BY DAVE PRICE
Daily Post Editor
Palo Altans got a glimpse of how City Councilwoman Julie Lythcott-Haims selects applicants for city’s Human Relations Commission, and it wasn’t a pretty sight. As former mayor Lydia Kou put it, it was like a scene out of the movie “Mean Girls.”
Through a California Public Records Request, the Daily Post obtained emails and texts of a group chat among Lythcott-Haims, former school board President Jennifer DiBrienza, Nicole Chiu‑Wang and Nana Chancellor last fall. At the time, the council was deciding which applicants for the HRC it would interview in public session.
What does the HRC do? The city’s website says, “The Palo Alto Human Relations Commission strives for equal and fair treatment of people who live and work in Palo Alto, focusing on vulnerable populations.” The commission advises the council on “discrimination,” “inclusion” and “community‑building.”
Scrutinizing an applicant
Lythcott-Haims asked the group about Allyson Rosen, a Stanford psychologist who applied for the HRC.
“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 DiBrienza.
Rosen has a Ph.D. “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. DiBrienza complained that Rosen went to a meeting to make sure nobody blamed academic pressure for student suicides.
It’s unclear to me why the HRC would be concerned with “math acceleration,” that is, allowing students to take advanced classes like multivariable calculus. Isn’t that the school board’s concern?
And Gaza? What does a war 7,400 miles away from Palo Alto have to do with the HRC?
It’s as if Lythcott-Haims and her friends are so obsessed with international and national political issues that they’re using them to determine who serves on a council-appointed commission.
Upon hearing the group, Lythcott-Haims indicated her mind was made up.
“Oy,” Lythcott-Haims replied. “I’m good I’m good no need to say more!”
Supporters of Israel not welcome
I wondered if Lythcott-Haims used the yiddish expression of “Oy” as a joke, since it appears that anyone who supports Israel didn’t have a chance of getting very far in the process. Another supporter of Israel who didn’t advance in the HRC selection process was Deborah Goldeen, who publicly criticized pro-Palestinian protesters. That was enough to put her on the blacklist.
Rosen felt the process was disrespectful.
Rosen said she wanted to help the HRC 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,” said Rosen, speaking for her herself and not in her role as director of dementia education at the VA. “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.”
Process needs transparency
The process needs to change. Council members shouldn’t be making decisions based on information that is obtained privately like this. The public should be able to hear the evidence and verify that it’s true. The applicant should have the right to respond to allegations made in private.
When council interviewed Rosen, they asked her just two questions before picking other applicants for the HRC.
This is a terrible way to select people for public office. It’s embarassing that somebody in leadership in Palo Alto would operate this way.
Lythcott-Haims’s term ends this year. She hasn’t said if she is running for re-election this fall.
Editor Dave Price’s column appears on Mondays.
Julie is quite a piece of work. Makes a decision based on the opinions of some fellow,Israel haters. Did she ever speak with Rosen?
Isn’t she the one who was having an affair with an undergrad at Stanford?
Asking your friends and supporters for their advice on committee appointments happens all the time in local government. The only thing wrong that Lythcott-Haims was to do it on a city phone that reporters could get hold of.
Having said that, her choice of advisers left a lot to be desired.