The Town Council of Los Gatos, California has voted to create a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Commission charged with enacting equity-oriented policies in the town. The eleven-member commission was established on September 19, with its creation being justified by Councilmember Rob Moore on grounds that, “Los Gatos currently has a reputation–an indisputable reputation in some parts of the Bay Area–for being a place that is not inclusive.”
Moore was not inclusive regarding diversity of opinion, however, claiming that “voting against the creation of this commission will only further that reputation.”
That alleged reputation has been pronounced on account of incidents surrounding the town council and an unfavorable inclusivity rating from the University of California, Berkeley. In 2021, several town council meetings were allegedly “disrupted” after opponents of the city’s COVID policies and left-wing ideological bent voiced dissatisfaction with the council. Furthermore, a report by UC Berkeley ranked Los Gatos among the most segregated inter-municipal cities in the San Francisco area.
Not all residents of Los Gatos are enthusiastic about the coming DEI commission. Ronald Meyer, a Los Gatos resident, had the temerity to ask the Los Gatos Town Council for data which would point to a trend of racist incidents, adding that he believed that the town “is a very diverse area.” Meyer could have been given at least one tangible example of racist behavior, albeit behavior that came from the town council rather than an outside party.
In February, Planning Commissioner Kylie Clark was censured after denouncing supporters of a referendum restricting construction of new housing in the area as “a few rich, white, anti-housing men.”
If the Los Gatos Town Council is concerned about racism and discrimination within its community, perhaps it should consider turning its attention inward rather than foisting a DEI Commission on the larger community.