Parent: East Ramapo fails to provide NY minimum education; SOS President: Send a message on Nov 5

Power of Ten Update

In this issue:

  1. Parent Files Appeal Re: Lack of Music and Art in East Ramapo
  2. SOS President: Send a Message on November 5th

1) Parent Files Appeal Re: Lack of Music and Art in East Ramapo

East Ramapo Parent David Curry has served the Board of Education with a Section 310 Appeal regarding its failure to provide instruction in music and art in the elementary schools, in violation of NYSED regulations.

Lohud: East Ramapo parent appeals to state over lack of music, art instruction

The superintendent has said that activists file complaints “just for fun”.  Perhaps he thinks it is funny for parents to see their children crying because they don’t have music?

Thank you, Mr. Curry, for standing up for your child and for all of our children.

2) Send a message on November 5th

The “Save Our Schools” (SOS) efforts to resolve the crisis in East Ramapo Schools have focused on the following topics:

1) Recognition that the crisis is the result of the disconnect between the interests of the school board and the children actually attending the public schools.

2) Petitioning the NYS Education Department to intervene on behalf of our children’s right to a quality education.

3) Appealing specific decisions of the school board which were arbitrary, and which damaged the education system of the children and/or the interests of the taxpayers of Rockland County.

4) Petitioning Governor Cuomo, our legislators, and the Commissioner of Education to intervene in the governance of the district.

5) Filing a class action lawsuit on behalf of parents, students and taxpayers to force the district to provide a quality education and hold the school board members accountable for their mismanagement.

6) Requesting that a study be conducted to find and compare possible innovative solutions to the systemic problems associated with a district in which a majority of school-aged children do not attend public schools.

7) Demanding that parents must be included in the discussions and decision making regarding their children’s education in public schools.

This year, candidates running for election on every party line and for every municipal office are talking about East Ramapo. Several of them have family connections, or were themselves students. Some have been very active in our campaigns to elect school board members, or have themselves been candidates. These include Emilia White (school board candidate in 2009), Hiram Rivera (school board candidate in 2012), Betty Carmand (plaintiff in the civil rights lawsuit and filed an appeal to NYSED) and Dr. Weldon McWilliams IV who is an advisor to the East Ramapo Student Coalition.

This year, a local party named “Preserve Rockland” has been formed which includes the above named candidates and promises to make the work they have been doing as citizens and activists their work as elected officials. The candidates who comprise the Preserve Rockland slate include Democrats, Republicans and Working Families party members. There are candidates in several municipalities, including the Towns of Ramapo and Clarkstown, the Villages of Spring Valley and Suffern, and Rockland County.

By voting on the Preserve Rockland line, Row “G”, we are sending a message that the problems of East Ramapo MUST be dealt with NOW, for the sake of the children of East Ramapo and ALL the children in Rockland County. We realize there are other important issues and other worthy candidates, but there may never be another chance like this year for OUR VOICES to be heard.

Robert Forrest

President

Save Our Schools-East Ramapo

 

Upcoming Events; Enrollment is Up; East Ramapo Activists Honored

Power of Ten Update

In this issue:

  1. Meet and Greet on Tuesday
  2. Enrollment up 13% over projections
  3. East Ramapo Activists receive NAACP awards
  4. Power of Ten editor receives HANA award

 

1) Meet and Greet on Tuesday

East Ramapo Activist Betty Carmand will be presenting her vision for the future of the Town of Ramapo and introducing her team of Preserve Rockland candidates to the public on Tuesday, October 22, at 7:00 PM at the Galaxy Restaurant, 42 N. Main Street in Spring Valley. All are welcome to this free informational event, which includes buffet and light refreshments, music, raffles, networking and VIP guests.

2) Enrollment up by 13% over projections

When the board started to close schools they claimed that in 2013 there would be just 7,289 students. There are now 8,238 students in East Ramapo schools. That is 949 more students in two less schools that what was projected. Watch the following video as the superintendent doesn’t want to say the classrooms are overcrowded, he just says they are very full. Is he fooling you? The classes are so full that this year some children are sharing desks!

Watch the video here http://youtu.be/RlowauAb0r8

Message courtesy of the East Ramapo Underground

3) East Ramapo Activists receive NAACP awards

This year the Spring Valley NAACP has chosen to honor Micheal Miller with the William “Bill” Darden Education award.  Micheal is one of the strongest advocates for quality public education in East Ramapo.

The Spring Valley NAACP will also present the Unsung Hero award to public school activist Emilia White.  Emilia has become well known for holding the school board to task and refusing to back down as they illegally tried to prevent taping of their public meetings.

The NAACP will present these awards at their Annual Fall Gala on Friday November 1st at 7PM at the Colonial Inn, 545 Tappan Road Norwood, New Jersey. Tickets are available at 845-362-6227 or email spvalleynaacp@aol.com

4) Power of Ten editor receives HANA award

HANA (the Haitian American Nurses Association) will be honoring Steve White at their 5th Annual Scholarships and Awards Dinner which will be held on October 26, 2013 at 8:00 PM at the Colonial Inn, 545 Tappan Road Norwood, New Jersey.

