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Thursday, May 03, 2007

ENOUGH!

























Ok. You know what? I've had enough. I am willing to overlook the air of divisiveness tacitly encouraged by so many who live in this fractured community - up to a point. But frankly, I have finally, completely, totally, had it. I am too absolutely disgusted by what is going on in this community to try to act calmly and reasonably on this matter. It's high time for a change. To explain, I was appalled to open up the Nassau Herald and see the two ads pictured above (click each one to enlarge in all their offensive glory).

There is so much that is just wrong with these ads that I don't even know if I can do their offensiveness quotient justice. But I guess I'll just have to try.

1. The use of the phrase "Orthodox Board".
Um, hello? Do you think this phrase would be acceptable if any other racial or ethnic group was highlighted? Try replacing the phrase "Orthodox" with the term "Black", "Hispanic", or even just "Jewish". Offended yet? I know I sure am.

2. The Flat Out Lies and Misrepresentations.
a. The ad that says "Stop the Current Orthodox Controlled Board from Dismantling our Public Schools" (who doesn't get the clearly intended visual of the Orthodox community turning out en masse, literally dismantling the schools, brick by brick), goes on to say: "they cut...Reading Recovery, Super/Sunday Saturday", among other programs. Now perhaps the creators of these ads think that every single one of us greenhorn Orthodox types have moved to this neighborhood in the past several years, and therefore do not remember the fact that Super Saturday/Sunday and Reading Recovery were cut years ago, well before this community had an "Orthodox Controlled Board". But I guess when the truth is simply not that sensational, why not look to lies to get the revenge juices flowing?

b. The ad that claims the Orthodox board members do not have the best interests of the public school candidates at heart, and to prove that, supplies a quote that purports to be the views of the Orthodox candidates by putting the words "the two Orthodox school board candidates also do not recognize this ethical obligation owed to the public school children", followed by the quote: "Dr. Blisko and Mr. Marcus will attempt to maintain a majority on the school board who will fight for non-public school interests". This statement regarding Blisko/Marcus was solely the Nassau Herald's characterization of the candidates' intentions. It is obviously unfair and dishonest to ascribe a view to them based on a characterization the paper made.

3. The suggestion that there is some "ethical" problem in having a board with an Orthodox majority. The implication seems to ostensibly be that parents who do not have children in the public schools are not concerned with the educational standards of the public schools, so their having a majority on the board is not "ethical". But clearly that is not the real point here, as the statement refers only to "Orthodox board members" and not board members who are not public school parents. Is the point that Orthodox board members present an extra-special ethics concern? I truly hope not.

Is the point that parents who want equity in the services allowed by the law for their private school children represent a conflict of interest? If they are talking about the code of Ethical Standards that they quote from in the ad, they are advised to read the "no conflict of interest" provision. With that in mind, how to address the point that there are past board members and present school board candidates who are related to teachers who work in the district? If they have something to potentially gain from approving generous teachers' benefits, is it "ethical" for them to be on the board? If the answer is "no" to one, it's "no" to the other. There is no law that bars childless people or empty nesters or private school parents from representing the children of our community, or calls their election to a public school board "unethical". We all know taxation = representation. Don't like the way those the voters elected to represent the district kids are doing so? No problem. It's a democracy. Vote 'em out. But please don't imply that a certain religious group represents a greater ethics concern if elected than another. Last I checked, the financial scandals that concerned other area school boards did not include Orthodox board members as perpetrators (Roslyn, anyone?).

If those ads aren't bad enough, I got a copy of this flyer, which is just as chock-full of offensive references and misrepresentations as the Nassau Herald ads were:


Let me number my objections to this piece of offensive propaganda:

1. More use of the term "Orthodox school board". Is there any good reason the term "majority Orthodox school board" was used instead of just referring to the incumbents as the being members of the present board - any good reason aside from fostering anti-Orthodox hysteria, of course? As I noted above, name me one other racial or ethnic group that would ever be deemed appropriate to use in the manner "Orthodox" was used above. Can you imagine the hue and cry had there been ads that used the phrase "majority Hispanic school board", or "majority Jewish school board"?

2. More lies and misrepresentations.
a.
The allegation that the sitting board "funneled $135,000 of Public School funds to send 6 Private School students to an unaccredited Yeshiva" is misleading. First of all, as I note here, this was a settlement that ultimately saved the district money by preventing costly lawsuits, which could have caused the cost to skyrocket. The flyer somehow also neglects to mention that the at the same meeting, a similar settlement was reached to pay to send a public school student to an out-of-state school. With regards to the claim that the school is an "unaccredited Yeshiva", I note in the same post that the school is chartered by the NYS Board of Regents. The flyer implies that this settlement decision was fiscally irresponsible on the part of the board. Considering that this settlement potentially saved the district hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees, and coupled with the emphasis on the private school students who benefited from the deal - with, in a particularly dishonest and misleading move, no mention whatsoever of the public school student who benefited - lead me to believe that the thrust of the point was to prove that the board is attempting to (gasp) provide help to special needs private school kids. The fact that that the threat of helping private school students get appropriate special ed - with the added benefit of saving the district money - is actually considered an appropriate and effective scare tactic for these candidates to use, sums up what makes this ad campaign so reprehensible.

b. This one is truly unbelievable. The claim that the sitting board "deliberately breached the teachers' contract costing the district unnecessary and extensive legal fees" is laugh-out-loud funny - if this were even remotely a laughing matter. May I remind my readership that the last sitting board (which did not have the dread "Orthodox majority") were the ones who rammed this fiscally irresponsible teachers' contract in the eleventh hour of their term, when they so clearly had lost the voters' mandate?


All in all, this campaign material is just disgusting. It is designed to foster and encourage xenophobia, intolerance and division. They add fuel to the fire, deepening the fracture that already pits neighbor against neighbor in this otherwise lovely community. The fact that some in this community are so obviously and egregiously playing the hate card by attacking the religious affiliation of candidates shows me just how low people have sunk in this sad saga.

I would love to hear the candidates who are touted in these ads getting up and having their Sister Souljah moment, decrying the willful divisiveness apparent in these ads, and make good on their claims at candidate night - now ringing hollow - that they wish to heal the divide.

379 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

(yay! I'm first!)


Those are some very offensive campaign ads. I wouldn't want to live in a neighborhood where you see anti orthodoxy so openly said. scary.

