[poweroften] You are invited to the Youth Led Community Forum on May 26

Power of Ten Update
In This Issue:
1. Youth Led Community Forum
2. Hiram Rivera for Library Board

1) May 26 Youth Led Community Forum

When: Friday, May 26, 2023 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM ET
Where: Louis Kurtz Civic Center, 9 N Main St, Spring Valley, NY 10977
AND on Zoom (link available when you register at: https://secure.everyaction.com/9jiB-7sCCEeOAiRRCRrszA2)

Spring Valley NAACP, Proyecto Faro, and the NYCLU invite all students, parents and supporters to join us in person or on Zoom for a youth-led community forum on Friday, May 26. This town hall will prioritize the voices and experiences of students in the East Ramapo Central School District and the impacts of systemic racism, educational inequity, and mismanagement. This is a hybrid event with options to join in-person or virtually on zoom, and there will be English/Spanish interpretation in person and on zoom. They will be providing pizza and refreshments.

2) Hiram Rivera for Library Board

The Finklestein Library is a major resource for our East Ramapo community. There will be an election for the library board of trustees on June 6, at the library. Everyone who is eligible to vote in East Ramapo is also eligible to vote in library elections.

Hiram Rivera is currently a trustee of the library. He has a long history of serving our community, as a past president of the "Padres Unidos" parent group and a member of the Concerned Citizens of East Ramapo team. He has a Master's degree in the Science of Administration from Audrey Cohen College. He is employed with the NYSDOH specializing in contracts, budgets and working with community based organizations.

Please make sure to vote for Hiram Rivera on Tuesday June 6, at the Finklestein Library.

All info is available at the library website: https://finkelsteinlibrary.org/

 

 

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[poweroften] 627 out of 635

Power of Ten Update
In This Issue:
1. 627 out of 635
2. NYCLU Community Organizing Town Hall

1) 627 out of 635

If the only source of information you had about East Ramapo was the district itself or its cheerleaders (sometimes called 'monitors') you might be pleased with all the wonderful progress being made. The truth is there are many exceptionally talented children in our schools, and all our families have hopes and dreams for a bright future for their children. We should celebrate the hard work of the children and the staff. We must also take a hard look at how successful the district is in achieving its main function which is that children should become proficient in the core subjects.

The NY State Education Department has released Regents results for the 21-22 school year, and the results for East Ramapo are shocking, if not unexpected. Of 635 districts, East Ramapo came in at 627. Only 55% of the students were rated as proficient. In contrast, no other Rockland district had less than 90% proficient.

2) Community Organizing Town Hall

Join us in person or on Zoom for a community teach-in event to discuss the crisis in the district and what we can do to push state leaders to save our schools. Hosted by the Spring Valley NAACP, Power of Ten, and the NYCLU.

Date: Thursday March 16th, 7-8:30pm

Location: Louis Kurtz Civic Center, 9 N Main St, Spring Valley and remotely on ZOOM. 

Please register below to attend the event. Please register to get the Zoom link to attend remotely.

Registration Link: https://secure.everyaction.com/rUmAOclzTkyfqyU-CwOsuA2

 

 

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[poweroften] Events This Week

Power of Ten Update
Events This Week:
1. Community Teach-In
2. Human Rights Breakfast

1) Community Teach-In

Hosted by the Spring Valley NAACP, Power of Ten, and the NYCLU

When: Friday, December 9,  6:30 - 8:00 PM.
Where: Martin Luther King Multi-Purpose Center, 110 Bethune Blvd, Spring Valley
RSVP: nyclu.org/EastRamapoTeachIn
Also available via ZOOM, please RSVP for the link

2) Human Rights Breakfast

Hosted by the Rockland County Commission on Human Rights

When: Friday, December 9, 2022, 9:30 AM - 12 Noon
Where: Rockland County Fire Training Center, 35 Firemen's Memorial Drive, Pomona, NY
Reservations are required by Tuesday Dec 6

 

 

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[poweroften] Special Edition: Yes, It's Corruption!

Power of Ten Update
Special Edition: Yes, It's Corruption!

Last Month, The NY Times published a bombshell investigative report on NY State's failure to protect every child's right to a quality education:

In Hasidic Enclaves, Failing Private Schools Flush With Public Money

As you can see from the title, the report detailed not only the failure of NY State to guarantee children's rights, but the success of religious corporations at gaining access to public money that was supposed to support education, without actually providing the education.

One reader of the NY Times article responded with his own personal testimony in an article for "Religious Dispatch" magazine: He writes: "...this story is really about corruption; it's about the city and state political figures and yeshiva deans who have duplicitously taken money from state coffers without abiding by state regulations, and the politicians who've looked the other way to insure a haredi voting bloc. As much as a Hasidic story, this is also a New York story of political malfeasance"

Then, it was revealed in another NY Times article that the U.S. attorney's office for the Eastern District of New York has uncovered massive fraud at a major NY yeshiva, resulting in an $8 million dollar settlement.

Now, The NY State Education Department has finalized its regulations regarding education in private schools, and has rebuffed NY City's attempt to turn a blind eye.

The process of trading away children's education and billions of taxpayer dollars behind closed doors, in the dark appears to be waning. What has changed? It is because once enough light was shed on what was happening, once enough people were aware, informed, and involved, the deals started to go sour. The hero in this story is YOU. All of the work done by activists and organizations has no force unless someone is listening! 

