Power of Ten Update
In This Issue:
1. You Eat It!!!
2. Academic and Fiscal Improvement Plan
3. East Ramapo is Topic for November Elections
1) You Eat It!!!
On September 13, a student approached the mic at the public participation portion of the school board meeting and reported: “everything… that the school provides is moldy and old and smelly… I invite you to come eat with me and eat the same food as we do.”
No one took her up on her offer. At the next meeting, a parent brought some of the rotten food for the board members to see “I am not a liar”. School security tried to physically block the parent from bringing the rotten food to the dais where the board members sit. The resulting fracas has resulted in some interesting news coverage!
Many parents and students came to speak about rotten food, dirty conditions, old equipment and supplies, overcrowded classrooms, classes with no teachers, children with special needs that are ignored, and much more. One school board member called them “actors”. Another filed a police complaint.
The next school board meeting is scheduled for October 25 (please check the district website for details). Won’t you please consider attending and supporting the brave students and parents who come to speak truth to power?
2) Academic and Fiscal Improvement Plan
The NYS Education Department is required by law to establish an “Academic and Fiscal Improvement Plan” for East Ramapo. The plan is supposed to be reviewed annually with public input. The NYCLU has submitted its comments on the plan, which give a very good description of the urgent crisis currently being experienced.
Please take the time to read the NYCLU comments:
3) East Ramapo is Topic for November Elections
The crisis in East Ramapo is one of the issues being addressed in this year’s general election, which will be on Tuesday, November 8.
Eudson Tyson Francois is an East Ramapo graduate who is running for NYS Assembly. He is calling for improved oversight of our district. Asked about the latest news, he said “It breaks my heart to hear that kids in East Ramapo are being served cold and rotten food. No one should be served rotten food. East Ramapo receives federal dollars to provide free breakfast and lunch to the students. Every student should receive a meal. Former Assembly member Ellen Jaffee used to fight for East Ramapo. I will fight as hard as I can for the students at ERCSD.
If you would like to learn more about the candidates in this year’s election, you can attend the Virtual Candidates’ Forum hosted by the Spring Valley and Nyack NAACP and The Journal News.
Wednesday, October 19th, 2022 at 6:30 PM via zoom at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85231795858?pwd=OGVUaXpzcUY5OXBPZUN2Um9VbmFUQT09
Questions may be submitted in advance to: nyacksvnaacp@gmail.com