9:33 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh. My. God.
These ads are so anti-orthodox, I feel like I'm in Israel.

9:44 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

UM HELLLLOOOOO....

IF IT WALKS LIKE A DUCK, AND QUUACKS LIKE A DUCK....

IT MUST BE A DUCK...!!!!!!

UM HELLLLLOOOO......!!!!!

9:53 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

if thats true, then tell me where all of the ads are talking about voting for the orthodox candidates that will dismantle the public schools? they dont exist. they only exist in your paranoid delusional minds. your paranoid delusions of us private school parents wanting anything but a teeny tiny percentage of what we are allowed by the law is sick. we 'took over', and guess what? theres a fiscally responsible budget on the table that doesnt propose to dismantle the public schools! no meaningful cuts in your prized athletic program! the bowling team is still intact! but you want people to believe we want to rip your schools to shreds and take the pieces home for scrap metal.

heloooooooo? um hellooooo? if you walk like a bigot, quack like a bigot, you must be a bigot!!!!!

10:02 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

She makes Don Imus look like a milk fed puppy. Why don't we hear from the conservative & reform clergy in this town who are always preaching for brotherhood and marching for black history month!. Hey look in your own back yard. Keep the capos out of here or better yet she could sell her shack for $995.000 and live in Farmingdale or Wyndanche

10:14 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Clearly the "leadership" that placed these ads have demonstrated a new low. I wonder if they represent their consituents' feelings or whether their constituents are as outraged at these ads as I am. Any public school parents care to weigh in? I would like to think that my neighbors are above this and are capable of dialogue without tactics like this.

10:14 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

How could the Nassau Herald---and also the publishers and owners of the Jewish Star (same company) allow that kind of offensive garbage in their paper?

10:16 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Bigots don't quack ducks do I agree with 9:53
Get over yourselves!!!!

10:16 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Paid ads what about the offensive garbage about Pam Greenbaum

10:18 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

teeny tiny percentage of what we are allowed by the law is sick.

10% of a public school budget for private school transportation is not teeny tiny

10:20 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

She makes Don Imus look like a milk fed puppy. Why don't we hear from the conservative & reform clergy in this town who are always preaching for brotherhood and marching for black history month!. Hey look in your own back yard. Keep the capos out of here or better yet she could sell her shack for $995.000 and live in Farmingdale or Wyndanche


um helllloooooooooooooooo ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????/

10:21 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm a public school parent, and I don't like this. I won't say it would be enough to get me to vote against the public school candidates but I would like to see them condemn this.

10:23 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

" Christina said...

She makes Don Imus look like a milk fed puppy."

um, are you talkign about sister souljah? because sister souljah moment doesnt mean that you should act like sister souljah. it means you should decry extremism, and extremists (like sister souljah) even if it comes from your allies. why dont you click the link om handily provided. you will understand a bit better.

10:25 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

Paid ads what about the offensive garbage about Pam Greenbaum


pamela greenbaum started this by casting the first stone in court. i would never expect a sister souljah moment out of her. shes incapable.

10:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great post OM. Thanks for saying whats on all of our minds. The line was crossed with this bunch of ads.

10:30 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The interesting thing is the view of events going through the head of Greenbaum's where her lawsuit is not a strong-armed tactic and possible misuse of the courts and these advertisements are not "race-baiting."

10:38 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Where’s the ad? It doesn’t load.

10:46 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I grew up in the 5T, but I don't live there anymore. I can't believe the tenor of these ads. I'm glad I don't live there anymore. I can't imagine my civilized manhattan fellow co-op owners being as obnoxious as this.

10:51 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

) I responded to a post of yours awhile back and never received a reply. It was in response to your post about the tuition payments for the special ed. yeshiva. I'm reposting my comments here.

"as they felt their children's special education needs were not being adequately met by district public schools"

This was the most important point of your entire post, OM. Whether or not they feel like the public schools are not adequately meeting their child's needs should not be a determining factor. Considering the size and varied population of the district's special ed. program, I find it hard to belive that the district does not adequately provide their child's necessary services. If it is indeed so, it needs to be proven, in which case, I wouldn't object to the settlement. However, currently, anon 2:05 is correct. The board is opening Pandora's Box and hiding behind the guise of fiscal responsibility. Kopilow and Greenbaum have the forethought to realize that while litigation will cost the district more money in the short term, it could save the district a substantial sum in the long term. The ruling majority are using politics to holler about the fiscal irresponsibility of Kopilow and Greenbaum when they know full well that their intentions are not to deny children an appropriate education, but to make sure that the district is paying for education appropriately.

2) I agree about your comments regarding Super Saturday/Sunday and Reading Recovery. However, the rest of the cuts are real and are the result of four straight austerity budgets.

3)I have no problem with the second ad EXCEPT for the quotes from the Herald that appear to be attributed to Dr. Blisko and Marcus. It's deceptive and dirty.

4) Is the use of the term Orthodox repeatedly really anti-Semitic? I'm not sure. In a way, I respect their use of the term instead of hiding behind phrases like "private school parents", etc.
However, I guess I have to agree with you hear as well. Using terms like Hispanic or black would be unacceptable, so Orthodox should be as well.

5) I'm not sure how the board violated the teachers' contract, but if they did, and it cost the district money, then it was wrong. It doesn't matter if the board doesn't like the contract. Contracts need to be followed.

That's it for now. Too tired to keep thinking.

10:57 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...


This was the most important point of your entire post, OM. Whether or not they feel like the public schools are not adequately meeting their child's needs should not be a determining factor.


Of course it's the determining factor. The question is whether it's actually true that the existing programs did not meet their children's needs. That's a decision for the board to decide on.

The board is opening Pandora's Box and hiding behind the guise of fiscal responsibility. Kopilow and Greenbaum have the forethought to realize that while litigation will cost the district more money in the short term, it could save the district a substantial sum in the long term. The ruling majority are using politics to holler about the fiscal irresponsibility of Kopilow and Greenbaum when they know full well that their intentions are not to deny children an appropriate education, but to make sure that the district is paying for education appropriately.

sadly, those supposedly noble intentions are nullified by the fact that all of the hullaballoo is over the private school students settlements, and not a word about the settlement for the public school student who is going to a very expensive out of town school.


4) Is the use of the term Orthodox repeatedly really anti-Semitic? I'm not sure. In a way, I respect their use of the term instead of hiding behind phrases like "private school parents", etc.
However, I guess I have to agree with you hear as well. Using terms like Hispanic or black would be unacceptable, so Orthodox should be as well.


