1-31-13

Power of Ten Update

In this Issue:

  1. Follow up the petition with a phone call
  2. School Board members resign
  3. School Board meeting Tuesday
  4. Please support the class action civil rights lawsuit
  5. Message from the editor

1) Please Call Albany:

Thank you to all 4,994 of you who signed the petition asking for a State Oversight Monitor for the East Ramapo Central School District.

A brief summary of the petition campaign is available at http://poweroften.us/petition-for-monitor/

We are asking that you follow up with two phone calls:

The numbers:

(1) The Governor’s office: (518) 474-8390 (you will get an answering machine, leave a message)
(2) The Commissioner of Education: 518-474-5844 (this phone is only open during business hours)

What to say:

“I am_____. I live in _______. Please support the appointment of an oversight monitor for the East Ramapo public schools. The public school children need your action before it is too late.”

After you call:

 

Please write a note on the Facebook event page saying you called and what response you got, if any.

2) Suzanne Young-Mercer and Steve Price Resign:

The last two public school supporters on the East Ramapo School Board have resigned from the board.

The reasons that they cite for their resignation are truly eye-opening: http://poweroften.us/news/resignation-letters/

Media coverage of the resignations:

Journal News Editorial

Journal News Story

Newsday Story

3) School Board Meeting TUESDAY NIGHT

Tuesday, February 5

7:30 PM

District Offices

105 S. Madison Ave, Spring Valley

4) Please support the class action lawsuit:

Advocates for Justice, a New York based, non-profit, public interest law firm, has filed a class action, civil rights lawsuit on behalf of East Ramapo School District parents, students, and taxpayers.

Advocates for Justice is not charging us a fee for this action, but they are in need of funds to continue this fight. They are asking us to contribute what we can. Monthly amounts are especially helpful (and easier on tight family budgets!)

Be part of the solution, contribute online, or mail a check to:
Advocates for Justice
225 Broadway, Suite 1902
New York, NY 10007

5) Message from the editor:

Now that Stephen Price and Suzanne Young-Mercer have resigned, the remaining seven school board trustees are all members of the yeshiva community. Their lack of transparency and civility to the public is notorious. Now we know that it extended even to fellow board members. The board says they plan to appoint two people to fill the seats. Given the “harassment and intimidation” that were directed at the previous occupants, one would have to question either the independence or the judgment of anyone who would accept the appointment.

The movement for justice in East Ramapo is gaining momentum and moving forward. The school board has been chastised by the NY State Comptroller; it has been rebuked by the Commissioner of Education; it has been found in multiple, repeated violation by NYSED. The NY State Attorney General is looking at their real estate transactions and the US Dept. of Education Civil Rights division is looking at their actions toward minorities, at the request of the NAACP.

Now hundreds of parents, alumni, and taxpayers have come together in an unprecedented class action civil rights lawsuit that will hold accountable those who have violated the public trust. Our case is being heard by the NY State Education Commissioner and by the Federal District Court. The whole community worked hard to build up a great school district, and we will not let it be destroyed by a few greedy men. – Steve White, editor

Justice is coming to East Ramapo … and WE can make it happen!!!

 

1-18-13

Power of Ten Update

In this Issue:

  1. Petition delivered to Albany with 4,994 signers!
  2. School Board meeting Tuesday
  3. Please support the class action civil rights lawsuit
  4. Jermaine Paul to sing for King Day at Spring Valley HS
  5. Message from the editor

1) Petition delivered to Albany:

On Tuesday, January 15, a group of 18 East Ramapo students, parents and activists headed to Albany to deliver the petition with 4,994 signers to the Commissioner and the Governor asking for a State Oversight Monitor to to take charge of the financial and educational administration of the East Ramapo Central School District.

A brief summary with photos is available at http://poweroften.us/petition-for-monitor/

Thank you to all who signed, commented, forwarded, shared, ‘tweeted’, and ‘liked’.

2) School Board Meeting TUESDAY NIGHT

Tuesday, January 22

7:30 PM

District Offices

105 S. Madison Ave, Spring Valley

Over 400 Community members, mostly parents, rallied at the last school board meeting in December to demand that essential programs including Kindergarten, Music and Art be preserved.

Kindergarten is still here, but Music, Art and more have taken big cuts!

