East Ramapo School Board Election May 17/16

Once again, East Ramapo voter turnout for the school board election was more than double the numbers from other school districts. One of the #4Women4ALL candidates, Sabrina Charles-Pierre, was elected to serve a three year term.

The school Budget passed in East Ramapo (as in all Rockland County districts) despite continuing lack of support from communities that largely send their children to private yeshivas. At one polling location, support for the budget was only 8%.  Nowhere else in the county was there such a poor showing of support for the public schools.  Only because voter turnout and support was so high at other East Ramapo polling stations did the budget pass. According to Power of Ten, hree polling places had over 70% of voters casting a YES vote.

5/17/16 – East Ramapo School Budget Passes

According to East Ramapo Underground, the ERCSD budget vote passed on May 17 because the bloc vote let it pass. On the cards passed out at polling stations, there was no instruction to vote Yes or No on the budget. What generally happens with members of the bloc is, when not instructed, they do nothing.  Despite signs posted in the area by New Square and Kaiser telling people to Vote No on the budget, there were 3,850 people who didn’t vote either way, so the budget was passed by 929 votes.  At the school board meeting, a group of students came out to voice their displeasure with the District and conditions within the East Ramapo and Spring Valley high schools.

Watch the 2 videos here:

Spring Valley High School Junior Melissa Denizard asks “why are things swept under the rug?…

Ramapo High School Junior Sophia Kolak asks “WHY”

Rockland County Times 5/15/16 – Huge Turnout for Preserve Orangetown

 Orange is the new bloc in Orangetown

Hundreds gather in support of “no knock” law

BY KATHY KAHN

The organizers of the newly formed Preserve Orangetown grassroots advocacy group took their cue from Preserve Ramapo.

Thursday evening, May 12, Preserve Orangetown held its first organizational meeting at the Elks Lodge in Nanuet. Many were told about the meeting but organizers didn’t anticipate the  more than 600 residents showing up, filling the Elks Lodge to capacity and spilling onto the sidewalks surrounding it, straining to hear what was being said.         Read more….

5/21/16 – East Ramapo Students Rally for their Education

The students of Ramapo High School and Spring Valley High School rally for their education. There is a link below to the condensed version of the rally that was originally two hours long, here shortened to 15 minutes by East Ramapo Underground. The children  are seeking public support as they struggle to get a sound, basic education.     Play video here..