D’Agostino to go; Yeshiva loses Hillcrest lease

Power of Ten Update

In this Issue:

  1. D’Agostino to go, but not soon enough!!!!
  2. Commissioner King Annuls Lease to Yeshiva Avir Yakov

1) D’Agostino to go, but not soon enough!!!

At the July 8 East Ramapo School Board meeting, called specially to deal with lawyer Chris Kirby’s notorious outbursts, the school board adjourned with a statement read by the board president, but took no action!!!

A rally was held prior to the meeting and during the executive session.

YouTube Videos of the Rally

The school board could have immediately terminated the contract with the law firm, as was done for previous counsel, but they did not.

They could have apologized to those who have been the victims of obscenities and bullying, but they did not.

Instead, they announced that D’Agostino had told them that he “may not have sufficient resources to service all of the legal needs of our district”.

The board president said that the “process” to “transition to other legal representation” would “begin immediately”.

The school board president never acknowledged that the actions of lawyers Kirby and D’Agostino were in violation of district policy.  NO ACTION was taken to enforce these policies.  It remains unclear what the board means when they say “immediately”.

News Coverage:

ABC News: School board to hire new lawyer after hostile exchange

NBC News: School Board Fires Lawyer After Expletive-Laced Tirade Caught on Video

The Journal News: East Ramapo to split with firm after lawyer’s profane outburst

The Journal News: East Ramapo to keep paying law firm until new one hired

The Journal News: Editorial: East Ramapo’s split with law firm won’t end woes

The Rockland County Times: D’Agostino Law Firm will be replaced

2) Commissioner King Annuls Lease to Yeshiva Avir Yakov:

New York State Education Commissioner King has upheld a petition filed by Robert Forrest in September of 2011 against the East Ramapo school district. Commissioner King annulled the lease of Hillcrest Elementary School to Congregation Yeshiva Avir Yakov of New Square.

It has been estimated that the lease was losing a half million dollars per year compared to what a competitive lease could have brought for East Ramapo students and taxpayers.

The Journal News: State education chief blocks East Ramapo school lease to yeshiva

The Rockland County Times: No Hillcrest Yeshiva