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The Power of Ten

Special Edition: Call to Action

If there is one person who is most responsible for the degradation of East Ramapo, it is Aron Wieder. In Nov, 2009, Aron Wieder brought Al D’Agostino to East Ramapo. In June of 2011, the school board majority, led by Aron Wieder chose Dr. Joel Klein  for Superintendent of schools. 

Last year, the majority of the Democrats in the Rockland County Legislature supported the oversight bill offered by Assembly members Jaffee and Zebrowski and Senator Carlucci. Mr. Wieder, as the leader of the Democratic majority, should have carried their message to Albany. Instead, he spearheaded the effort to block the legislation.

The Rockland County Legislature Democrats should not allow Mr. Wieder to continue in a leadership role. His record as Majority Leader is inconsistent with Democratic Party values. He put his own opinions ahead of his duty to his fellow legislators.

There are three Democratic Rockland County Legislators who supported the legislation for a monitor in East Ramapo but have not yet indicated if they will oppose a re-nomination of Mr. Wieder. They are Toney Earl, Aney Paul, and Alden Wolfe.

Please call the Legislature at 845-638-5100 and ask to speak to Toney Earl, Aney Paul, and Alden Wolfe. You may be directed to their constituent representatives.

Leave a message:

Thank you for continuing to support strong oversight for East Ramapo. I am calling to ask you not to vote to approve Aron Wieder as Majority Leader. Mr. Wieder does not support strong oversight for East Ramapo. He does not respect our views and he has failed to represent you as your leader.

Then, E-mail the same message:

Hon. Alden H. Wolfe, Chairman
WolfeA@co.rockland.ny.us

Hon. Toney L. Earl
EarlT@co.rockland.ny.us

Hon. Aney Paul
PaulA@co.rockland.ny.us

Thank you,

Steven White
Editor, The Power of Ten

8-27-12

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Power of Ten Update

In this Issue:

  1. Student Demonstration Highlights Legal Action!
  2. School Board President Runs Afoul of Public Meeting Laws!
  3. What YOU can do to be part of the action!
  4. Message from the editor

1) Student Demonstration Highlights Legal Action:

A new organization: The Save Our Schools Coalition – East Ramapo is led by alumnus Carlos Ortiz. The coalition held a press conference and demonstration on August 23rd at the district central offices.

You can see graduates and current students talk about the East Ramapo Central School District and the actions of the school board here: http://youtu.be/lOsCjzddgFk .

The rally was covered by:

The Journal News: http://www.lohud.com/article/20120824/NEWS03/308220098/East-Ramapo-alumni-berate-school-board?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Newsday: http://newyork.newsday.com/rockland/east-ramapo-students-alumni-rally-against-school-board-1.3923422

WBAI 99.5 FM: http://wbai.org/articles.php?headline=Parents%20Sue%20the%20East%20Ramapo%20School%20District

2) School Board President Runs Afoul of Public Meeting Laws

Back in 2009, the school board attempted to shut down videotaping of its meetings . However, these meetings are covered by NY State Open Meetings Law , which protects the public’s right to know what entities such as the school board are doing.

Once again, it was Emilia White who was threatened with arrest for video taping at a School Board Meeting.

Once again, Ms. White stood up to the bullying tactics of the school board president.

Videotaping meetings has proven to be one of the most important methods of protecting the public interest from arbitrary and harmful actions by the board. Many thousands of people have been able to view the board at work through the diligent work of Antonio Luciano on his YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/luckylouproduction

3) “Advocates for Justice” Needs YOU:

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 seeking monetary damages from some school board members, district officials and contractors.

We have lost full day kindergarten, guidance counselors, social workers, our award winning band director and hundreds of teachers. Our classrooms are overcrowded and our children are suffering!

IT IS TIME FOR ACTION! Find out if YOU can join in this action and be part of the solution! Go to http://www.saveeastramaposchools.com/ to join the class action lawsuit or make a donation.

