” Kreiter does not
provide data in this article to support these claims that academic achievement stems from
inherent biological differences between individuals of different races. Rather, he claims that his
point of view is intentionally suppressed by “accusations of racism.”
The harrowing language of this statement clearly reflects eugenics philosophy, as the
Professor of Family Medicine is suggesting the inherent academic inferiority of individuals of
color. This calls into question how he might treat students of color in his own classrooms, how
he might educate his students to treat others, and what kind of language he might use in his
official position as a professor at the University of Iowa. Even more concerning is the fact that he
PUBLIC LETTER CONDEMNING COMMENT MADE BY PROFESSOR CLARENCE
KREITER: CALLING FOR SUSPENSION AND INTERNAL INVESTIGATION
To sign onto this letter, fill out the form at https://forms.gle/63454LXtUYG7zrs4A
is easily identifiable as an authority figure, subjecting him to university policy in his personal
life.
It is ironic that Professor Kreiter chose to post these hateful remarks during an event
celebrated in memory of Dr. King—as he campaigned for anti-discrimination, equal rights, and
abolition during the civil rights movement in the 1950-60s through non-violent civil discourse.
These comments felt purposeful and planned to directly combat the messages of Dr. King, a man
whose birthday week is celebrated each year at the University of Iowa as a prized tradition since
1969.
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort
and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy”.
-Martin Luther King Jr.
Considering Professor Kreiter’s pattern of discriminatory actions and rhetoric on both his
public Facebook page, 2018 article and research—we write to demand an immediate suspension,
public apology, and formal investigation of a breach of the Operations Manual as we deem
Kreiter in violation of “respect[ing] the diversity of individuals in the workplace and... the
differences among them.”
As educated students, we are cautioned to be careful of online language and behavior. It
is reasonable to expect our professors held to the same standards. This is especially true in the
medical profession, as professors influence future professionals as they start their careers in an
increasingly globalized, racially diverse world.
PUBLIC LETTER CONDEMNING COMMENT MADE BY PROFESSOR CLARENCE
KREITER: CALLING FOR SUSPENSION AND INTERNAL INVESTIGATION
To sign onto this letter, fill out the form at https://forms.gle/63454LXtUYG7zrs4A
With these issues in mind, we respectfully reach out to you with our concerns about
Professor Kreiter and demand action be taken. Consider this letter as an opportunity to unify in
publicly condemning the questionable comment by Prof. Kreiter to conclude Unity Week 2023.
Signed respectfully,
Coalition to Abolish Prison Slavery (CAPS) at UI (Author)
Iowa.caps@gmail.com
Change U-Iowa English (Co-Author)
changeuiowaenglish@gmail.com
Corridor Community Action Network
PUBLIC LETTER CONDEMNING COMMENT MADE BY PROFESSOR CLARENCE
KREITER: CALLING FOR SUSPENSION AND INTERNAL INVESTIGATION
To sign onto this letter, fill out the form at https://forms.gle/63454LXtUYG7zrs4A
ATTACHED EVIDENCE:
Exhibit 1
PUBLIC LETTER CONDEMNING COMMENT MADE BY PROFESSOR CLARENCE
KREITER: CALLING FOR SUSPENSION AND INTERNAL INVESTIGATION
To sign onto this letter, fill out the form at https://forms.gle/63454LXtUYG7zrs4A
Exhibit 2
PUBLIC LETTER CONDEMNING COMMENT MADE BY PROFESSOR CLARENCE
KREITER: CALLING FOR SUSPENSION AND INTERNAL INVESTIGATION
To sign onto this letter, fill out the form at https://forms.gle/63454LXtUYG7zrs4A
Exhibit 3
PUBLIC LETTER CONDEMNING COMMENT MADE BY PROFESSOR CLARENCE
KREITER: CALLING FOR SUSPENSION AND INTERNAL INVESTIGATION
To sign onto this letter, fill out the form at https://forms.gle/63454LXtUYG7zrs4A
Exhibit 4
PUBLIC LETTER CONDEMNING COMMENT MADE BY PROFESSOR CLARENCE
KREITER: CALLING FOR SUSPENSION AND INTERNAL INVESTIGATION
To sign onto this letter, fill out the form at https://forms.gle/63454LXtUYG7zrs4A
Exhibit 5
PUBLIC LETTER CONDEMNING COMMENT MADE BY PROFESSOR CLARENCE
KREITER: CALLING FOR SUSPENSION AND INTERNAL INVESTIGATION
To sign onto this letter, fill out the form at https://forms.gle/63454LXtUYG7zrs4A
Exhibit 6
PUBLIC LETTER CONDEMNING COMMENT MADE BY PROFESSOR CLARENCE
KREITER: CALLING FOR SUSPENSION AND INTERNAL INVESTIGATION
To sign onto this letter, fill out the form at https://forms.gle/63454LXtUYG7zrs4A
Exhibit 7
PUBLIC LETTER CONDEMNING COMMENT MADE BY PROFESSOR CLARENCE
KREITER: CALLING FOR SUSPENSION AND INTERNAL INVESTIGATION
To sign onto this letter, fill out the form at https://forms.gle/63454LXtUYG7zrs4A
Exhibit 8 (courtesy of Iowa City DSA)