Preserve Ramapo

www.preserve-ramapo.com

East Ramapo Fails to Ensure Quality Education

by

Letter in The Journal News
New York State laws and regulations requiring that all children receive an education have not been forgotten since 1928. In East Ramapo in particular, administration was acutely aware of its responsibility. As I explained on the public radio show “This American Life,” East Ramapo administrators had made a deal with the administrators of the yeshivas that they would not bring up the issue of failure to educate yeshiva students as long as the ultra-Orthodox bloc vote would not be used to vote down school budgets. [Read more…]

E. Ramapo chief Joel Klein Resigns, Effective Oct.31

by

“The announcement drew strong applause and cheers Wednesday night from several dozen people attending a special Board of Education meeting. Klein antagonized parents with derogatory comments about Hispanics, waiting weeks to apologize. He had been the target of protests at each board meeting, as well as at his home.” Read the complete Journal News coverage here.

Comptroller Checks Ramapo Books and the Worst Gets even Worse

by

Office of the ComptrollerIn 2012, the New York State Comptroller declared that the Town of Ramapo was the most fiscally stressed township in the State. At that time, Ramapo had racked up a worst-in-the-state rating of 70.8% for fiscal stress. The Supervisor’s response to the economic crisis was both simple and unnerving: The Comptroller’s numbers must be wrong. And then St. Lawrence turned the lights off in fiscal year 2013 by failing to file the Town’s financial report in time to be included in the State’s evaluation of all the townships. Unfortunately, that had very little restorative impact on the numbers, which continued to worsen as the economic stress increased. Now in the most recent numbers from the State, Ramapo has increased another 7% for a new all-time high. [Read more…]

S.V. Mayor Ordered Yeshiva Approved without Inspections

by

Published Sept. 25 in The Journal News“The mayor ordered a building official to permit a yeshiva to open, even though inspections weren’t completed to ensure the school was structurally sound and safe to occupy, according to a memo obtained by The Journal News. Another building official subsequently saw students walk inside the school at 50 Commerce Street. Mayor Demeza Delhomme’s order that Assistant Building Inspector Jackenton Lavalasse issue a certificate of occupancy for Yeshiva Oholei Shem D’nitra came under pressure from Alex Goldberger, vice president of Monsey Lumber, which is a political donor to the mayor.” Read complete Journal story here.

New Questions about the Old Treasurer

by

Photo of Israel BierEight years ago, the Assistant Superintendent of Finance did all the bookkeeping for the district. The school board president at that time was Nathan Rothschild. Elected by the ultra-Orthodox bloc vote, he did not need to provide the public with his educational experience. Only after he was convicted and sentenced to federal prison did we learn he did not have a high school diploma. While it is not required for a school board trustee to have graduated from school, it is something the public will usually want to know about a candidate before giving him or her their vote. [Read more…]

Georgine Hyde, Holocaust survivor, ex-E. Ramapo president dies

by

The Journal News  August 31, 2015 “Georgine Hyde, an Auschwitz concentration camp survivor who became an educator on the Holocaust, advocate for children and 36-year member of the East Ramapo Board of Education, has died. She was 90. Educating children and adults became Hyde’s passion after she survived the Holocaust and the Auschwitz death camp during World War II and came to the United States in 1952, settling in Pomona in 1957.  She also served as president of the New York State School Boards Association and Rockland Board of Cooperative Services. [Read more…]

Robert Rhodes Remembers Georgine Hyde

by

August 31, 2015  Georgine Hyde was a remarkable woman. She was totally dedicated to the welfare and education of children. What may not be appreciated is how tough she was.  Georgine would not give up, and as it became increasingly difficult to pass school budgets, she spent days on the phone rallying the troops and calling people to remind them to vote. [Read more…]

The Strange Results of the Ward Vote Count

by

Chris Sampson and Mona Montal at Ward Vote Count

At the Rockland Health Center: Sampson and Montal–Wrapping up a Christmas Present for the Boss?

August 28, 2015  The count of the Ward Referendum vote took place yesterday at the Rockland Health Center. Officials from the Town of Ramapo and the Rockland Board of Elections were present, and three counts were merged in the final totals presented later in the day. It came as no surprise to those supporting the Ward System that registered voters voted one way, and those who voted with affidavit ballots overwhelmingly voted against it. [Read more…]