BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT
Daily Post Staff Writer
Text messages between Councilwoman Julie Lythcott-Haims and her school district friends show that Lythcott-Haims voted against a volunteer for a city commission because of the volunteer’s views on Gaza and math.
Lythcott-Haims sought advice in a group chat with former school board president Jennifer DiBrienza, former school board candidate Nicole Chiu-Wang and parent Nana Chancellor. Lythcott-Haims asked them about Allyson Rosen, a Stanford psychologist who applied for the city’s Human Relations Commission in October.
“I’m hearing there are concerns about (Rosen) based on ‘PAUSD issues.’ Does any of you have an opinion?” Lythcott-Haims asked the group chat on Oct. 3.
“Yes. Do not let her on there,” said Di-Brienza, who was on the school board from 2016 to 2024.
Rosen has a PhD “in something” and bills herself as “a data person” but twists data to suit her agenda, DiBrienza said.
“She is one of the math acceleration people. She is very unsympathetic toward Gaza,” DiBrienza said. Rosen went to a meeting to make sure nobody blamed academic pressure for student suicides, DiBrienza said.
Warning a friend
“Oy,” Lythcott-Haims replied. “I’m good I’m good no need to say more!” The Post obtained the messages from the city on Friday using the California Public Records Act.
Chancellor told Lythcott-Haims that Rosen is “one of the ones I warned you about.”
“She is the worst!!” Chancellor said.
Chiu-Wang said Rosen went after DreamCatchers — a nonprofit that offers free after-school programs, led by Chiu-Wang.
“She should definitely NOT be on HRC,” Chiu-Wang said.
“Anti-equity in every way,” Chancellor added. “She is also a big Rowena supporter. Okay, enough said.” Chancellor was referring to school board member Rowena Chiu, who was elected in November 2024 to change the district’s culture and allow students to advance in math.
The interview
Council members asked Rosen two questions during her interview for the Human Relations Commission on Oct. 15. Mayor Greer Stone asked about federal budget cuts, and Lythcott-Haims about Rosen’s posts in a Palo Alto parents’ group chat.
Rosen told the chat that she needed help in “an information war to defend Israel in the world of public opinion,” according to Lythcott-Haims.
“We are running around trying to debate radial pro-Palestinian activists telling us that Israel is committing genocice and promoting ceasefire proclamations,” Rosen’s post said, according to Lythcott-Haims.
Lythcott-Haims asked Rosen how these views were compatible with the Human Relations Commission.
Rosen said it’s important to have correct information in the war between Israel and Hamas.
“If we don’t have correct information, then that turns into propaganda and hate against the Jewish community,” Rosen said at the meeting.
Didn’t get any votes
Rosen ended up getting no votes. Council picked Michelle Kraus, Sridhar Karnam and Salwa Ansari for two-year terms.
The Human Relations Commission’s mission is to “promote the just and fair treatment of all people in Palo Alto, particularly (its) most vulnerable populations.”
In an interview yesterday, Rosen said she felt like Lythcott-Haims blindsided her during the interview.
“I was very struck by how disrespectful it was,” said Rosen, speaking for herself not for her job as director of dementia education at the VA.
Feels judged
Rosen said she wanted to help the Human Relations Commission address student suicides, which she attributes to depression and bullying. She said she thought her background as a psychologist would be helpful, but she feels like Lythcott-Haims judged her politics, not her qualifications or approach.
“This isn’t about me,” Rosen said. “It’s about whether council members are making decisions with fairness, independence and integrity – not based on retribution or personal grievances or irrelevant political litmus tests.”
‘We all make mistakes’
Lythcott-Haims declined an interview yesterday.
In an email, she said she learned in passing that Rosen had a long history of speaking at school board meetings and had disparaged supporters of Palestinians. “Whenever a candidate has said or done something concerning I give them an opportunity to explain where they were coming from and ask whether in retrospect they might have behaved differently,” Lythcott-Haims said. “We all make mistakes and are capable of growing. How they answer determines whether I would feel comfortable appointing them to the commission.”
Lythcott-Haims term on council expires at the end of this year. It isn’t known if she is running for re-election in the fall.
Like ‘Mean Girls’
Former Mayor Lydia Kou said Lythcott-Haims was scolding and condescending toward Rosen.
“It was a demeaning tirade,” Kou said in an interview Tuesday.
Kou said the text messages reminded her of the movie “Mean Girls.”
“If that’s all the information that’s needed in order to say no to a volunteer – even though they’re highly qualified for the HRC position — it’s very shameful,” Kou said.
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