4) Message from the editor:

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 the actions toward minorities, at the request of the NAACP. In each case, the board and the administration have chosen to find fault with the agency reviewing their actions rather than admit and correct. They are even suing the NY State Attorney General to prevent release of 1300 documents!!!

Many, perhaps all of these actions are the result of citizen activism which now offers the hope of actually removing those who abuse their office, getting an independent monitor, and forcing the abusers to pay back the district for all the harm they have done.

At every step of the way we have encountered resistance in the form of a divide and conquer strategy:

  • In 2009, the board tried to pit one elementary school against the other in a fake search for a school to close. We did not take the bait, and we stood together with signs proclaiming the sanctity of ALL our schools.
  • They tried to pit Kindergarten parents against other elementary parents, by offering Full day K to “some” in exchange for closing a school. Our solidarity never budged. (today we have neither the Full day K nor the school, which was apparently the plan all along).
  • The board has constantly tried to pit parents against teachers by blaming the budget problems caused by the board’s misconduct on the teacher’s union. WE NEVER BUDGED! Parents and students rallied behind our teachers, and other staff, by the hundreds!
  • Today, the board and the administration are trying to sow division again by spreading rumors that teachers will be laid off due to parent activists. These rumors are just another attempt to divide those who cherish education and all it produces so that the board can maintain its wasteful, hurtful ways. The truth is that the lawsuit filed on behalf of parents and the district seeks to PROHIBIT the expenditure of district funds to defend against the lawsuit or the appeal filed by parents.

It is up to each and every one of us to spread the word of the mission and the success of this movement, and to exhibit solidarity with the other stakeholders in the district. Our current predicament is not the fault of the teachers, or the comptroller, or the media, or the parents. The responsibility for the fiduciary disaster and the public perception that the district is not acting in the best interest of the students rests squarely on the shoulders of those named in the class action suit. Tell your friends: “Justice is coming to East Ramapo!” – Steve White, editor

7-31-12

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Power of Ten Update

In this Issue:

  1. Governor Cuomo Vetoes S7722!
  2. East Ramapo Parents: 5 on School Board Must Go!
  3. What YOU can do to be part of the action!
1) Governor Cuomo Vetoes S7722:

Governor Cuomo has vetoed S7722, the “special education placement bill”. He says: “This bill unfairly places the burden on taxpayers to support the provision of a private education”.

The East Ramapo School Board has been doing just that with its unapproved placements which continue to be a violation of State Regulations.

Power of Ten submitted a petition with 1715 signatures asking Governor Cuomo to veto this bill. We congratulate him for doing the right thing and for noting that part of the reason for his decision was communication he received from “hundreds” of individuals. East Ramapo was the only local school board not to write the governor requesting a veto. You can call Governor Cuomo at 518-474-8390, and thank him for vetoing S7722.

2) “Advocates for Justice” needs YOU:

The New York-based public interest law firmAdvocates for Justice, on behalf of 14 East Ramapo parents and community members, said it is calling for the removal of five board members and the appointment of a an overseer to remedy rampant abuses of office within the ERCSD School Board, and prevent future abuses. This major development has been covered in The New York Times and The Journal News, and featured with Art McFarland on Channel 7 Eyewitness News.

3) YOU can join in this action and be part of the solution:

To sign on, contact Stephanie Torre at storre@advocatesny.com , or (212)285-1400 or through the web form. Please contact them by the end of business on Friday to be sure to be included in any action.