The first part I disagree with completely. But thats ok, so do you, in the second part. Yes, its an offensive usage. to be even more precise, how would someone like to see an ad for George W Bush saying that we should get rid of the "non-Christian majority" in Congress. Sickening, right?

11:07 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

hi

11:11 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

All I can say is this is the most divisive thing anyone can do to split a community. A direct reference to one group over another group putting one group down. Imagine if the private school parents started to write flyers stating do you know waht the non-jews are doing to the school board? Would you guys take offensive to something like that.

Even Pamela Greenbaum - who claims she is not divisive - must outright condemn these ads - otherwise she just adds fuel to the fire.

This is worse than an election for President here - this is basically becoming an all out smearfest.

11:16 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

OM is exactly right. It is time for a sister souljah moment from pam, from levey, from maribel. wait for it.

11:18 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Repeatedly I have read a blogger speak of Governor Spitzer's intervention. The back page of the Herald may have crossed the line.Luckily,ads need to be paid for and finances can be traced. This may get interesting from a legal perspective.

11:22 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why don't we start a discrimination lawsuit against the candidates. Or whomever paid for these ads....

Follow Pam's example but we would have a true case!!!

Definitely consider hiring a lawyer to see if they stepped over the free speech rights. Defamation and discrimination.

11:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"This may get interesting from a legal perspective"

Bad taste...yes, Illegal...No. I would have chosen to take a different path in a campaign I must say, but show me one statement, which defames a specified person. The first ad is the standard rhetoric for an election, Dr Mansdorf did make that statement in the times, and so its publication is well within the purview of those making the ad. The other statement regarding Dr. Blisco and Mr. Marcus stating, “as reported in the “Nassau Herald”” is more of a stretch since it may well be attributed to a reporter. The second ad is more obnoxious than anything else. If you look at the budget line by line, you will notice the cuts that were involved. As I don’t have it in front of me at the moment, I can neither confirm nor deny the specifics, suffice to say that I have read line by line and know for a fact that there are cuts, some significant. As for the third, Except for the use of “Orthodox” show me a statement, which is untrue. Unfortunately, we (the community) are in a situation where it is primarily Jew on Jew and the only way to differentiate when speaking of one group is by their chosen religious background or in this case, a standard voting block. Could they have found a better way to imply a specific group, yes, but it is what it is. If Black or Hispanic were used, then they would be attacking a race and I am sure if Catholics were viewed as overrunning the Orthodox Private School Community, the ad would have read, “Look what the Goy’s have cut”. Congratulations, I think OM's attorneys have all but proven that free speech is alive and well…you get to post and they get to place ads. Oh and by the way, I notice that there was no outcry (or post or comments) when a full-page ad was placed asking for the ouster of Pam Greenbaum. I might add that the full page oust Pam Ads (I believe there were at least 2 of them) were placed prior to any ads being placed for the Public School Candidates. Congratulations again, only this time to the Orthodox community who condoned the oust Pam Ads, you got the first shot in the paper, I just guess you didn’t expect anyone to lock, load and return fire.

12:06 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Not quite sure above blogger is right. Be careful when you fire. Using religious terms may have just gone too far. No civil suits here though, it would be either be something state should look intom or not.

1:18 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Is Mistero backing Greenbaum,Cancelliere and Levey? Is he associated with Skelos?Do Republicans agree with this ,what do you call it,"lock and load? One question, is an attack ad against a particular candidate the same as an attack ad using term "orthodox"
Ad said "Should the Lawrence Public School District Be Run by an Orthodox Majority? It then spoke of ethics and said "Return Ethics." The ad did not say "this" Orthodox majority, it said "An" Orthodox majority. That would seem to be a slur upon a whole group. i could be wrong or just maybe you are spending too much time with your gun my "Lock and Load" friend. Time will tell.

1:25 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

10% of a public school budget for private school transportation is not teeny tiny

Wow! You have got to be really misinformed by your ALPS handlers to believe this.

Why don't you take a look at the budget. This year's actual transporation cost is $7 million. That's $7 million for 7,000 kids. Are there 7,000 kids in private school? Actually, there aren't more than 4,000 private school kids being transported.

By what funny math does 4/7 of $7 million equal 10% of a $91 million budget?

Is accurate information really so hard to come by, that you have to regurgitate this rubbish? Couldn't you at least consider how little sense your information makes, before trying pass off this BS as fact?

1:44 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

“Should the Lawrence Public School District Be Run by an Orthodox Majority? It then spoke of ethics and said "Return Ethics." The ad did not say "this" Orthodox majority, it said "An" Orthodox majority. That would seem to be a slur upon a whole group”


Regardless of how it is read, the test is clearly stated as a question in this ad. It is simply stating a question to the public and no more. Yes, we can infer what is being said between the lines because we live here and know the history, but on its face it is still simply just a questions. As for the ethics issue, the ad spells out what they meant, according to the National School Board Association Code of Ethics, it states that a board’s first concern is that of students attending public school. Can anyone in all honesty and with a straight face say that the foremost concern of this school board is the Public School Students? Regardless of the rhetoric, which flows so freely in the 5 Towns, It is obvious that there is another agenda at work here, anyone who denies it is just an outright liar. Don’t get me wrong any board would have an agenda, its just that this particular one doesn’t seem to care all that much about the public school system. As for ethics, we have a school board member who is on a committees for the improvement of Private Schools, which in and of itself is not an issue, it is however an issue when part of that committee’s functions is to petition the state for more favorable distribution of funds to Private Schools. Before anyone starts, I have no problem with expanding services to the private school community, but to sit on the School Board while being an advocate for said committee is truly an ethical dilemma if I ever saw one.

3:52 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The Nassau Herald has the right to publish or not publish a paid ad. I would like to see two full page apologies from them. HA HA, like that's ever going to happen. At the least they were irrisponsable, at most, they fanned fires of hate against a whole section of this community. They have done this before in years past. It sells a lot of newspapers. Did the people who chose to publish the ad live in this community? I'm sure that this is all very amusing to the NYtimes readership or anyone who does not live here, but it's not funny to any resident of this community.
This is so beyond dissappointment of programs cut, or expectations not met. When Pam Greenbaum spoke about being there for all the children in this district, she clearly was not referring to mine. "Her" kids can walk down the street in perfect safety. My kids get cursed at from speeding cars full of "her" kids. Will the people who are supported by those vile ads step up to the plate and denounce them? HAHAHA.