Sometimes these meeting can be very long. It is not necessary to stay for the whole meeting. Whether you come early or late, whether you stay for an hour or until the wee hours, you will find other parents, students, and community members there ready to make good use of the time.

We are fighting to save public education, will you join us? We will NOT BE SILENT!!!

3) Please support the class action lawsuit:

Advocates for Justice, a New York based, non-profit, public interest law firm, has filed a class action, civil rights lawsuit on behalf of East Ramapo School District parents, students, and taxpayers.

Advocates for Justice is not charging us a fee for this action, but they are in need of funds to continue this fight. They are asking us to contribute what we can. Monthly amounts are especially helpful (and easier on tight family budgets!)

Be part of the solution, contribute online, or mail a check to:
Advocates for Justice
225 Broadway, Suite 1902
New York, NY 10007

4) Jermaine Paul at Spring Valley High:

The Martin Luther King Multipurpose Center is hosting a Celebration of the Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on January 21st from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

There are over 50 sponsors and 150 entertainers including Jermaine Paul, the winner of NBC’s “the Voice” in 2012.

Jermaine was actually a student at the center when he was young.

The cost is free and snacks will be provided.

Where: Spring Valley HS

When: Monday, January 21st from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm

5) Message from the editor:

The Power of Ten is dedicated to providing the info you need about East Ramapo. There are always a lot of rumors and myths being spun about the district and the community it serves. The Power of Ten provides information and analysis that you can use to stay focused and positive about our kids and our schools.

Some examples of info only available on our website:

Did you know that the district, according to its own study, spends $11 million MORE on services to the non-public schools than it receives in taxes from the non-public parents?

Did you know that almost HALF (43%) of our total school budget is paid by the state and federal government, not local taxes?

Did you know that the combined income of East Ramapo residents is greater than any other district in Rockland? And the percent we spend on public education is the least?

Now the Superintendent of schools, has acknowledged in his letter to the commissioner, that it is spending on non-public schools which is driving the deficit and the cuts to public education.

What does all this tell you? The problem is not a lack of funds, it is a lack of JUSTICE. The civil rights of the students are being violated.

That’s why we have a class action civil rights lawsuit, that’s why the Attorney General is investigating, that’s why the Federal Dept of Education Civil Rights division is investigating, that’s why the State Comptroller and the State Dept of Education have cited the district many times.

Do not be discouraged. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said “The Arc of the Moral Universe Is Long, but It Bends Toward Justice.”

Justice is coming to East Ramapo … and WE can make it happen!!! – Steve White, editor

“Once social change begins, it cannot be reversed. You cannot un-educate the person who has learned to read. You cannot humiliate the person who feels pride. You cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore. ― César Chávez

 

1-11-13

Power of Ten

Urgent Update:

Three days left to sign the petition!

We will be delivering the petition in person in Albany on Tuesday January 15.

There are almost 3,400 signers to the petition at www.poweroften.us/petition which was created only 22 days ago. 700 have signed just since the last update! We need just 600 more to make our goal of 4,000.

Please share the petition with all your email contacts, Facebook friends and Twitter followers. If each person reading this message gets just one other person to sign, we will surpass our goal!

There are share buttons for Facebook and Twitter right on the petition. The link to email your friends is www.poweroften.us/petition

This petition is open to anyone who agrees with the message. You do not need to be a resident of East Ramapo to sign.

There is a Facebook event page at: http://www.facebook.com/events/342604792513847/ Clicking “Going” to the event is another great way to show your support and also an easy way to spread the word.

Please confirm your signature: If you have not confirmed already, expect to get a confirmation email for your petition signature. Please add steve@poweroften.us to your “safe sender” list, (aka contact list, friend list or address book) to ensure that the confirmation goes to your inbox.

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

1-6-13

Power of Ten Update

In this Issue:

  1. Over 2,700 people have signed the petition!
  2. School Board meeting Tuesday
  3. Please support the class action civil rights lawsuit
  4. Stage set for State takeover
  5. Message from the editor

1) Petition for state oversight of East Ramapo now has over 2,700 signers:

There are now over 2,700 signers to the petition at www.poweroften.us/petition which was created only 10 days ago.