6-12-12

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In this edition:
  1. Attorney general probing East Ramapo real estate dealings
  2. Notice of Non-compliance from NY State Education Dept.
  3. East Ramapo Underground Radio is back!
  4. Town Hall Meeting at CEJJES Institute
  5. Budget vote on June 19
  6. Message from the editor
1. Attorney general probing East Ramapo real estate dealings
The Journal News has reported that the NY State Attorney General has subpoenaed records related to the attempted sale and current leases of two school buildings.
It should be noted that public school students and staff were evicted from these buildings by the school board under the pretext that enrollment was down. Actual enrollment this year is up by over 1000 students from projections made by the board. Overcrowding is now a serious concern, with one high school at 159% of recommended capacity.
We knew that closing schools was bad educational policy for our students. We knew that selling schools in a hurry did not adhere to the fiduciary duty to the taxpayer. We should not be surprised if it turns out that NY State law was violated too.
2. Notice of Non-compliance from NY State Education Dept.
East Ramapo has been forced to post a notice to the community regarding the result of a finding of continuing non-compliance.
In April 2010 NYSED found the district to be in violation of regulations pertaining to placement of special education students. These regulations are designed to promote placement in the environment which is most beneficial to educational outcomes for these students. It appears that the district may have been more concerned about parents desire for a segregated environment than about what was best for the students education. As it turns out, this was also bad for the taxpayer as the property owner has now been stuck footing the bill for these unapproved placements. The cost to East Ramapo property taxpayer for educating these special education students is in the millions of dollars. These students could have been receiving a superior education at state expense, and the money currently being sent to private religious special education schools could have been spent on improving the outcomes for our sistrict, which now has several schools deemed ‘in need of improvement’ by NY State.
3. East Ramapo Underground Radio is back!
The East Ramapo Underground radio show is back! The 2nd Friday of the month @ 10 o’clock on WRCR-1300AM tune in to find out what is happening in the East Ramapo School District. Each monthly show will be for an hour!
Find out what the school district doesn’t want you to know. The show is broadcast live over the internet at www.wrcr.com or if you can’t listen live, the show will be on our Facebook page. The studio number to call in is 845-362-0013.
Your co-hosts
Peggy Hatton & Antonio Luciano
4. Town Hall Meeting at CEJJES Institute
Saturday, June 30, 2012 6:00 PM
The CEJJES Institute
5 Cooper Morris Drive Pomona, NY

Donation requested Adults $5 Students Free

What is the future of Education in East Ramapo? What does it mean for our children? What does this mean for the community of color? How do we move forward? If you are an administrator, teacher; educator or just a concerned member of the community we want to hear your voice. Please come out and take part in this very important conversation.
rsvp required to: CEJJESinst@gmail.com or 845 362 8610 by June 25th, 2012
5. Budget vote on June 19
According to the superintendent, the May 15 budget was voted down as a crass manipulation to prevent public school parents Kim Foskew, Hiram Rivera, and JoAnne Thompson from being elected to the school board.
The same budget will be put up for a revote on June 19. Please do not allow the cynicism and pettiness of the board or the administration to deter you from exercising your right to vote. In the last message, I provided information of where to write to if you are sick and tired of the unethical behavior of the board and the administration. Don’t respond to this challenge by doing less. If you feel that the crass manipulations of the board are making you feel like your vote doesn’t count, take a few minutes when you get home from the poll and WRITE your representative about how you feel AT THAT MOMENT.
6. Message from the editor

Several years ago, the makeup of the East Ramapo School board changed. The majority of the members of the school board became people with strong family and community ties to private schools, specifically private religious schools for the ultra-orthodox Jewish community. Many people were concerned that this school board would use its authority to shift the priorities of the district more toward those schools and the segregated community that they serve. Others felt that the new board could faithfully serve both communities. Any citizen of the district has the right to run for school board, by law. Over the years there have been many confrontations over issues such as budget items and school closings. The non-public school members of the public school board have maintained that their main goal is fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers which necessitates controlling spending.

