Police Report Filed After Allegedly Laxative-Laced Brownies Delivered To School Committee

School Committee chair Laura Gallagher Byrne intends to file a police report after local government critic Meghan Perry offered brownies to the Committee that she claimed contained trace, "non-detect" amounts of a laxative. Perry’s offer appears to have been intended as a metaphor about the testing standards for a proposed artificial turf field slated for installation at Vito Capizzo Stadium.

“The School Committee values respectful engagement and an environment where members of the community feel welcome to share their concerns. That process was compromised during last evening’s meeting,” Byrne wrote in a statement shared with the Current. “Because this incident occurred in a school setting and during a public meeting, we are reviewing our public comment practices and filing a police report, as advised by town leadership.”

During the public comment portion of the meeting, Perry, who is often sharply critical of the island’s local government and has courted controversy during public comment before, went to the podium and offered the Committee a plate of brownies.

“It’s my understanding they do have a non-detect level of Ex-Lax in them,” Perry said of the brownies, referring to a laxative. “But I figured since we’re okay with a non-detect level of PFAS, it would probably be okay.”

She then went on to thank the Committee for its work.

Perry told the Current that the brownies were “safe to eat.” It’s unclear if her actions violate any laws.

Watch the full exchange here:

A staunch opponent of the proposed turf field, Perry is often markedly assertive during her public comments. The brownies appear to be a metaphor for the turf field, which the Nantucket Public Schools will test for the so-called forever chemicals known as PFAS. PFAS are linked to human health problems, including cancer. Some opponents of the field have criticized the proposed detection thresholds for the tests the school system plans to use, saying that levels of PFAS below those thresholds could still be dangerous.

Representatives of the Nantucket Public Schools have assured the community that the tests will be stringent, and the broader athletic facilities renovation plan, which includes the field, passed overwhelmingly at Town Meeting and the local election. The exact testing regime is still under negotiation between the Nantucket Public Schools and the Nantucket Land and Water Council, a local environmental non-profit, though the two sides are close to an accord.

Byrne told the Current that she was “shocked” by what had happened.

“Public comment is an opportunity to voice concerns in a manner that respects everyone in the room. It is not a place for displays that appear intended to provoke, ridicule, or diminish the dignity of the process or the people involved,” she wrote. “It is unfortunate that this step is necessary, but the safety of the committee, staff, and community must be taken seriously.”

The Current was not immediately able to obtain a copy of the police report.

After the meeting, Superintendent Elizabeth Hallett disposed of the brownies. None were consumed.