4:32 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Time for a sister souljah moment indeed. this is an appalling ad campaign, designed to appeal to hate and prejudice.

ALPS shows here that when they feel they cantwin on the issues, they choose to go with appealing to hatred and making things up. Shame shame.

6:44 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nassau herald has the right to publish ads according to previous blogger. I guess that is correct. But should we send a copy of those ads to Central Veterinary Associates,Winthrop Hospital and Adelphi University all of who support the heralds decision by advertising in the paper. If I am not mistaken, Imus did not break any laws yet his sponsor saw the need to desist from his support for a variety of reasons. I believe the Herald made an error and will correct it. It is always busy and the ad may have slipped thru the cracks. We shall see.

7:22 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

At least Orthomom has a new legal defense to her lawsuit: THE TRUTH!

7:32 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

livid isn't the word, I don't know what word to use. disgraceful, not strong enough. I am referring to the Nassau Herald. Yes, they can choose to print whatever ad they choose However, I believe they have done nothing but ad fuel to the fire. Would they dare print a news article talking about the muslem or christian school board majority? Yet every descriptive talks about the "orthodox Majority" in their newspaper. How dare they in this day and age question and demean how some choose to worship. If they disagree with the issues then say so, but how does where and how one chooses to worship their faith have to do with their chatacter, honor and ethics as in the alps ad. YOU DECIDE!

7:48 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

awesome job with these, OM. I am outraged as much by the lies as I am by the use of loaded religious terms.

8:19 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Figures don't lie-Liars figure. Alps & the LTA are at it again. Follow the money trail. Go the NYSUT headquaters and see how many phone calls they make for the candidates.

Why not call Skelos and get his opinion of Mistero's involvement in School Board elections. After all, he represents the entire community, doesn't he? How about a call to Mondello's office as well?

Do they feel their untouchable in the local, state and national elections?

8:20 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nassau Herald has hedged their bets. Since they also publish the Jewish Star, they can bring in money from both sides of this community. Yes they have a right to publish whatever they want, and when they stick to issues and opine on them, I'm fine.
Since these ads so cross the line, I will be boycotting advertisers of BOTH papers, and recommend you do the same, until an apology is issued by the publishers.
As for ALPS, nuff said.

8:35 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

to anon 8:20
I believe mistero is skelos long time campaign manager. When skelos comes to our community for "ORTHODOX MAJORITY" support remember who supported the "ORTHODOX MAJORITY" and who did not.

8:42 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The part that is the most obscene here is that OM is defending herself in court from allegations that she somehow falsely defamed Pamela Greenbaum by allowing her commenters to call Pam a "bigot". Then these ads supporting Pam herself come out, which are so clearly playing on bigotry, and Pam thinks she has a defense of falsity!

PAM MUST GO!!!!!

8:52 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yup, Richer Publications publish both the Nassau Herald and the Jewish Star.

Though I wouldn't have put the word "Orthodox" in the ads, the Private School majority on the school board had to remove the illegal referedum they put up in January and have put up a new referendum and budget that is both illogical and illegal:

1. Referendum for transportation was not thought out well. 3 year olds on buses without matrons make no sense to me - and can be dangerous.

2. Budget, using the "Contract For Excellence" monies, does not adhere to the guidelines for use, therefore the school district with either lose the money or be fined.

Both sides are wrong if you ask me. Last year, election signs were put up in all hebrew writing as well as those who also put a jewish holiday on the election signs as well.

Both sides are guilty.

Kulanu is not a certified school for special services - they cannot receive reimbursement from the state. They say their application for this is still pending.

The one public school child who is going to school far away from the district is very ill and only this one school can handle the child.

Ask for a private school parent to sit on the CSE as a parent advocate so that there can be more input.

Be thankful the private schools aren't unionized by any teachers union (yet). I heard that is a strong possibility.

8:59 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

There were no signs in just Hebrew. There were flyers in just Spanish. Hmmmmmmmmm.

9:03 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...


Both sides are wrong if you ask me. Last year, election signs were put up in all hebrew writing as well as those who also put a jewish holiday on the election signs as well.


Yawn. Business as usual for you. Obfuscate, distract, and misinform.

Lat years signs did have the name of the holiday the vote was held on, but how about the fact that the vote was held on that Jewish holiday at all? If you want to make a scorecard, last year is a wash - at best.

If you want to be honest here, these ads are disgusting. Nothing the "Orthodox Majority" (ooh, that sounds so sinister) has done to date in this election comes close. Remember the feigned outrage over the fact that the yearbook ad was being considered? The talk that it wasn;t true, that these tactics would NEVER be used by ALPS? Well, I guess now you have to eat your words. Because ALPS uses those tactics and WORSE.

9:03 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yeah, the hebrew letters on the sign is now an urban legend, I guess. We NEVER used hebrew wording on our signs or ads. It's a flat lie. If anything, there were the Spanish flyers distributed by the public school candidates in inwood.

9:05 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

As a public school parent, I am appallad with the ads. I am also shocked by the advertisement against Pam Greenbaum in the same issue of the Nassau Herald. OM, why don't you talk about that?

As a comment to your reply about programs that were CUT: the programs were cut because the budgets were voted down by the PRIVATE SCHOOL community, because Mr. Mansdorf who "supported" the budget at the BOE session, went to the Young Israel of Woodmere (orthodox shul)and told the community NOT TO VOTE FOR THE BUDGET. This is just one example. You do not need need the majority on the board to vote down the buget and cut the programs.

9:18 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Small point, the names of the people involved with the votes in question are Sussman,Mansdorf,Hattan,Kaufman and Forman. All white Causacian males who are married. Disagree with them,villify them, all okay.But go after them individually. Group them by religious afilliation, or race, or sexual persuasion and I believe the authors of the ad that would do that may have crossed the line into bigotry.If they get away with it, shame on the whole community.

9:26 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

All the Lawrence Public schools spend a great deal of money teaching conflict resolution etc. In fact all schools(LPS) require the children and parents to sign standards for conduct. I know Pam no longer has children in the public schools, but Cancelliere and Levey sure does, is this what they want to teach their children? If their kids responded with these types of religious criticism they would be expelled from school. How can they look in the mirror? what do they teach their children?

9:30 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

psmom said...