Tickets are available at 856-641-6672 or email rocklandhana@yahoo.com

Meet and Greet Today; Mr. Smith moves closer to Grammy Award

Power of Ten Update

In this issue:

  1. Four Hundred Turn Out to Support Pedro Santana
  2. Former East Ramapo Band Director closer to Grammy
  3. Meet and Greet Today

1) Beloved Educator Battling Cancer

Former Assistant Superintendent for East Ramapo Pedro Santana has been diagnosed with a very serious form of cancer and is fighting for his life.  Over 400 people came to the Nyack Center on Friday to show support and Pedro treated them to his one man show.  He is a real genius; he had the whole room laughing more than crying.  For those who missed the evening, you can still donate through the following Web site   https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/q073/-santanastrongbattlescancer

Checks can be sent to:

Pedro Santana

1 Tempo Road

New City NY 10956

2) Former East Ramapo Band Director closer to Grammy

Michael E. Smith, the celebrated Band Director who was let go by the same unbelievably incompetent administration that also fired Pedro Santana, is now in the last cut (the top 25) to receive the first ever Grammy award for Music Educator.  Although he is listed as a teacher for Nyack High School, we know that his heart will always be with East Ramapo.  He would be bringing that award and honor to East Ramapo if our administration valued excellence.

3) Meet and Greet Today

East Ramapo Activist Dr. Weldon McWilliams IV will be presenting his vision for the future of the Town of Ramapo and introducing his team of Preserve Rockland candidates to the public tonight, Monday October 14, at 7:00 PM at the Martin Luther King Center, 110 Bethune Blvd in Spring Valley. All are welcome to this free informational event.

Reminder: Event Tonight (Friday Oct 11)

Power of Ten Update

Reminder: Event Tonight (Friday Oct 11)

Beloved Educator Battling Cancer

Former Assistant Superintendent for East Ramapo Pedro Santana has been diagnosed with a very serious form of cancer and is fighting for his life.

Pedro’s friends and family invite you to “join us to celebrate a man’s challenges through life’s journey” at the Nyack Center, 58 Depew Avenue in Nyack, this Friday, October 11, at 8:00 PM.  There is a $20.00 suggested donation.

Pakistani Education Activist Wows American Audiences

If you want to know how important education is, ask Sixteen-year-old Malala Yousafzai, an education activist from Pakistan, who was shot by the Taliban for espousing the radical idea that quality education should be available to all.

Watch her on The Daily Show

I STRONGLY recommend watching all three parts.

Here is a transcript of a statement in the interview:

I started thinking about that, and I used to think that the Talib would come, and he would just kill me. But then I said, ‘If he comes, what would you do Malala?’ then I would reply to myself, ‘Malala, just take a shoe and hit him.’  But then I said, ‘If you hit a Talib with your shoe, then there would be no difference between you and the Talib. You must not treat others with cruelty and that much harshly, you must fight others but through peace and through dialogue and through education.’ Then I said I will tell him how important education is and that ‘I even want education for your children as well.’ And I will tell him, ‘That’s what I want to tell you, now do what you want.’

Fortunately, our student education activists in East Ramapo don’t have to face down armed killers.  But the effects of poor educational opportunities are the same everywhere: Poverty, Hopelessness, and Violence.  And the need to fight for what you believe in through peace and through dialogue and education is the same everywhere. We should all be like Malala and wish for a quality education for everyone’s children, an education that teaches all children about equality, and justice, and respect, and how to live together.  Our challenge in East Ramapo is to ensure that this kind of education is provided to every child in every school.  –  Steve White, editor

Beloved Educator Battling Cancer; Federal Civil Rights Lawsuit Report

Power of Ten Update

In this issue:

  1. Beloved Educator Battling Cancer
  2. Federal Civil Rights Lawsuit Report

1) Beloved Educator Battling Cancer

Former Assistant Superintendent for East Ramapo Pedro Santana has been diagnosed with a very serious form of cancer and is fighting for his life.  The main thing which makes Pedro so loved by students and the whole community, in my opinion, is his infectious positive attitude and his vibrant iconoclastic spirit.  His attitude towards his illness is a perfect example: he says “this is just another chapter in my book”.

Pedro’s friends and family invite you to “join us to celebrate a man’s challenges through life’s journey” at the Nyack Center, 58 Depew Avenue in Nyack, this Friday, October 11, at 8:00 PM.  There is a $20.00 suggested donation.

2) Federal Civil Rights Lawsuit Report

Judge Cathy Seibel has denied requests to dismiss our civil rights lawsuit. Two dozen East Ramapo parents and activists went to the hearing in White Plains on Sept. 30th and listened to Judge Seibel read her decision for almost 3 hours.

News 12: Judge allows lawsuit against East Ramapo School District to move forward

Because of Judge Seibel’s decision, the lawsuit will move forward and we are one step closer to getting justice for our school children.

Lohud: Judge allows key claims against East Ramapo officials, but dismisses some

The district has been wasting hundreds of thousands of your education tax dollars to try to squash our lawsuit.  We are represented by a non-profit, public advocacy law firm. Despite limited resources, they are unfaltering in their commitment to our children.  However, it is not possible to bring a claim of this magnitude without spending money. It has been generous donations from people like you which has enabled us to get this far.

I am asking you today to make a contribution to Advocates for Justice that will help us to hold accountable those who are most responsible for the destruction of East Ramapo.

Please go to www.poweroften.us and make a donation today.  All donations are tax deductible.

Thank you,

Steven White, editor