I am distraught by the Colchester first selectman's reaction to Colchester adults using racist language to intimidate students at the Bacon Academy-Ledyard Girls' Basketball game last week. Those parents' actions reflect on our whole community, despite our selectman's insistence to the opposite.

Inaction defines us every bit as much as action. And the selectman's inaction now defines our town and our leadership. Saying that racism has no place in our town is pathetic lip service from someone who rescinded the standing declaration that racism is a health crisis in Colchester. In fact, rescinding the declaration normalizes racist behavior.

Our selectman says "…no charges of a hate crime have been levied towards any citizen thus far" as if the biggest concern is those adults. Instead, he should act on his claim that "racism has no place in Colchester."

Ledyard schools identified these adults and will block them from attending future events. Surely Colchester has this information. Our town leaders ought to at least prevent those adults from attending events connected with any of our schools.

Such actions will not absolve the past or solve the undeniable issue that racism is a global crisis. But for God's sake, let's have our leaders do something.

Isabelle Smith

Colchester