Preserve Ramapo

www.preserve-ramapo.com

You are here: Home / Archives for East Ramapo Central School District

East Ramapo schools board rejected settlement offer that could have saved millions, NYCLU says

by

A letter raises questions about if district lawyers and board president Harry Grossman shared details of the settlement offer with the board’s two black members – Ashley Leveille and Charles-Pierre

“Black members of the East Ramapo school board were effectively shut out of settlement talks that could have headed off a month-long trial over a voting rights challenge by the NAACP and saved the cash-strapped district millions of dollars in legal fees, the New York Civil Liberties Union says.

NYCLU attorney Perry Grossman, in a letter to U.S. District Court Judge Cathy Seibel, says the district turned down a settlement that would have waived the fees incurred by lawyers representing the NAACP during the two and a half years leading up to the trial.

The offer was rejected despite Seibel’s eleventh-hour attempt to get both sides to come to an agreement by inviting all the board’s members to a settlement conference on Feb. 10, the day the trial started in White Plains federal court. [Read more…]

East Ramapo trial: Rabbi emerges from the shadows and then sprints from photographers

by

Rabbi Oshry runs from reporters after leaving US District Court in Whirte Plains Photo: Tania Savayan LoHud

East Ramapo School District in Federal Court UPDATE. The Journal News February 29

“An Orthodox Jewish rabbi facing arrest for ignoring a judge’s order emerged from the shadows on Thursday to defend his behind-the-scenes role in choosing candidates for the East Ramapo school board.

And when Rabbi Yehuda Oshry’s testimony was over he sprinted from photographers waiting to take his picture outside the federal courthouse in White Plains.

That was after East Ramapo Central School District Superintendent Deborah Wortham tried to lead court spectators in a round of applause for coworkers but was shot down by the judge. [Read more…]

East Ramapo trial: Judge wants Rabbi Oshry arrested if he doesn’t show up to testify

by

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…]

“Orthodox community could have just voted you out”: East Ramapo school board president

by

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

Photo of Harry Grossman

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 trial: Judge attacks testimony of school board president Harry Grossman

by

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

Photo of Harry Grossman

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…]

What’sApp Chat reveals behind the scenes effort by Orthodox Jewish religious leaders NYCLU says

by

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…]

Candidate’s ‘master plan’ comment exposes tensions in East Ramapo voting rights trial

by

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…]

NAACP challenges Orthodox Jewish dominance of East Ramapo board in high profile court case

by

Photo of East Ramapo school board

East Ramapo School Board Photo: Nancy Cutler/The Journal News

“A federal judge is being asked to decide the NAACP’s challenge to how school board members are elected in the East Ramapo school district. Disagreements over funding inequities will be aired at trial

The question before U.S. District Court Judge Cathy Seibel comes down to this:

Does the current method for electing the East Ramapo Central School District’s school board members limit the participation of black and Latino voters whose children take up most of the seats in district schools?

And, if it does, should the district revert to a ward-based system of voting, which could lead to more blacks and Latinos being voted onto a board that for years has been dominated by white, Orthodox Jewish men? [Read more…]

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

by

“A federal judge today (Nov 20, 2019) denied the East Ramapo Central School District’s attempt to dismiss a lawsuit challenging how the district elects its school board members.

The ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Cathy Seibel sets up a two-week trial in February that could alter how votes in May’s school board elections are tallied.

The lawsuit filed in 2017 by the Spring Valley chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and several black and Latino voters sought a dramatic change in the district’s election process. [Read more…]

State comptroller audit questions payouts to East Ramapo bus contractors

by

In 2017-18, the district’s transportation tab was $30.5 million and in 2018-19 $31.4 million, the audit notes.

“A state comptroller’s audit released Wednesday questions why the East Ramapo Central School District paid more than $800,000 to bus hundreds of private school students to yeshivas over the past two years even though they were not registered.

The audit by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said it discovered about $496,000 in payments for 717 students not registered with the district for the 2017-18 school year and another $337,085 in district payments for 455 students the following year.

Additionally, a sampling of 300 private school students raised questions about whether district money went to transport students who may not even live in the district, the audit noted.

Or even exist at all, it noted. [Read more…]