 

However, several of their actions have been contrary to that cause:

  • They created a paid position (treasurer) for a close friend, Israel Bier. This job had previously been performed by a district employee at no extra cost.
  • They replaced an attorney for one that cost about 4 times as much per hour.
  • They sold a school (Hillcrest) for a fraction of the appraised value (fortunately the State Education Department halted the sale). Another school sale (Colton) is being held up by the state for similar reasons after a taxpayer complained that they were selling public property without doing their fiduciary duty to get the best return for the taxpayer.
  • They fired Pedro Santana, the most effective and beloved administrator the district has ever seen (according to staff, students and parents).
  • While many of our buildings are in need of millions of dollars of repairs, the two schools that the board voted to sell to non-public schools were the only ones that the state says need no money for repairs over the next 5 years.
  • One of the most powerful of the non-public school board members, Nathan Rothschild, who was president of the board, has been sentenced to federal prison for fraud involving a real estate transaction for another public agency (he was a fire commissioner).
  • The district has been cited by the NY State Comptroller for lack of oversight of millions of dollars of public materials loaned to private schools.
  • The district has been cited by the NY State Education Department Special Education Quality Assurance division for improper placement of students in private schools when a public school would provide superior educational opportunity.

All of this evidence points to the conclusion that what seemed to be a conflict of interest, is indeed a conflict of interest.

 

The people most directly affected (students and parents) have tried every avenue available to them to protect the quality of education in the district. They have written to every elected and appointed official. They have filed formal appeals with the state. They have raised funds and run coordinated elections bringing out triple the voter turnout of any nearby district. While there have been some achievements, the underlying problem- conflict of interest- has not been resolved.

 

In a recent board meeting, one of the board members made quite a long speech essentially alleging that all of the complaints from the parents and students are not based on any of the actions that he and his colleagues have taken, but rather were based only on prejudice on the part of the public. This is an obvious attempt to change the discourse away from the facts, which have been presented to the board in precise detail by students, staff, and parents over the years, all of which is well documented in video form on youtube at www.youtube.com/luckylouproduction

5-3-12

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Power of Ten Update
In this edition:
  1. Rally TODAY at Ramapo High School regarding school safety
  2. Nyack group organizes to restore education funding
  3. How to help with the May 15 election
  4. Message from the editor
1)Rally TODAY at Ramapo HS regarding school safety

The East Ramapo PTA has requested that the School Board President’s address security concerns in our public schools. The complaint is that individuals frequently walk through / trespass on school grounds during school hours, while children are at recess or in class. These individuals, when asked to leave by faculty and Administrators, do not heed the warnings and refuse to leave. To date,the School Board President has not formally responded to the PTA complaint. The Superintendent has publically stated that he has observed trespassers but has not proposed any action to resolve the problem.

The press conference and protest rally will be at Ramapo HS, on Friday, May 4th at 3:30 pm

2) Nyack group organizes to restore education funding
Restore Education Funding (REF) is a group of parents in the Nyack/Valley Cottage school district working hard to make our legislators understand the impact of their action (or inaction) on our kids.
They have organized a petition drive focused on increased education funding and decreased standardized testing. They are also working with groups throughout NYS on a boycott of the upcoming field tests

They will hold an open forum and planning meeting:
Wed., May 9th from 7:30-9:00 pm
Living Christ Church, 151 South Broadway in Nyack:
Nyack Superintendent Dr. Montesano will speak and answer questions about the scope of tests to be expected in schools throughout NYS in the 2012/2013 school year as a result of Federal and State mandates

