[poweroften] Closing Arguments Tuesday; How to Listen Live!

Power of Ten Update
In This Issue:
1. Closing Arguments Tuesday
2. Outrageous Actions by School Board President Could Prove Expensive for District
3. Local Covid-19 Relief Efforts

1) Closing Arguments Tuesday

Closing arguments of the NAACP-East Ramapo Voting Rights Act case will take place Tuesday, March 24th at 1:30 PM.

The proceedings will take place by telephone, and will be accessible to the public by phone also.

To listen in: (877) 336-1839 Access Code: 1047966

2) Outrageous Actions by School Board President Could Prove Expensive for District

According to The Journal News, East Ramapo schools board rejected settlement offer that could saved millions, NYCLU says

What appears to have happened, from testimony and documents revealed in the trial, is that the judge ordered the two parties to attempt to reach a settlement before trial, and that school board President Grossman excluded the only two minority members of the board from meaningful participation in the settlement talks.

This is not the first time that a school board president and the special counsel have been accused of excluding other board members from important decisions. In 2013, two board members resigned largely over this practice, including board member Young-Mercer, who was the only person on color on the board at the time. In her letter explaining her reasons for resigning, she wrote: "In the past few weeks I have become aware important decisions that were made by the Superintendent without my knowledge. I feel that these decisions jeopardized the educational progression of East Ramapo students as well and the students of neighboring Rockland County School districts." Board member Price wrote: "As far as I can determine, the letter from David Butler to the James DeLorenzo dated January 14, 2013 was never authorized by the Board of Education." and "I feel that I have been wrongfully denied access to District information that I reasonably require to perform my duties."

Read the letters of resignation here

3) Local Covid-19 Relief Efforts

Many of our neighbors are having a hard time keeping food on the table due to the closures associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The MLK Center operates one of the largest food pantries in the county; they are seeing increased need now. Learn how you can help the MLK Center here

Proyecto Faro is an organization with expertise engaging new immigrants, many of whom are especially vulnerable to economic downturns. Find out how to help Proyecto Faro here

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[poweroften] Urgent Notice

Power of Ten Urgent Notice:

Due to concerns about spreading the COVID-19 virus, gathering petition signatures for candidates is more difficult this year.

Please download the petitions, print and sign (all four pages please), and return via USPS to: East Ramapo Campaign, 10 Garden Pl, Spring Valley NY 10977.

Due to social isolation guidelines, the candidates will be unable to hold a traditional fundraiser.

Please donate online today!

Thank you!

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[poweroften] Update: Event Cancelled

Power of Ten Update 

NOTICE- The Event announced for Friday March 13 in the last issue IS CANCELLED.

Thanks to all for understanding.

Stay up to date on how to keep safe by visiting the Rockland County Website

The challenges of facing a public health crisis reinforce the importance of public education. When every person in our community has a good education, is able to understand healthy behavior and consequences, has the means to support themselves and prepare for emergencies, and has health care, we are all safer. When high quality education is only for some children, we all suffer. You may remember your chemistry teacher saying "You are only as safe as the least safe person in the laboratory."

Many East Ramapo families may be experiencing hardships due to the measures we must all take for public health. Now is the time for us each to do what we can to stay calm and stay safe, and to help our neighbors do the same.

Due to concerns about spreading the COVID-19 virus, gathering petition signatures for candidates may be more difficult this year. If you prefer, you can download the petitions here, print at home, sign (all four pages please), and return via USPS to: East Ramapo Campaign, 10 Garden Pl, Spring Valley NY 10977

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[poweroften] Announcing Our 2020 Candidates

Power of Ten Update
In This Issue:
1. Announcing Our 2020 Candidates
2. Women's History Month Event
3. MLK Center Gala

1) Announcing Our 2020 Candidates

Thanks to all who attended the 2020 forum on February 29! Six very qualified people expressed interest in volunteering to serve on the school board. They all presented exactly the wide variety of skills and backgrounds that the Center for Public Education says are necessary for a well functioning school board. We received a lot of good questions and feedback from the audience and the audience feedback was used to put together this year's team. We originally expected only three seats would be available, but due to the resignation of a board member, there will be four seats up for election this year.

Our candidates this year are Sherry McGill, Ana Maeda-Gonzalez, Kerry Victor and Hiram Rivera.

Please visit www.eastramapotogether.wordpress.com to learn all about them, and please sign up to Volunteer and Donate to the campaign if you can!

2) Women's History Month Event THIS FRIDAY

Jamaican Civic & Cultural Association of Rockland, Inc. (JAMCCAR) Celebrates Women's History Month with a group of dynamic women!

Panelists: Michelle Brown, Emmy Award Nominated Reporter; Lorna Hawthorne, Chairperson of the Board of Lowell F. Hawthorne Foundation; Andrea Isaacs, MD FCCP; Ellen Jaffee, NYS Assembly Member; Dr. Elizabeth A Johnson, DPT; Sophia D. Thomas, Chief Financial Officer Rockland Employees Federal Credit Union

Friday, March 13 at 7:30 PM at the Louis Kurtz Center, 9 North Main Street, Spring Valley

The event is free, refreshments will be served.

Our candidates are invited and will be introduced!

