East Ramapo Stakeholders Forum

Monday, June 11, 2018

[poweroften] Reminder: Tonight (Tuesday June 12) at 6:30 at the Rockland Legislature

Power of Ten Special Edition:

Reminder: Tonight (Tuesday June 12) at 6:30 at the Rockland Legislature

Please attend this meeting, to show support for this essential action to protect every child's right to education.

When: June 12 at 6:30 PM

Where: 11 New Hempstead Rd, New City

RESOLUTION NO. __ OF 2018

URGING THE NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATURE TO PASS BILLS A.1305

AND S.1733 CREATING AN ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM FOR NONPUBLIC

SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS

WHEREAS, In 2015, Parents of students and former students of several religious

schools in the East Ramapo School District filed a class action lawsuit alleging that

school and education officials failed to provide boys with a sound basic education; and

WHEREAS, The lawsuit claimed that the students were only provided a limited

number of hours of secular education per week and asked the Court to compel these

schools to raise their educational standards; and

WHEREAS, Currently, New York State Education Law requires that a student in

a non-public school must be provided with a substantially equivalent education. The

purpose of this requirement is to ensure that all children are afforded a quality and basic

education regardless of where they receive instruction; and

WHEREAS, · New York State Education Law, however, does not provide an

enforcement mechanism to ensure that a non-public school complies with required

standards leaving parents and students with no remedy; and

WHEREAS, Assembly Bill A.1305 and Senate Bill S.1733 clarifies that a

student's education in a non-public school must be substantially equivalent to the public

school district where the school is located rather than where the minor resides and

creates a comp'9int process whereby parents, students, teachers and/or residents can

file a complaint with the Department of Education if they believe a non-public school is

failing to comply with the educational standards already set in place; and

WHEREAS, the Committee has met, considered and by a

vote, approved this resolution; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the Legislature of Rockland County hereby urges the New York

Legislature to pass Bills A.1305 and S.1733 to amend the Education Law by creating an

enforcement mechanism for education standards in non-public schools; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Clerk to the Legislature be and is hereby authorized and

directed to send a copy of this resolution to Hon. Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the

State of New York; Hon. David Carlucci, Hon. William J. Larkin, Jr., New York State

Senators, Hon. Kenneth P. Zebrowski, Jr., Hon. Ellen C. Jaffee, Hon. James G. Skoufis,

and Hon. Karl Brabanec, Members of the New York State Assembly; the President Pro

Tern of the New York State Senate; the Speaker of the New York State Assembly; the

Majority and Minority Leaders of the New York State Senate and Assembly; and to such

other persons as the Clerk, in his discretion, may deem proper in order to effectuate the

purpose of this resolution.

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Saturday, June 9, 2018

[poweroften] YES on June 19

Power of Ten Update
In This Issue:
1. YES on June 19
2. Rockland Legislature June 12

1) YES on June 19

There will be a re-vote of the budget on Tuesday June 19. There is no doubt that the experience of our children and youth will be better if the budget passes.

Do I need to say more?

Please do not fail to cast your ballot on June 19. The polling places are the same as they were on the first vote last month. call the Clerk at 845-577-6015 if you are not sure where you vote.

2) Rockland Legislature June 12

On Tuesday, June 12th, at 6:30 a discussion and vote will take place at the Rockland County Legislature regarding a resolution to support Assembly Member Ken Zebrowski's bill A1305.

This legislation will strengthen the NY Education Department's ability to enforce standards in the education received at non-public schools.

Please attend this meeting, to show support this essential action to protect every child's right to education.

When: June 12 at 6:30 PM

Where: 11 New Hempstead Rd, New City

Sunday, May 27, 2018

[poweroften] Strong East Ramapo want to take you to dinner!

With the budget back up for a re-vote on June 19th, this is a second chance for all of us to come out and cast our YES vote for the budget.

Please join us Sunday June 3rd at 5 p.m. at the Hillcrest Firehouse for our Sunday supper with a special guest.

We will be coordinating our strategy to get-out-the-vote!

For everyone who has helped us in the past and for those of you who are willing to help us now please join us.

We are all fighting for our children and our community.

RSVP to Chevon DosReis, President of Strong East Ramapo: chevon0939@gmail.com

Monday, May 21, 2018

[poweroften] Death Threat!

Power of Ten Update
In This Issue:
1. To Re-vote or not to Re-vote?
2. What Happened?
3. Death Threat!

1) To Re-vote or not to Re-vote?

That is the question that the school board will take up at their special meeting on Wednesday May 23 at 7:00 PM.

To avoid $4 million in severe cuts to our children's educational resources, Strong East Ramapo strongly urges a re-vote!

Come to share your voice in favor of a re-vote at East Ramapo district headquarters, 105 S. Madison Ave, Spring Valley at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday May 23.

2) What Happened?

Thank you to everyone who voted in Tuesday's election -- and of course to our amazing candidates for putting themselves out there. In a district with incredibly difficult odds to win, Pastor Jose Cintron and Miriam Moster deserve our thanks. Thankfully, Sabrina Charles-Pierre ran unopposed and will be serving another term!

School Budget Vote Turnout Analysis:

The total turnout for the school budget vote for all districts in Rockland County was 9%. The turnout in East Ramapo was 10%.