Please share the petition with all your email contacts, Facebook friends and Twitter followers. There are share buttons for Facebook and Twitter right on the petition. The link to email your friends is www.poweroften.us/petition

This petition is open to anyone who agrees with the message. You do not need to be a resident of East Ramapo to sign.

There is a Facebook event page at: http://www.facebook.com/events/342604792513847/ Clicking “Going” to the event is another great way to show your support and also an easy way to spread the word.

Please confirm your signature: If you have not confirmed already, expect to get a confirmation email for your petition signature. Please add steve@poweroften.us to your “safe sender” list, (aka contact list, friend list or address book) to ensure that the confirmation goes to your inbox.

2) School Board Meeting TUESDAY NIGHT

Tuesday, January 8

7:00 PM? or 8:00 PM?

District Offices

105 S. Madison Ave, Spring Valley

Over 400 Community members, mostly parents, rallied at the last school board meeting in December to demand that essential programs including Kindergarten, Music and Art be preserved.

The result was that no action was taken, and the kids were back in Kindergarten this week!

Please come to the next meeting this Tuesday.

As of this moment there has been no agenda posted; we don’t know what kind of action they plan to take.

Once again, the time for the meeting is not clearly set. They “plan” to go into a private session at 7:00 PM, and “expect” to open the public session at 8:00 PM.

Whether you arrive at 7:00, or 8:00, or somewhere in between, you will find other parents, students, and community members there ready to make good use of the time.

We are fighting to save public education, will you join us? We will NOT BE SILENT!!!

3) Please support the class action lawsuit:

Advocates for Justice, a New York based, non-profit, public interest law firm, has filed a class action, civil rights lawsuit on behalf of East Ramapo School District parents, students, and taxpayers.

Advocates for Justice is not charging us a fee for this action, but they are in need funds to continue this fight. They are asking us to contribute what we can. Monthly amounts are especially helpful (and easier on tight family budgets!)
Be part of the solution, contribute online, or mail a check to:
Advocates for Justice
225 Broadway, Suite 1902
New York, NY 10007

4) Stage will be set for State takeover of East Ramapo:

An article in the new Newsday Hudson Valley Edition (sorry it is only available to Newsday or Cablevision customers) is titled “East Ramapo Schools Edge Closer to State Takeover”.

Some choice excerpts from the Newsday article:

State education officials on Thursday sent a letter demanding action by the superintendent of the East Ramapo Central School District after the district blew a Jan. 2 deadline for a plan to address its budget deficit. The letter appeared to be an aggressive step toward a state takeover of the district.

“Failure to take the above actions on or before January 16 will result in a commissioner’s order to you and the board to comply,” State Education Department Deputy Commissioner Ken Slentz wrote. Such an order would set the stage for an immediate state takeover of the district if the order is not obeyed.

Adding to the district’s woes, King sent a letter Wednesday — a second letter — citing “concern” over the board’s conduct when it voted to sell Colton Elementary School.

Excerpts from The Journal News reporting on the sale of Colton:

Commissioner John King says Anderson didn’t “meet her burden of proof” in arguing that the Board of Education sold the building for less than it was worth.

“We have to consider (whether) we will or will not,” sell the school, (School District Attorney) D’Agostino said. “… A lot of issues are being addressed there now.”

Among the “issues,” which D’Agostino declined to discuss, is that Bais Malka has been in arrears on rent payments for months.

5) Message from the editor:

The Power of Ten is organized to advocate for the rights of the children who attend the public schools in East Ramapo. These rights include an educational experience that prepares them for college and for the job market; an experience that is rewarding and fulfilling, an experience where they are respected and where they are expected to excel. These rights include the right to live and learn in an environment free of racism, segregation or unequal treatment. The rights of the students are inseparable from the rights of the parents to be heard and listened to.

The goal of these messages is to inform and to inspire. Please do not just read and watch. Get involved. Get all your friends, relatives and co-workers to sign the petition, donate to the non-profit law firm, or come to a meeting. Be the person who is always telling others the truth about what is happening here and what we are doing about it. Justice is coming to East Ramapo … and WE can make it happen!!! – Steve White, editor

“Once social change begins, it cannot be reversed. You cannot un-educate the person who has learned to read. You cannot humiliate the person who feels pride. You cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore. ― César Chávez