3) How to help with the May 15 Election
Are you doing everything you can do to help with the election? Of course you can spread the word to your contacts, neighbors, etc. What else can you do? Here are some ideas:
  1. Go to www.poweroften.us and sign up for the online phone bank. Start making calls, right from home!
  2. Get a list of voters in your area and pay them a visit. It can be a very enriching experience to have a meaningful conversation with your neighbors about the value of public education. Email Michael Miller at miller66@optonline.net to volunteer for the Get out the Vote effort.
  3. Donate to the campaign at www.ccoer.com
  4. Help on election day! Call 845 354 5809 or email at concernedcitizensofeastramapo@gmail.com for info on how to help!
4) Message from the editor
I would like to take just a moment to thank all of you who read these messages and all of those who have written to me over the years. We have done so much more than just electing school board members and increasing voter turnout. We have made a large portion of our community aware of the importance of public educational institutions in our life as a community. We have created a sense of ownership. We have highlighted the common responsibility to the children. We have emphasized with bold print and headlines that our common hope for a brighter future depends on what we teach our children and HOW we teach our children. The model of “I got mine and too bad for you” has served humanity very poorly. The ability to win an election is a responsibility, not a prize. The East Ramapo School system is being run by folks who do not care about the education of the children. They do not consider the residents of East Ramapo to be one community- the result is increased segregation in housing patterns and educational institutions in our district. East Ramapo, which had once been a model of diversity, a veritable United Nations of school districts, has now become a model of segregation and polarization. For a while, they tried to pass this new arrangement off as a different kind of diversity. But as sure as the night follows the day, domination follows segregation, arrogance follows power, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. And so we cannot be silent. We will protest when they hire lawyers at triple the price while laying off teachers. We will protest when they close schools while enrollment grows and classes become overcrowded. We will protest each time they favor one group and snub another, because that is not what democracy is about. Please do everything you can to help the Concerned Citizens of East Ramapo win the election on May 15, but also please be aware that you are doing very much more as you work to promote the values of education, community, and diversity. We are one people, that is a truth too often denied, but it remains a truth nevertheless. – Steve White, editor

3-19-12

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Power of Ten Update
In this edition:
  1. Students plead for mercy from school board
  2. Next board meeting is Wednesday March 21
  3. Rockland Community College to Hold Public Forums on the Future of Educational Assessment
  4. New Radio show “East Ramapo Underground”
  5. Message from the Editor
1) Students plead for mercy from school board
The videos from the March 14th meeting is here. You can watch them all at www.youtube.com/luckylouproduction or click on the link for any video.
Vanessa Decembre talks about education http://youtu.be/wrvp-_poygc
Tendrina Alexander talks about high school http://youtu.be/C4G1a_WPSTA
Israel Colon talks about Thespian Troupe 721 http://youtu.be/0PO2EsiraRU
Nicole Canada talks about the school district http://youtu.be/7vOLLTboaPM
Tatiana Vera talks about going to school in East Ramapo http://youtu.be/XPpTXdUFN5o
2) The next School Board Meeting is Wednesday, March 21st @ 7:30 pm
105 S. Madison Ave, Spring Valley
Please come early to support the students, even if you can’t stay for the whole meeting.
3) Rockland Community College to Hold Public Forums on the Future of Educational Assessment
Free and open to the public
Ramapo- Parents, educators and students who are interested in the future of educational assessment are invited to participate and share their thoughts during a series of public forums
What: Gordon Commission Forums at Rockland Community College
Where: Technology Center, Ellipse (Rm. 8180)
When: Educators – Thursday, March 22, 7:00-9:00 pm
From your unique perspective, what do educators need from assessment, and how can testing be used to improve teaching and learning?
Parents – Thursday, April 26, 7:00-9:00 pm
What do parents want and need from assessment in education?
HS and College Students – Tuesday, May 22, 2012, 7:00-8:30 pm
What do you seek from educational assessment and testing? What troubles you about contemporary testing practices?
For more information about the work of the Gordon Commission visit www.gordoncommission.org
For additional information about the forums, please call the RCC Office of the President: 845-574-4214 or email: contact@gordoncommission.org
4) Join the East Ramapo Underground
Every Thursday on WRCR 1300-AM right after the Steve and Charlie show from 10:10am – 10:40am.
The East Ramapo Underground will cover the issues and discuss the challenges facing the East Ramapo School District.
The first show will be Thursday, March 22, 2012.
The show will also stream live over the internet from www.wrcr.com
5) Message from the editor
Budget season is upon us. Once again, the school board finds itself trying to piece together a budget at the last minute, without ever having substantively discussed the failure of the district to respond to the needs of the students. The usual excuses are given about state aid, taxpayer resistance, and the economy. But there is a greater problem than any of these and that is lack of vision on behalf of the school board. A lack of vision which stems from the divisive way in which the board members have gained power. A lack of vision which stems from the lack of respect that the board members have for the students, the teachers, and the concept of public education itself.
This school board showed its real colors when it let Pedro Santana go. Pedro was the darling of the students, and beloved by the staff. He was the most effective administrator the district has ever seen, according to long time staff who served directly under prior administrators. He was inspiring the district to a new vision, one of recognizing the value of our diversity. The usual excuses about money were absent- this was a cold hearted act which seriously set back the morale of the district.
This school board has been propelled into power by mighty financial interests who manipulate divisiveness for their own gain. They are the 1% of East Ramapo, the real estate investors who have the most to gain by gutting the budget and scapegoating the students, the teachers, and the community.
The votes they cannot get by bullying they get by propagating myths. How often have you heard it said that “private school parents pay twice?” While it is certainly hard for many families to pay private school tuition, the truth is that as a whole, the district pays out more in services to private schools than it collects in taxes from the parents with children in private school. This is verified by the district’s own internal study. Another myth is that East Ramapo parents “just don’t vote”. The truth is that citizens in East Ramapo vote at 3 times the rate of other districts in the county; indeed they have one of the highest voter turnout rates for school elections in the nation. Another myth is that East Ramapo teachers are overpaid. The truth is that over the last decade East Ramapo teacher salaries have risen less than most districts in Rockland, barely keeping up with inflation. The most despicable myth of all is that our kids are just not able to succeed. The fact is that these are smart children just waiting to be given a chance. They need a district that understands them- where they come from, and where they want to go in life. They deserve a district that has a vision for their success. That is what this newsletter has dedicated itself to for the past four years. – Steven White, editor