As a public school parent, I am appallad with the ads. I am also shocked by the advertisement against Pam Greenbaum in the same issue of the Nassau Herald. OM, why don't you talk about that?


How to even compare? There's nothing in the anti-Pam ads that play on anti-Orthodoxy and bigotry. I'm sorry you were shocked by an ad calling for voters to vote against a certain candidate, but that's par for the course in a political campaign. People don't like a candidate, they are allowed to use their money to campaign against her. The anti-Orthodox ads are a completely different animal. They just play on peoples hatred and fear of a certain ethnic group.

because Mr. Mansdorf who "supported" the budget at the BOE session, went to the Young Israel of Woodmere (orthodox shul)and told the community NOT TO VOTE FOR THE BUDGET. This is just one example. You do not need need the majority on the board to vote down the buget and cut the programs.

That is a complete LIE. I have heard Dr. Mansdorf speak three times to varied groups, and he fully supported the budget and encouraged people to get out and vote to get us out of austerity. He is very anxious to get us out of contingency.

9:31 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Did Pam Greenbaum sign off on this ad?

If so, I assume neither her nor her Pace-trained legal wizard will have any objections if I go ahead and call her a straight-up raging bigot.

Yeash.

9:59 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Let me try this again, with feeling this time:
Pam Greenbaum is a bigot and really does not belong on the school board.

10:01 AM  
Blogger Married and Navigating Jewish Brooklyn said...

Why are people here calling Jews an ethnic group? We are a religion, not an ethnic group. Jews are all races and background.

Orthomom, we applaud and agree with your statements. Keep up the good work!

10:22 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am sorry, I meant that Mr. Mansdorf encouraged people to vote down the bugets for the TY 05-06 and 06-07.

BTW: Levey is a JEW, Greenbaum is a JEW. I don't see the community unite and support JEWS. Maybe it's because they are not OTHODOX?

10:31 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Funny that the so called "Lawrence Middle School ad" was supposed to be published.

After a full investigation, it was not found to have been doctored by the public school parents.

Larry Gordon will have to divulge his sources for the truth to come out, because all sources, INCLUDING the Nassau Herald (who was supposed to have a copy of this "ad" ready for publication) is a lie.

Why did all the Orthodox school board members suddenly not show up at a recent school board meeting, leaving two board members in the lurch, having no quorum.

The Orthodox school board members are not to be trusted.

As for the rest of the community, don't just jump on the bandwagon because it is "orthodox vs. public school" - look at the issues and try to make an objective decision. Electioneering is murking the water and it is being done by both sides.

Voting last year was the same as every year - and the jewish holiday was a minor one where driving, etc., can be done - so don't use that excuse.

And to all of those who use Shabbos goyim to do things you aren't supposed to do, think again - you are breaking laws too, including your housekeepers, nannies and others. Make sure they can work here legally too!

10:31 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

More than 25% of the schools are latino. All ads were written english on one side and spanish on the other.

You got a problem with that?

10:36 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

Funny that the so called "Lawrence Middle School ad" was supposed to be published.

After a full investigation, it was not found to have been doctored by the public school parents.

Larry Gordon will have to divulge his sources for the truth to come out, because all sources, INCLUDING the Nassau Herald (who was supposed to have a copy of this "ad" ready for publication) is a lie.


Gotta love this guy. Still claiming there was a "full investigation" of the ad, and that the public school side was not responsible. I guess you didn't hear the report from the guy who was at the meeting where ALPS supporters planned the ad. He's a public school dad, but he also cares about people. Face it. It was ALPS. It existed. They chose not to run it after all the attention. But it was certainly planned until Gordon published. Gordon is the hero here.



The Orthodox school board members are not to be trusted.


Um, yeah. We know that you think so. We all saw the ads OM put into this post. But it's nice to see some of you admit it.


As for the rest of the community, don't just jump on the bandwagon because it is "orthodox vs. public school" - look at the issues and try to make an objective decision. Electioneering is murking the water and it is being done by both sides.


Uh, the Orthodox aren't the one who played up Orthodox vs. Public school. That was all your guys doing.


And to all of those who use Shabbos goyim to do things you aren't supposed to do, think again - you are breaking laws too, including your housekeepers, nannies and others. Make sure they can work here legally too!


My nanny has a green card. Speak for yourself, tough guy. I'm sure the scourge of undocumented workers is limited to the Orthodox community. Because non-Orthos don;t EVER employ illegal imigrants. Sure.

(eyeroll)

10:38 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

10:40 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

More than 25% of the schools are latino. All ads were written english on one side and spanish on the other.

You got a problem with that?


Um, if you scroll up, you will read what that comment was in response to. There was a claim made that there were campaign signs printed with hebrew lettering. A) that is untrue. B) the only adfs with a foreign language were spanish ones.

Defend the spanish ones all you want. Hell, I couldnt care less if ads were printed in spanish. But stop with the (fictitious) claims of hebrew ads as some kind of terrible thing. That sword cuts both ways.

10:40 AM  
Blogger SAVESD15 said...

This line item budget is available at the superintendent’s office.

The largest changes are as follows Page 2 Summary

Non-public Bus increase 11.03% $300,548
Non-public vans increase 31.56% $ 294,500
Pre-K non public 600,000
Public School transportation $558,190
Non Public Transportation $8,766,749

Under New York State law children riding buses that are younger than 4 must be in a care seat. My question is how will this child buckle itself in? Why are we focusing on ads, how about an article on our children? Program cuts upwards of a million dollars, examples Page 9
Gate cut 52.45% from 77,816 to 36,998
Art cut at one school 40.51% 102,056 to 60,717
Reading at one school 47.57% 84,878.00 to 44,500.00

Below find the email address for the Federal Office of Civil Rights. If you have complaints about the school,alps,whatever it file a complaint.
CR.NewYork@ed.gov.

10:44 AM  
Blogger SAVESD15 said...

OCR.NewYork@ed.gov.

Sorry,

10:44 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It's that Jew vs. Jew mentality again? Two anti-semites? Probably better Jews than than some of the posters here. And a Bozo?

Start straightening up your own houses before looking to mess up the school districts more than they are right now.

I heard Yeshiva tuition is going up 20% next year. Is that true?

