To the editor:

I understand and respect the Attorney General's ruling. All of us who serve in elected or volunteer roles across the state are continuously deepening our understanding of OMA rules as a result of situations that arise in the process of hosting and participating in public meetings. The Town Council President has adequate experience to provide guidance pertaining to OMA questions to members of the Town Council at no cost to the town. 

During the May 12, 2026, DEI meeting a member of the public was filming who has previously posted meeting recordings on social media with commentary and edits. The DEI meetings are meetings of volunteer committee members, including BHS students, working to make our town an increasingly welcoming and inclusive community. Out of respect for the individuals in attendance, especially the BHS students whose parents may not be comfortable with them being recorded and the content posted to social media, I felt compelled to make sure all in attendance could recognize that they could make a choice about their participation in the meeting whether or not they were comfortable with filming. Being filmed can change the tenor and nature of a discussion during a public meeting intended to vet ideas and concerns, especially because, increasingly, recordings can be manipulated and taken out of context, sometimes to the harm of the individuals being filmed. 

I value the time and experience that Barrington's volunteers bring to our committees, boards, commissions. Recruiting volunteers for our committees, boards, and commissions is increasingly challenging because many potential volunteers, along with other reasons for declining to get engaged, do not feel comfortable being recorded, or having their images or video of themselves being posted on social media without their consent. They have seen many public figures, at the federal, state and local level, get harassed, trolled, or receive unwanted negative attention online. While nobody deserves to have their images posted online without their consent, I do not believe that our volunteers have agreed to the same level of scrutiny as those of us who have chosen to run for elected office. Additionally, I believe we should make every effort to protect the privacy of our students who step up to do work on behalf of our community, whether or not they are comfortable being recorded. I believe they and their families reserve the right to determine if they consent to being recorded during a meeting such as the DEI meeting. The conversation I engaged in during the meeting was an effort to address those concerns in real time. 

As I stated previously, I understand and respect the Attorney General's ruling and look forward to the continued good work of the DEI Committee. 

Liana Cassar

Barrington