1-4-12

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In This Issue:

*|MC:TOC|*
School Board Meeting Wednesday
There will be an informational session on the ESL program.
Wednesday, Dec 6, 7:30 PM
105 S. Madison Ave, Spring Valley

Official Announcements
This section reserved for official announcements.  No Announcements at this time.

School Board Campaign News
The 2012 campaign has begun. Visit http://poweroften.us/new/2012-campaign/ for more information

Message from the Editor
Several years ago, the makeup of the East Ramapo School board changed.  The majority of the members of the school board became people with strong family and community ties to private schools, specifically private religious schools for the ultra-orthodox Jewish community.
Many people were concerned that this school board would use its authority to shift the priorities of the district more toward those schools and the segregated community that they serve.  Others felt that the new board could faithfully serve both communities. Any citizen of the district has the right to run for school board, by law.
Over the years there have been many confrontations over issues such as budget items and school closings. The non-public school members of the public school board have maintained that their main goal is fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers which necessitates controlling spending.
However, several of their actions have been contrary to that cause:

  • They created a paid position (treasurer) for a close friend, Israel Bier. This job had previously been performed by a district employee at no extra cost.
  • They replaced an attorney for one that cost about 4 times as much per hour.
  • They sold a school (Hillcrest) for a fraction of the appraised value (fortunately the State Education Department halted the sale).  Another school sale (Colton) is being held up by the state for similar reasons after a taxpayer complained that they were selling public property without doing their fiduciary duty to get the best return for the taxpayer.
  • They fired the most effective administrator the district has ever seen (according to staff, students and parents).
  • The latest news is that while many of our buildings are in need of millions of dollars of repairs, the two schools that the board voted to sell to non-public schools were the only ones that the state says need no money for repairs over the next 5 years.
  • One of the most powerful of the non-public school board members, Nathan Rothschild, who was president of the board, has been sentenced to federal prison for fraud involving a real estate transaction for another public agency (he was a fire commissioner).

All of this evidence points to the conclusion that what seemed to be a conflict of interest, is indeed a conflict of interest.  The people most directly affected (students and parents) have tried every avenue available to them to protect the quality of education in the district.  They have written to every elected and appointed official. They have filed formal appeals with the state.  They have raised funds and run coordinated elections bringing out triple the voter turnout of any nearby district.  While there have been some achievements, the underlying problem- conflict of interest- has not been resolved.

– Steve White, editor