On June 12th at 6:00, a discussion and vote will take place in order to support a resolution Naftuli Moster, along with Legislators Carey and Hofstein sponsored. This resolution calls for the county to support Assemblyman Zebrowski’s bill A1305, which looks to strengthen the Education Department’s ability to enforce standards in the education received at non-public schools. If it passes this committee, it will head to the full legislature. It has received bipartisan support the last time it was discussed.
‘Yeshiva clause’ in New York budget plays politics with children’s education: Assemblyman
NY Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski
The following editorial by Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski appeared in The Journal News
“In the 11th hour of state budget negotiations, Simcha Felder, a state Senator from Brooklyn, proposed to strip the State Education Department of their authority to regulate curriculum in certain private schools.This proposal, the Senate Republican/Democratic dynamics, and Sen. Felder’s refusal to vote for a budget without this change sent the entire state budget into chaos. At the center of the debate was the following question: Should New York enforce its law that requires private schools to provide a “substantially equivalent” curriculum to the public schools? [Read more…]
Ken Zebrowski: New Hempstead school should be closed until safety codes are met
Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski Photo Ricky Flores/The Journal News
“Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski said Thursday that authorities should close down a private school that’s operating with an inadequate fire hydrant and without independent water and power, calling the approval the “most egregious example yet of the build first, ask questions later mentality.”
Zebrowski, a New City Democrat who has long advocated for pressuring schools to follow fire and safety codes, said he’s demanded the New York state Department of State investigate how the school got a certificate of occupancy to run a school, specifically with the apparent backing of the agency’s monitor assigned to review Building Department activities. [Read more…]
Monitors to oversee building departments in Ramapo, Spring Valley
“The state is appointing monitors with investigative authority to oversee the building departments in Ramapo and Spring Valley after years of fielding complaints from officials and first responders about the potentially dangerous lack of fire safety and zoning enforcement in those communities.
The state acted after several years of pressure from Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski, D-New City, Rockland County Executive Ed Day and the Rockland Illegal Housing Task Force leaders. They have called for the state to potentially take over the inspection duties in Ramapo and Spring Valley.
The monitors will be assigned because the communities have not done enough to comply with state regulations, state Department of State spokesman Laz Benitiz said Monday. [Read more…]
Proposed law toughens school inspections
Ken Zebrowski Photo Ricky Flores/The Journal News
“The state would have real power to force schools to comply with fire safety guidelines and verify inspections if legislation proposed by Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski, D-New City, passes.
“If a school is unwilling to follow the law, we must put in place specific consequences,” Zebrowski said in a released statement. [Read more…]
Zebrowski and Carlucci ask Elia to approve re-examinations of private schools
Ken Zebrowski Photo: John Meore/The Journal News
“Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski, D-New City, and state Sen. David Carlucci, D-Rockland, both wrote to Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia questioning the circumstances surrounding both sets of inspections – including whether it was right to have Ramapo re-inspect the work of its own tainted inspector.”
“I am asking the state to scrutinize the reports and have independent re-checks or spot checks at the very least,” Zebrowski, D-New City, said Thursday. “Somehow after refusing to comply with the law for months and after battling with the county, the private schools all of sudden got inspections through a different party. Unfortunately, the way in which they were conducted raises serious questions about their adequacy.” [Read more…]
3 state lawmakers call on St. Lawrence to resign
“Three state lawmakers from Rockland called Friday for Town Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence to resign, a day after his arrest by the FBI on federal fraud charges in connection with the financing of the town’s baseball stadium.
State Sen. David Carlucci, Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee, and Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski, in a joint statement, said the charges were disturbing and, if proven true, constitute an egregious breach of his oath of office and responsibilities of his position.
To continue to work in his current capacity only creates further distractions and is a grave disservice to the residents whose faith in their government must be restored, they added.”
Complete Journal coverage here.