10:45 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The way i see it is the cat is out of the bag on the Richner philosophy. Several years ago they allowed ads talking about greedy people (obviously the orthodox) in response to the Gelman/lifschitz campaign concerning zero budget. Economic philosophy countered by pandering to hatred and fear. Here we go again. The Richner paper is allowing ads that attack a religious group.Good for revenue,good for circulation. Richner supposedly knew about the ad and approved it(I do not know this first hand but have been told it). Anyway,keep reading the paper,keep advirtising in the paper and the Richners will laugh all the way to the bank.

10:54 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

20 years ago THEY imagined that the "rabbis" forced stores, like Toddy's to close on shabbat. 10 years ago THEY imagined that the OJews intentionally blocked the streets while walking to & fro shule on shabbat......and now this. Next thing you know we'll be on the receiving end of kaseem rockets fired from Atlantic Beach. ALPS has alot in common with Neteri Karta

11:04 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

fired from Atlantic Beach. ALPS has alot in common with Neteri Karta

Nice, as a jew I find your comment dumb. I am curious why there is no outrage over 3 year olds on buses with out matrons, is the election more important than a budget?

11:10 AM  
Blogger and so it shall be... said...

Larry, you don't have anything better to do on a Friday?

11:16 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

to anon 11:10
If you choose not to send your 3 year old on the bus because there are no matrons than that is your right. It is also your right to vote NO, however, can you imagine that perhaps some families who can not afford any other means of transportation for their children to FREE universal PUBLIC school PRE-k will welcome this. After all
didn't one of the candidates at meet the candidates night tell everyone how many free and reduced lunch students are in the Lawrence Schools. Oh wait, I think that candidate was yours.

11:21 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

everyone how many free and reduced lunch students are in the Lawrence Schools.

Yes, and it is covered by the Federal government. Free lunches is a federal program.

Public school buses will continue to have matrons covered under the federal grant. Not very equal in my eyes

11:36 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

At 8:59AM, Anonymous said...
"Both sides are wrong if you ask me. Last year, election signs were put up in all hebrew writing"

Which US presidential candidate has not attempted to learn Spanish to pander to the Latino community. A community-based ad is just that, an ad targeted directly to a community.

11:36 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It is also your right to vote NO,

This pre-k busing is for private school only, if it does not pass, public school children will continue to get bused. The community needs to be informed.

11:37 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

After all
didn't one of the candidates at meet the candidates night tell everyone how many free and reduced lunch students are in the Lawrence Schools

This is a prime example how uninformed this community is. Lunch is a federal program. Most schools in New York City get free lunch and breakfast. Can you imagine if they had to pay for it? You can read about the lunch program on the new york site.

11:39 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is big mouth:

Anonymous said...
More than 25% of the schools are latino. All ads were written english on one side and spanish on the other.

You got a problem with that?


As a matter fact I do have a problem with that. I'm Italian, I speak english and my kids learned english too. Nothing is Italian and english, and that's the way it should be. This is America, Learn ENGLISH!

11:47 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You're right about learning English. However, there are no laws to push this and as you know, there are many Italians still around who don't speak English to this day.

But the influx of Latinos into the community are much greater and we can't force them to speak English. But their kids go to our schools.

11:50 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

anon 11:37
The community does need to be informed but not with your slant to the truth.. There is only limited pre-k busing to public school now for those children who are in the "granted" pre-k program. I sent my children to Temple Isreal Pre-k(I am not Orthodx I am PS like PAM) I was Not entitled to any sort of free busing. If this passes and my children went there today I would get free busing. Get your facts straight.

12:10 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Federal grant does not and never did cover matrons. If referendum does not pass there will not be free preK busing to any but the federal grant. Matrons are not covered and never were. Instead there was a sleight of hand if you will. Matrons for special ed went on one run and then were rerouted for prek on second run and preK not charged. Many more matrons hired than needed. We could have run many special eds in one bus with one matron. There was no IEP that said the special ed child needed a one on one matron. Therefore, instead of 12 matrons, say we needed two or three. Quite a savings considering benefits and everything. Thats the story, if forced to come clean the District expense for matrons for preK busing will come out. If referendum goes down,truth will have to come out,

12:12 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

truth will have to come out

I agree perhaps the pre-k children will have no matron, but the children will still be bused. Something the private school children will still not be entitled to. For those who are outraged email the office of civil rights, lets get them involved to ensure all laws are followed. While pre-k busing may not be passed, those children who don't qualify will have parent transportation, something we all did for the creative child the paying pre-k program. It was the board and the district that came up with free pre-k for all, most were okay with creative child. The email for the OFCR is OCR.NewYork@ed.gov.
If you feel strongly about civil rights, start your writing campaign now...

12:20 PM  
Blogger Looking Forward said...

you're jews, your all jews and your fighting like this? only sixty years after hitler y'mach shemo tried to wipe us all out secular and religious alike and we're fighting over this stupidity?

Can't any of you find anything better to do with your time!? We're jews for crying out loud, and has anyone thought about the khamsa and bar khamsa incident? Or have any of you realized that part of the whole point of judaism is ahavas yisroel and being decent to your fellows, and yet how does this square with any of this? responsability for such things starts with you, not with the other person, so why can't all of you just sit down and get along nicely? you don't have to sing kumbaya (halavai!) but maybe you all could get together in a communal party and just have fun together, and a total community.

seriously. You're jews people, brothers and sisters, and yet you engage in this madness and folly? have any of your thought about sedom?

12:21 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I don't mean to be a party pooper, but the Orthodox overwhelmingly don't send their kids to public schools, and often have interests diametrically opposed to those of public school parents. Let's face it, Orthodox parents would rather pay lower property taxes, use public money to fund private programs, take advantage of handicapped/developmentally disabled programs and facilities, and so forth.

I guess I'm uncomfortable with Orthodox Jews running the board. What business do we have running a school system we don't use?

12:25 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

seriously. You're jews people

As a reform jew I agree. I am tired of hearing this. Never again, shame on all of us.

12:29 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

seriously. You're jews people

As a reform jew I agree. I am tired of hearing this. Never again, shame on all of us.

12:29 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

As a reform jew, you aren't a real Jew in the eyes of the Orthodox community. Isn't that a shame?

12:32 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

As a reform jew, you are a real jew in the eyes of this orthodox writer.

1:10 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am Orthodox, and my entire family is Reform. I can guarantee you that I consider my parents, siblings and grandmother fully and completely jewish. The commenter above who claims that Orthodox Jews don't view reform Jews as fellow Jews is just a pot-stirring rabble-rouser who is looking to sow more dissent.