East Ramapo is the only school district whose budget failed. It is also the only district that has to contend with a significant "Bloc Vote". This consists of about half of the registered voters in East Ramapo.

On average, 6% of registered voters in Rockland supported the school budgets. 9% of East Ramapo voters (excluding the block vote) supported the budget. At one East Ramapo poll, YES votes outnumbered NO votes by 6.75 to 1. No other district in Rockland had this level of support.

The Bloc Vote delivered an 1800 vote advantage for a NO vote at 5 polls. If the Bloc Vote was in any other district in Rockland, that district's budget would also have been voted down.

3) Death Threat!

News 12: Jewish education activist says he received death threat

Regular readers of the Power of Ten know that it's not only in East Ramapo's public school system that education is under threat. Power of Ten supports all activists working to ensure every child's human right to an education. Yaffed advocates for education in yeshivas in NY, including here in East Ramapo.

Those who oppose education for children are often fanatical and sometimes violent.

On May 13, a caller left a voicemail with Yaffed saying plainly "Hi Naftuli Moster, I want to let you know that I am going to murder you, G-d willing; very soon you will be dead and your blood will spill. It'll be a pleasure seeing you dead. You stupid, dumb, idiot..."

Please respond to this cowardly attack by visiting the Yaffed website, liking them on Facebook, signing their petition, and donating to their not-for-profit organization.

Saturday, May 12, 2018

[poweroften] Vote Tuesday

Power of Ten Update
In This Issue:
1. Vote Tuesday
2. Our 2018 Candidates
3. Pledge Your Vote

1) Vote Tuesday

We can't always get what we want. But everything we have, we got because someone stood up. The act of voting can be joyous, or it can be tedious, but it should never be disheartening. Every chance you have to hold your head up, to say to the world "I demand to be counted", is an affirmation of life, an affirmation of all those who have lived and worked for a better world.

Strong East Ramapo has reviewed and endorsed a YES vote for the budget.

For all the info, and how to help, please contact: strong-east-ramapo+owners@googlegroups.com

2) Our 2018 Candidates

We have three very inspiring people who are running for school board this year!

They are: Sabrina Charles-Pierre, Reverend Jose Cintron and Miriam Moster.

You can learn all about them HERE

2) Pledge Your Vote

Strong East Ramapo is doing a get out the vote campaign again this year. It starts with you pledging to cast your vote.

Make the pledge HERE

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

[poweroften] School Board Loses in Court Again

Power of Ten Update
In This Issue:
1. Where Do I Vote?
2. School Board Loses in Court Again
3. Candidates Forum May 3
4. Campaign Volunteers Needed

1) Where Do I Vote?

A printing mishap has left many East Ramapo voters puzzled and irritated about where to go vote on Tuesday May 15. The district is blaming the printer, who they say was the "lowest responsible bidder", but a quick web search reveals no functional website, only a Facebook page with just five posts since the company president died in 2016. Did anyone from the district review the level of service? Is sending out correct information to voters a priority? Will anyone be held accountable?

Voters can look up their polling place on the district website. The district also says it will send new postcards.

2) School Board Loses in Court Again

The Spring Valley Branch of the NAACP says that the system of voting in East Ramapo is discriminatory. It has joined parents in a lawsuit to force the district to stop using the "at-large" system. At-large voting has historically been one of the tactics most often used to disenfranchise voters of color.

Because the East Ramapo school board refused to voluntarily adopt a system that doesn't discriminate against voters of color, the NYCLU filed a lawsuit. The board has hired its usual very expensive lawyers to fight to maintain the racially biased status quo. They filed a "motion to dismiss".

According to the Journal News, the federal judge in White Plains has denied the school board's motion, and the lawsuit will proceed.

Of course, the board could avoid losing another costly lawsuit by simply following the law and not discriminating against voters of color.

Is that too much to ask?

3) Candidates Forum May 3

Hosted by the Spring Valley NAACP
JAMCCAR, Inc. and HAPAC

Thursday, May 3rd, 2018 @ 6:30PM

Louis Kurtz Center
Main Street/Madison Avenue
Spring Valley, NY 10977

4) Campaign Volunteers Needed

You can help get out the word about our wonderful school board candidates. They are: Sabrina Charles-Pierre, Pastor Jose Cintron, and Miriam Moster.

For more information visit their website at https://eastramapotogether.wordpress.com/

Sunday, April 8, 2018

[poweroften] How the Sausage is Made

Power of Ten Update
In This Issue:
1. How the Sausage is Made
2. Walk with Our Candidates

1) How the Sausage is Made

Last week, 500 Power of Ten readers signed a petition to Governor Cuomo asking him to reject Senator Felder's proposal to exempt Hasidic Jewish children from NY State compulsory education law.

What happened? The Forward reports: Cuomo Called The Rebbe. The Rebbe Prayed To God. The Budget Deal Got Done.

Shulem Deen asks in the NY Times: Why Is New York Condoning Illiteracy?

NY State Education Department now has to answer Mr. Deen's question, or else change their mission statement to read: "raise the knowledge, skill, and opportunity of some of the people in New York"

2) Walk with Our Candidates

Our candidates for East Ramapo school board are taking to the street, every weekend, to meet our neighbors and talk about the upcoming budget and board election. Please join them! For details, contact Chevon at chevon0939@gmail.com

To learn about the campaign, and the candidates, visit https://eastramapotogether.wordpress.com/