Activist becomes Elected Official Monday; Correction: New Educational Lawsuit by prominent Attorney

Power of Ten Update

In this Issue:

  1. East Ramapo Activist to become Spring Valley Trustee Monday
  2. Correction: New Lawsuit filed by Executive Director, not Organization

1) East Ramapo Activist to become Spring Valley Trustee Monday

East Ramapo activist Emilia White will be sworn in as a trustee for the village of Spring Valley on Monday December 2.  There will be a reorganization meeting  at 2:00 PM in Spring Valley Village Hall, 200 N Main St, and a swearing in ceremony at 7:00 PM at the Ramapo Cultural Arts Center, 66 N Main St, Spring Valley. Let’s all come out and wish her success as she continues to fight for justice from her new position.

2) Correction: New Lawsuit filed by Executive Director, not Organization

In the last message, I incorrectly reported that The Teachers College, Columbia University Campaign for Educational Equity (CEE) was filing a lawsuit against New York State. The correct information is that the lawsuit is being filed by Michael Rebell, who is the Executive Director of the Campaign for Educational Equity as an individual. At this point, Teachers College, Columbia University has neither signed onto the lawsuit nor authorized the Campaign for Educational Equity to file a suit.

Mr. Rebell is looking for parents of students who may have been personally deprived by cutbacks to school programs. Please contact Dr. Oscar Cohen if you would like to participate at oscarpcohen@optonline.net

East Ramapo Activists to Receive Peace Prize; East Ramapo is Major Factor in Nov 5th Election

Power of Ten Update

In this Issue:

  1. East Ramapo Activists to Receive Peace Prize
  2. Cuomo Must Intervene in East Ramapo
  3. The Campaign for Educational Equity Wants You!
  4. Crisis in East Ramapo is Major Factor in Nov 5th Election

1) East Ramapo Activists to Receive Peace Prize

The 2013 Fellowship of Reconciliation Nyack Area Peace Award Winners are Steve and Emilia White!!!

The award will be presented on December 22nd at the Fellowship of Reconciliation’s Winter Solstice House Concert and Nyack-Area Peace Award Presentation

Featuring the music of PETE SEEGER!!!!!!!!!!!!! (One cannot put enough exclamation marks after typing PETE SEEGER!!!!!!!!!!)

2) Cuomo Must Intervene in East Ramapo

In an incisive and insightful letter to the editor, Dr. Oscar Cohen calls on Governor Cuomo to intervene in East Ramapo

Cuomo needs to intervene on behalf of East Ramapo students

3) The Campaign for Educational Equity Wants You!

The Teachers College, Columbia University Campaign for Educational Equity (CEE) is filing a class action lawsuit against New York State and is seeking specific data about the harm imposed on students who are not receiving required education, related services and/or extra curricula activities.

They are looking for parents of students who may have been personally deprived by these cutbacks. Please contact Dr. Oscar Cohen if you would like to participate at oscarpcohen@optonline.net

 4) Crisis in East Ramapo is Major Factor in Nov 5th Election

This year voters all over Rockland had East Ramapo on their minds as they went to the polls. Thanks to an increase in media coverage over the past year, the public is well aware of the reprehensible treatment that students, parents, and the public in general have received and continue to receive from the East Ramapo School Board. The same political machine which delivered school board seats in East Ramapo was promoting its agenda for many elected positions around Rockland. Most prominently they wanted to be the deciding factor in the Rockland County Executive race. They supported the Democratic candidate, David Fried, who was already considered by many as the front runner because of his many endorsements, including President Clinton, and because Democrats outnumber Republicans in Rockland County two to one. He is also an excellent campaigner, and very well liked for good reason as he is a really nice guy. The voters responded with a resounding victory for the underdog, Ed Day, who is also a nice guy and ran a good campaign, because they are fully aware of what is happening in East Ramapo and how it is only possible because of the political machine that elects the school board members, and they do not want that machine to have any more power. Ed Day early on aligned himself with East Ramapo activists Betty Carmand, Hiram Rivera, Weldon McWilliams and Emilia White, who were also running for elected office on the Preserve Rockland ballot line, and wrote a position piece on East Ramapo which mirrored the positions of the East Ramapo activists. By aligning himself with us, he made it clear that he was not interested in receiving the support of our opponents. The 8,667 votes that Ed Day got on the Preserve Rockland Line were the deciding factor in the election. Before November 5th, it was considered necessary to get the support of the machine that elected our East Ramapo school board in order to win a countywide election in Rockland. After November 5th, those who seek elected office should think twice about relying on that machine. Preserve Rockland is now more than a way to send a message with your vote, it is the most powerful third party line in Rockland County. Emilia White was another Preserve Rockland Candidate who won her election. She gathered 1,575 votes on the Democratic line, more than any other major party candidate for Spring Valley Trustee, and added 341 on the Preserve Rockland line for a total of 1,916 votes.

 

A Clear Choice on Nov 5th

Power of Ten Update

What does political power look like?  Can we achieve our goals without it?

Over the past several years, the parents of East Ramapo have achieved an impressive level of unity when voting in school board elections.  While our candidates did not always win their seats, politicians at every level of government have started to pay attention to our issues.

Are you aware how powerful you are?

The efforts of East Ramapo students, parents, and supporters have attracted regional, national, EVEN international attention!  Our issue has become so well known that every candidate is talking about it, and many are claiming to have plans to address the problem.

Preserve Rockland, “Row G”

This year we have an opportunity to increase our political power the same way we have done in the school board elections.  In municipal elections people tend to vote along party lines, so a separate ballot line has been created which gives public school advocates a place to unite.

The opposition

Our opponents in school elections have maintained their unity and achieved political power. They have brought as much dysfunction to our village, town and county governments as they have to East Ramapo.

Here is the list of candidates that our opponents have endorsed for November 5th

A Clear Choice!

The Preserve Rockland candidates have ALL clearly stated that it is a conflict of interest for a school board to be run by people who do NOT have the best interest of the public school children in mind. They have ALL committed to going to Albany together to demand that Governor Cuomo take action.

Officials who have been elected by the bloc vote have brought: felony charges in sale of schools, the cursing lawyer scandal, the corridor of  corruption scandal, an FBI raid, the illegal boarding house epidemic and an explosion of illegal and unsafe private schools.

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