Power of Ten Update
In this Issue:
- Federal Civil Rights Court Date
- Board Meeting Tuesday
- Questions from East Ramapo Underground
- East Ramapo Gambles on Budgets
1) Federal Civil Rights Court Date
Advocates for Justice, a New York based public interest law firm, has filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of East Ramapo School District parents and students. A motion has been filed by the defendants to dismiss the lawsuit, and Judge Cathy Seibel will issue her decision on Monday.
The public is encouraged to attend:
Monday September 30 at 10:30 AM
Federal Courthouse Room 621 – Judge Cathy Seibel
300 Quarropas Street White Plains, NY
2) Board Meeting Tuesday
East Ramapo School Board Meeting
Tuesday,October 1, 2013
105 South Madison Ave, Spring Valley, Administration Building
7:30p.m. Regular Meeting
3) Questions from East Ramapo Underground
- Why is D’Agostino still working for the District 3 months after the Board said they would get another attorney?
- Why are children sitting 2 to a desk?
- Why are there segregated Special Ed Kindergarten Classes in Yiddish?
4) East Ramapo Gambles on Budgets
Letter by Stephen Price, Former Board Member of East Ramapo
published in the Journal News (Sept 22)
Re: “East Ramapo’s aid issues will spread,” Sept. 5th Letter:
Regarding the Gap Elimination Adjustment Law, the letter writer missed an important point setting East Ramapo apart from all other Rockland school districts. Even if the GAP elimination law is repealed, there is no amount of increased state aid that will help East Ramapo as long as schools Superintendent Joel Klein and the Board of Education are allowed to continue to overspend their revenues as they have the past two years. This practice has accelerated the financial and educational demise of East Ramapo.
In his response to the recent comptroller’s audit, Dr. Klein stated, “We anticipate that within the next three years, the district will no longer require ‘one time revenue’ sources to bridge the gaps in the district budget.” Dr. Klein implies there are financial controls in place. But the recent history of mid-year program cuts demonstrates a profound lack of adequate planning. More realistically, Dr. Klein’s response is nothing more than a euphemism for a plan to continue deficit spending.
After the board recently cut more than $3 million from the voter-approved budget, it became apparent the distict’s response to the comptroller’s audit is an ominous foretelling of a dark financial future for East Ramapo.
This year, the district is gambling on almost $12 million in questionable revenue and budget assumptions. If these gambles do not pay off, the results will be more program cuts and more program cuts and more excuses to sell off the district’s assets.