1:32 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

As a reform jew, you are a real jew in the eyes of this orthodox writer.

I know, don't worry. I don't pay much attention to ads in general as, I think they speak for themselves. Let us join together and be outraged at the board, no matter who they are. Let us say
1.No Pre-k busing without matrons
2.Stop cutting programs
3.No classrooms over 23
4.New Technology, reading programs that every district child can log into so that there progress can be watched by the district.

Candidates need to focus on one thing and one thing only OUR CHILDREN. Yes a low budget is nice, but at what cost? Perhaps there will be no problems with the busing, but who is willing to risk their child's safety. We have young boys every day being killed in Iraq, our gas prices are going to be $4.00, so perhaps focusing on our children will help develop future leaders. Lets focus....

1:36 PM  
Blogger Looking Forward said...

reform jews are jews in the eyes of this commenter. They certainly have their positive traits just as they have their negative traits. In particular they stand out in bein adam l'chaveiro, gemilus chassidim and tzaddakah, all of which are extreemely heavy hitters in our tradition.

But mutual interdenomination paranoia and hatred has got to go.

I will not get in to the issue of the conversions, other than to say that it is a sticky issue that I'm not sure can be solved to make everyone happy.

2:06 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anon 11:39
Accoring to NYS law a lunch program is supposed to be break even or make money. It is against NYS law to subsidize lunches or any other meal programs in public schools. Why would we pay for free lunches AND $20,000 in education per child?

2:12 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Several points:

1) The ads are VERY disturbing - and I didn't like the ad directly attacking Pam that much either. These, however, are completely over the line. Just imagine them saying "black" instead of "orthodox," and we're done.

2) I know, having sat on the BOE Finance Sub Com under the previous superintendent, that the non-public consumption of the budget took up somewhere between 9.5-11.5% (depends on how you do the number, and I'm even willing to stipulate 12%... it's irrelevant)

3) A word about sharing: I too have read the BOE Code of Ethics, and understand that a board's primary responsbility is towards the public school children. That said, when a community that pays over 50% (don't argue, anyone, it's true as of 4 years ago, and the demographic shift dictates that it's more now) asks for more of the pie, you don't batten down the hatches and fight every step of the way especially... because...

4) ... one of the biggest reasons why there "appears" to be not enough money, is because the previous board, controlled by a lame duck public school majory signed a new LTA contract which doesn't leave all that much room for any other programs. And once a community sees that kind of spite spending...

5) ... said community will then have to use the democratic process - which we have done - to assert its will. Quite simple.

Please don't argue the LTA numbers - just read the NY Times from whenever it was. And if somebody must attack the %age of funds used for the private sector, knock yourself out... let's say it's 15%; ok. So what?

OM - you're doing a great job at bringing these issues up. Hashem should give you ko'ach and s'char b'shefa... oh, Hebrew... koach is strength, and s'char beshefa means bountiful reward.

Shabbat shalom.

2:22 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

2:22 PM - the issues you brought up are quite clear and factual. I commend you for writing this.

I too am disturbed by the signs. And I am a public school parent.

I am disturbed, however, that the current board:

1. Refuses to set a reserve from the proceeds of the sale of Number 1 School.

2. Decides COLLECTIVELY to cancel a BOE meeting that was scheduled a year in advance, while the two non-observant members were available and present. The time of cancellation was illegal (not enough time given).

3. $ 11 million slated from the Contract For Excellence is not going where it is supposed to be - another illegal act. That money is specifically set to benefit a list prepared by the Governor's office.

4. This pre-k busing remains unsafe for 3 and 4 year olds without matrons and corner pick-ups. The actual costs are more than $600,000 .

5. GATE/E program is slashed by more than 50%. All district children can benefit from that program - and those who don't should ask their private school administrators why one isn't in their school. I know it is in HALB.

6. CSE should have a parent from the private sector on the committee as an advocate for the children as well.

7. The majority of the board put up an illegal referendum in January for private school busing and then, at the last minute, took it down - but they were told from the onset by the school attorneys that it was an illegal move.

8. The public school buildings are crumbling. The reserve should be set aside for repair of these buildings.

9. Computer technology benefits all district students. It is outdated (older than most of the children who use it).

2:56 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Somebody "accuses" the private school candidates of printing signs in Hebrew, and a private schooler responds by "accusing" public schoolers of printing signs in Spanish? I've never seen a group of people get so involved in elections while knowing so little about elections. Just about every candidate for every office creates special ads targeted to different segments of the voting population. The campaign ads shown during Oprah are not the same as the campaign ads shown during football games. There is nothing illegal and nothing unethical about doing this. Are we now supposed to get mad at McDonalds for running ads in Spanish on Telemundo?

Each side criticizes the other for name-calling and divisive campaign tactics while doing the very same thing. For too many people involved, this stopped being about schools a long time ago and has become an excuse to spew uninformed hatred in all directions.

BOTH sides have made mistakes. BOTH sides have done and said offensive things. BOTH sides are teaching our children to hate each other. NEITHER side has been perfectly behaved. It is little consolation to say that the other side has been MORE offensive.

We can disagree with each other's political views--and even attack the candidates on their views and their records--without being offensive and bigoted (in either direction). We ALL need to stop assuming that anyone in the 5T who isn't exactly like us is evil or out to get us.

The lack of even the slightest self-awareness or perspective from either "side" in this community is truly disturbing.

For all of our sakes, can we please take a break from pointing out each other's faults to recognize our own and then try to improve?

I dread the responses that will accuse me of being from one side or the other, or telling me who started it. Is adult behavior really too outlandish a request?

Please, for the sake of our community and our children, let's all take a look at ourselves TODAY and think about how we can be a better neighbor. And then let's do it.

3:01 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

We reap what we sow!

Call it an "Orthodox" Board or a Board controlled by private school parents, the objective, and the reality, are one and the same -- to dismantle the public schools of Lawrence; to divide the community; and to divert public monies to private, religious education.

I read something in the Malverne/West Hempstead Herald a couple of weeks back in support of passage of the school budget in that community:

"A community’s reputation, and its ability to thrive, is dependent, in great measure, upon the achievements and accomplishments of its public schools. Without the support of residents, where school budgets fail and school districts flounder, community disintegrates. Without community, we have nothing."

The writer could have been talking about Lawrence.

Shame upon all of us -- Jew and non-Jew, public and private school parents -- for casting stones upon our own house.