3) MLK Center Gala

The MLK Center Awards Benefit Gala will take place Sunday, April 19 at The Paramount Country Club

All the details: https://mailchi.mp/00f7fd32336d/annualawardsgala

 

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[poweroften] Candidate Forum Feb 29

Power of Ten Update
In This Issue:
1. Candidate Search Deadline
2. Candidate Forum Feb 29
3. Judge Accuses Board President of Lying on the Stand

1) Candidate Search Deadline

You probably know someone who would make a great school board member. Someone who cares about education, and has a couple of free evenings each month. Why not give it a try?

The deadline to submit for this year is coming up! Please fill out this questionnaire by February 28.

2) Candidate Forum Feb 29

Every year, at our forum, the public has an opportunity to hear from (and rate) those interested in becoming the newest members of the East Ramapo school board.

Please make every effort to attend this important event!

The details:

Saturday Feb 29 from 12-2 PM at the Hillcrest Firehouse, 374 N Main St, Spring Valley

Please indicate you can attend the events on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/517690282202113/

3) Judge Accuses Board President of Lying on the Stand

The NAACP Voting Rights Lawsuit continues this week.

The trial has begun to have all the excitement of a TV courtroom drama.

According to The Forward, Judge Seibel has accused School Board President Grossman of Lying on the Stand!

If you want to catch some of the action, you can attend the trial yourself.

The address is:
US District Courthouse
Hon. Charles L. Brieant Jr.
Federal Building and Courthouse
300 Quarropas St, White Plains, NY 10601

Courtroom info: https://nysd.uscourts.gov/courthouses/charles-l-brieant-jr-united-states-courthouse-white-plains

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[poweroften] Yeshiva Vendors Guilty of Fraud; Candidate Search Deadline; Candidate Forum Feb 29

Power of Ten Update
In This Issue:
1. Yeshiva Vendors Guilty of Fraud
2. Candidate Search Deadline
3. Candidate Forum Feb 29

1) Yeshiva Vendors Guilty of Fraud

According to the Journal News , this week 7 people pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $14 million through a federally subsidized program to provide electronic equipment to East Ramapo yeshivas.

The E-Rate program is a federal program to provide computer and internet services to schools and libraries in poor communities, so that children will not be left out of the Information Revolution simply because of their family's financial status. It was established by congress so that America will not "have a two-class society in this country, those who know and those who do not."

For this reason, The New York Jewish Week magazine asked in 2013 "How does a community that rails against the Web pull in $30 million in one year for its schools from the E-rate program?"

Another investigative article by The Forward found there was also a question of funds supposed to go to libraries. According to the Forward "Federal law ... holds NYSED responsible for determining a library's E-Rate eligibility" but NYSED told the Forward that E-Rate eligibility "is handled at the local and regional level". However, one local agency said it's "out of our jurisdiction to make those kinds of judgments," This circular finger-pointing sounds very familiar to those following the issue of educational equivalency for yeshivas.

The NYS Comptroller has released a report that finds that East Ramapo has been paying yeshivas to bus students without documentation that they attend school or even exist.

This is concerning because direct payments to yeshivas aren't only for busing East Ramapo's direct payments to religious organizations may have been as high as $33 million last year.

2) Candidate Search Deadline

You probably know someone who would make a great school board member. Someone who cares about education, and has a couple of free evenings each month. Why not give it a try?

The deadline to submit for this year is coming up! Please fill out this questionnaire by February 28.

3) Candidate Forum Feb 29

Every year, at our forum, the public has an opportunity to hear from (and rate) those interested in becoming the newest members of the East Ramapo school board.

The details:

Saturday Feb 29 from 12-2 PM at the Hillcrest Firehouse, 374 N Main St, Spring Valley

Please indicate you can attend the event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/517690282202113/

 

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[poweroften] NAACP v. ERCSD Trial Begins! February 23 Forum Canceled

Power of Ten Update
In This Issue:
1. NAACP v. ERCSD Trial Begins!
2. School Board Member Guilty of Larceny
3. February 23 Forum Canceled

1) NAACP v. ERCSD Trial Begins!

The Journal News: Judge sets up trial about East Ramapo voting that could alter how school board is elected

The trial is open to the public.

Tuesday, February 11 through Friday, February 21
from 9:30 am - about 2:30 pm

The address is:
US District Courthouse
Hon. Charles L. Brieant Jr.
Federal Building and Courthouse
300 Quarropas St, White Plains, NY 10601

The judge is Cathy Seibel. Courtroom info: https://nysd.uscourts.gov/courthouses/charles-l-brieant-jr-united-states-courthouse-white-plains

2) School Board Member Guilty of Larceny

The Journal News: East Ramapo trustee Bernard Charles pleads guilty in fake town rental case, will quit school board

3) February 23 Forum Canceled

Due to an unforeseen conflict, the forum that had been scheduled for Sunday, Feb 23 must be canceled.

The Forum for Saturday, February 29 is still on.

The details:

Saturday Feb 29 from 12-2 PM at the Hillcrest Firehouse, 374 N Main St, Spring Valley

Please indicate you can attend the events on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/517690282202113/

If you or someone you know is interested in being a candidate, please fill out this questionnaire:

www.poweroften.us/2020questionnaire

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