Power of Ten Update
In This Issue:
1. Religious Communities Block School Monitors
2. Help Our Teachers
3. Anti-Semites and Bloc-Puppets
1) Religious Communities Block School Monitors
It’s Deja-vu all over again!
As reported by Alan Singer of DailyKos: Religious Communities with Ties to Andrew Cuomo Block School Monitors
As it turns out, at the same time that we were fighting for a Monitor with Veto Power for East Ramapo, the NYC school chancellor was asked to monitor education in NYC yeshivas.
Readers of Power of Ten will not be surprised to learn that the same anti-education extremists who advocated against the monitor for the school board for East Ramapo are the same ones who are fighting against a monitor for yeshivas in NYC.
What may surprise some is that our elected officials, as reported by Mr. Singer, have been colluding with these anti-education extremists!
#Yeshivagate is generating a lot of of coverage including the New York Times.
With the September 13 elections around the corner, incumbents who have colluded with anti-education extremists should be worried!
2) Help Our Teachers
The East Ramapo Community Fund for Public Education generates community support to fund teacher initiated enrichment programs and expanded learning opportunities for the public school students of East Ramapo.
Power of ten is asking readers to support The East Ramapo Community Fund for Public Education as this school year begins.
3) Anti-Semites and Bloc-Puppets
Being upset about attacks on education by ultra-orthodox Jews does not mean you are an anti-Semite. False accusations of anti-Semitism are disrespectful to those harmed by attacks on education, and they are disrespectful to all Jewish people.
Being upset about attacks on education by ultra-orthodox Jews is not an excuse for saying things which make Jewish people, including ultra-orthodox Jewish people, feel uncomfortable. Jewish people have a valid reason to fear anti-Semitism, and everyone has a responsibility to guard against it.
Talking about these issues is hard. Sometimes you feel like you own what you say, and sometimes you feel like what you’ve said owns you. That shouldn’t be an excuse for silence, but rather a reason to give the other person the benefit of the doubt, because it’s as hard for him or her as it is for you.
The crisis in East Ramapo has become a hot topic in political debates and election strategies. Accusations of “anti-Semite” or “bloc-puppet” have become part of the political dialogue. Well-meaning voters may find these simplifications to be an easy shortcut. Malicious political operators may find them to be an easy tool of misdirection.
Education helps people to find better ways to express themselves. Education helps people to understand the dangers of racism. Education helps people to make hard political decisions and not depend on using shortcuts.
Power of Ten supports Education for ALL people.
This is an issue that unites people across the political spectrum. Opponents of Education can only win by using a divide and conquer strategy. They lose when we reach out to each other across political divides. This week, find someone who you disagree with about almost everything else, and have a conversation about why quality education for all children is important to both of you.