But recently, some politicians are openly endorsing turning a blind eye to educational neglect. Lee Zeldin, running for Governor, tweeted that he "strongly" opposes substantial equivalency for yeshivas. Mike Lawler, running for Congress and Bill Weber, for State Senate have also made statements opposing the NYSED regulations. Why are politicians now openly promoting what was once kept in the smoke filled back rooms? It is exactly because efforts to shed light on the covert deals are having an effect!

You can continue to be a part of this positive change by rebuffing the politicians who oppose education on Election Day. You can continue to be a hero for education by telling everyone you know that our society depends on every child receiving the quality education that is their civil and human right. Almost everyone agrees with these principles, and they are included in the NY State Constitution, and yet many children still suffer from educational neglect. Why? Yes, it is Corruption! 

 

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[poweroften] You Eat It!!!

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

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[poweroften] Rally Tuesday Against Discrimination in Transportation

Power of Ten Update
In This Issue:
1. Rally Tuesday Against Discrimination in Transportation
2. Budget Revote June 21

1) Rally Tuesday Against Discrimination in Transportation

Please join East Ramapo Parents and advocates as we rally to protest East Ramapo's discriminatory transportation practices. 

When: Tuesday June 14 at 7:00 PM

Where: East Ramapo District Offices, 105 S. Madison Ave, Spring Valley

Why: The law requires school districts in New York to provide transportation equally to private and public-school students. The system the district uses includes exclusive contracts with companies serving only all-white private schools which provide services that are better than those that the public school students receive. This includes door-to-door service and service that was not interrupted by COVID shortages.

The effect of this taxpayer funded segregated busing scheme is separate and unequal treatment. All of the buses are taxpayer funded, and all should be available equally for all children. The same logic which says children attending private school cannot get LESS busing also requires that they cannot have MORE or BETTER busing.

The private school users, led by their representatives on the board, have successfully set up a JIM CROW busing system in East Ramapo. This not only harms public school students who miss school because of transportation issues, it also harms ALL students, because when children notice when certain groups seem to be treated differently than others, they internalize racial bias. While those who get the better service are certainly in a better position than those on the other end of discrimination, they are also psychologically harmed. Justifications given by school administrators and NY State Education Department (NYSED) officials only serve to affirm the implication that different treatments are normal, or even deserved.

2) Budget Revote June 21

East Ramapo continues to have the most rejected budgets of any district in NY. This is because the majority of eligible voters here don't have children in the public schools. Also, there is a lack of oversight of public funds. For example, the voters voted down a $58 million bond for building repair, but passed it on a revote, because NYSED promised that they would oversee the spending. However, superintendent Ellis now says our buildings "are in total disrepair" and NYSED now says it never had the ability to oversee this large infrastructure project. No one from either East Ramapo or NYSED has ever been held accountable. Voters often feel like Charlie Brown running to kick a football held by Lucy in the old "Peanuts" comic strip.

Public school supporters in East Ramapo continue to vote "YES" on budgets, in numbers often greater than any other school district, because our students are truly in need. If you are eligible to vote in East Ramapo, all the details on when, where and how are on the district website: https://www.ercsd.org/. The district can't tell you HOW to vote, but Power of Ten can: Please Vote YES!

 

 

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[poweroften] Special Edition: Assessment Reports of East Ramapo

Power of Ten Update
Special Edition: Assessment Reports of East Ramapo

In this special edition, Power of Ten shares with you three new independent assessments of the East Ramapo school district. Taken together, these three reports constitute a damning verdict on the failed policies of the NY State Education Department (NYSED) to protect East Ramapo children's constitutional right to a sound basic education. 

1. Not Making the Grade: New York's Jim Crow School District
2. East Ramapo Ambassadors Youth Lobby Day Speech
3. School budget cuts and academic performance: The case of the East Ramapo Central School District

1) Not Making the Grade: New York's Jim Crow School District

This report is produced by the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), a major organization dedicated to defending everyone's constitutional rights. They conclude that educational outcomes in East Ramapo are far worse than other Rockland districts. They recognize that a situation in which a white majority controls essential public services for a community of color, in a hyper-segregated setting, can only be described as what it is: "Jim Crow".

Please access this report here: https://www.nyclu.org/en/campaigns/not-making-grade-new-yorks-jim-crow-school-district

2) East Ramapo Ambassadors Youth Lobby Day Speech

This report was presented by East Ramapo students to lawmakers in Albany. The students report on terrible conditions of overcrowding, and violations of the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA). It must be noted that the overcrowding is a direct result of the white school board majority converting two public school buildings into private all white institutions, and that the NY State Education Department has not taken any steps to replace this loss of classroom space. 

Read the students powerful speech here: East Ramapo Ambassadors Youth Lobby Day Speech

3) School budget cuts and academic performance: The case of the East Ramapo Central School District

This is a Public Policy Senior Thesis by Duke University Student Mona Tong. It includes a detailed history and analysis of the district's educational and financial issues, as well as the socioeconomic issues of the community. This is the most complete and detailed analysis of the district ever done. It should be required reading for every policy maker.

Read it here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LKyLQY_B-6ZLGyPCTg1A74fIwkPPEoGZ/view

 

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