East Ramapo School District in Federal Court UPDATE. The Journal News February 24

“The federal judge presiding over a voting rights case involving the East Ramapo school board on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant for a prominent Orthodox Jewish rabbi who has so far resisted efforts to get him to testify.

U.S. District Court Judge Cathy Seibel gave Rabbi Yehuda Oshry until Thursday morning to appear in White Plains or face arrest.

“I don’t think he can hide in his house forever,” Seibel said Tuesday. “He’s just inviting incarceration if he doesn’t come today or tomorrow.” [Read more…]

East Ramapo School District in Federal Court UPDATE  The Journal News February 21

Harry Grossman School Board President Photo: Yated.com

“East Ramapo school board president Harry Grossman faced mounting questions on Friday about his behind-the-scenes communications with Orthodox Jewish religious leaders and other members of the board.

In 2016, Grossman told fellow board member Sabrina Charles-Pierre, a black public school parent, to remember that she could be voted out at any time.

He repeated the message at least six times between April and August of that year, according to Facebook messages entered into evidence by lawyers for the NAACP.

“If there really was any desire by anybody to remove you from the board, all that would need to be done was to run a candidate against you,” said Grossman in message from July of 2016. “Orthodox community could have just voted you out in May.” [Read more…]

East Ramapo School District in Federal Court UPDATE  The Journal News Feb. 20

Harry Grossman School Board President Photo: Yated.com

“The federal judge deciding a voting rights challenge by the NAACP attacked the testimony of the president of the East Ramapo school board Thursday, suggesting he crafted his testimony to avoid telling all he knew about the role Orthodox Jewish leaders play in board elections.

U.S. District Court Judge Cathy Seibel, responding to an objection by a lawyer for the East Ramapo Central School District, offered her take on the testimony of board president Harry Grossman.

“I’m offended by what I’ve seen here today,” Seibel said. “And I think anybody who reads plain English would feel the same way.

“I cannot tell a lie,” Seibel added. “I do think this witness is not credible.” [Read more…]

East Ramapo School District Board in Federal Court UPDATE

“Lawyers for the NAACP on Tuesday used private conversations from the WhatsApp messaging platform to bolster their claims that Orthodox Jewish leaders led a behind-the-scenes effort to dominate seats on the East Ramapo Central School District board.

Excerpts of conversations between Harry Grossman, the district’s school board president, and others were introduced as evidence in a federal voting rights trial that will decide whether the district’s system for electing its school board members limits the participation of blacks and Latinos.

Among the conversations was a 2017 exchange between Grossman and Rabbi Hersh Horowitz, the executive director of the Monsey-based Community Outreach Center. [Read more…]

Eric Goodman Photo: Eric Goodman

East Ramapo School District Board in Federal Court: UPDATE

“Eric Goodwin was on his way home in May 2017, as voters headed to the polls to pick the winning candidates for seats on the East Ramapo Central School District board.

Goodwin, a candidate for the board that year, noticed buses streaming into voting sites in predominantly Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods near his Nanuet home.

When he got home, Goodwin tapped out a post on his Facebook page:

“The night before the election an(d) those who want to keep the balance of power in their favor. Spending the night at your religious establishments will not mask your master plan. East Ramapo is watching your every move.”

Goodwin lost the election that year. [Read more…]

Sabrina Charles-Pierre Photo by Steve Lieberman/The Journal News

“A local NAACP chapter is criticizing the East Ramapo school board after an African-American trustee’s term was cut in half because the district failed to swear her into office in time.

But the board, while acknowledging it made an administrative error by not swearing in Trustee Sabrina Charles-Pierre within 30 days of the election results being certified, said it took corrective action Tuesday to ensure she remains on the board by appointing her to a one-year term.

Charles-Pierre was initially appointed to the board in October to fill a vacancy after Trustee Juan Pablo Ramirez resigned. During the May school board election, she ran unopposed to serve the remainder of the term, which is due to expire in June 2018.

Her term now expires in May 2017. [Read more…]