3:10 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

3:10 PM: The BEST stuff written here in the last few days.

3:13 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Don't mix the signs that support Public School Candidates with the ads that were printed in the Herald.
I do support the Public School Candidates, but am ashamed that such ad campaign was published in the local press.

3:34 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!
You who call yourself ORTHOmom has the chuzpah to complain when anyone else calls someone ORTHODOX.

4:32 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

to psmom
do you in any way feel that the public school candidates did not put these ads in?

4:32 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

and psmom, even if they didn't personally put the ads in, they are beholden to those that did.

4:47 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!
You who call yourself ORTHOmom has the chuzpah to complain when anyone else calls someone ORTHODOX.


Don't be willfully stupid. No one is saying that the word "Orthodox" is offensive. It's the way it's used that's offensive. The same way that the word "Jew" is not offensive, but the phrase "No Jews Allowed" is.

4:56 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

anon 2:56.

I agree with several of your points - but am not up enough on the issues to agree / disagree with the others. It's too close to Shabbos (what am I doing online at this time???) to continue a lengthy / well thought out discussion. I fully agree that building repairs MUST be undertaken in a responsible manner, that the technology district-wide MUST be updated and several other issues.

However, I quite simply (the same way you probably don't trust the board in its current make-up) don't trust the candidates who campaign on an anti-orthodox platform, want to "take back the district" and are clearly planning on severly reducing or even eliminating the gains in overall services we have achieved.

I may not like some of the decisions of the current board - again, I'm not knoledgeable enough to comment at this point - but I must vote to protect my children against what I perceive to be a clear desire to reduce/change the non-public service offering.

And now I must really go.

Gut Shabbos.

5:26 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You people never get tired of playing the "poor me" card.
Do not ever think that the orthodox have come into the five towns and embraced the community
far from it. You have divided this community and then have the nerve to cry "poor us" look how they are
treating us. Get over yourselves!!
How many of you have sat at a school board meeting to watch Uri Kaufman and Murray Forman roll their eyes and jesture to each other when PUBLIC school parents try to fight for the rights of their children to get a good education, a safe building to go to. Why should any taxpayer have to pay for preschool children to be driven to school by bus. How does it improve the quality of the public school system. Why is the board not moving faster on a safer telephone system, repairing buildings, upgrading computer systems?? No matter if you send your child to a public or private school your tax dollars will go to fund the PUBLIC schools. Why should one dollar of the sale of #1 school be given back to ANY taxpayer? If you are new to this area you knew what the taxes are in this area. Why should Dr. Mansdorf be an advocate for improving the private school system with public school dollars isn't that what tuition is for?
I will fight against private school people running and ruining this public school system every chance I get.

6:10 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well said 6:10!!!!

Most people agree with your statements and need to stand up and be heard regarding OUR children and OUR public schools.

6:37 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Just a few responses:
1. To th guy who says "most people agree with your statements", we'll see on election day, in a democratic election, what the majority of this district agrees with.

2. Don't tell me about how the Orthodox "came to the five towns". I grew up here and have lived here my whole life. I have just as much dibs on this community as you do. How dare you imply otherwise.

3. Shut up about pre K busing. The public school opened that pandoras box by providing it for free to those students not covered by the grant. If one group gets it, the other must as well, at least in the areas allowed by law. You don't like it? Tough. why would you expect a double standard like that to pass muster?

And to all of those who will be commenting over shabbos, try to keep it civil in our absence.

I wish a Shabbat Shalom to those who observe it, and a wonderful weekend to everyone else. And I mean that genuinely.

6:51 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

How is this for an idea? Since the Orthodox want to create separate schools, facilities, etc....why dont the public school kids start going to the yeshivas for school? Get funding for the public school kids to go to the yeshias. This will bring the community together and all of the people of different races, religions, can all go to school together, both public and private. I think this is a good idea. Any thoughts?

8:06 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

In responce to 6:51 PM

1. To the guy who says "most people agree with your statements", we'll see on election day, in a democratic election, what the majority of this district agrees with.

(yes we will see on election day, we will be watching, so make sure people vote under one name only and that they truly live in the district)

2. Don't tell me about how the Orthodox "came to the five towns". I grew up here and have lived here my whole life. I have just as much dibs on this community as you do. How dare you imply otherwise.

(I have resided here over 65 years, in the last ten years there has been an influx of many people...Where has your voice been? And by the way, no one should have dibs on any community (how sad of a statement) What? I lived here longer than you, yada yada. Grow up, we share this community and our school taxes (by law) go to public schools not private...you choose to send your child to private school, if YOU don't like the perks public children get, then send your child to public school. I dont hear people complaining that send their children to Woodmere Academy or Kellenburg..why? because they choose to send their children
there and understand that by law its not "if one gets it, they all should"

3. Shut up about pre K busing.
(again, very mature)

The public school opened that pandoras box
(the only panforas box opened is paying for "private & non-accredited private school tuition (Kulana) for services that can be obtained by an accreditied public schools)

by providing it for free to those students not covered by the grant.

(if private schools are eligible for a grant for pre-k busing, by all means apply for it, don't take it out on public schools, take it up with your state government)

If one group gets it, the other must as well, at least in the areas allowed by law.

(exaclty, by LAW. As a private school you are not entitled to it by law or belive me, you'd have it., again, write someone, don't take it out on the public school)

You don't like it? Tough. why would you expect a double standard like that to pass muster?

(What doulbe standard? There is no double standard, by state law private schools are just that...you are NOT entitled to all that public schools are, that is just state law. Unfortunatley this is just your spin and no, we don't like it and because we are letting our voices be heard we are wrong.

(You should really attend some Public School Board Meetings!)

8:06 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dear Moshe Cedarbaum:

Through all this garbage, I'm glad we are able to dialog. By the time you read this, I hope you did have a good Shabbos.

I am anon 2:56.

As a PS parent, I did vote for M. Hattan and U. Kaufman, because I myself was upset at the lame duck trustees and their last minute voting. On top of that, as a Jew who has attended private school myself as well as one of my children, I am more tolerant than others as far as culture and what is good for the whole community. I am glad we are able to speak frankly and in the open about all of the points that both you and I brought up. You are well informed and took the time and energy to know what goes on within the school board system - more than most on this blog do. So I can see that your sentiments are genuine and you would love to be at peace with what is going on - just like I would.

I do have some issues that I would like the board to hear, on behalf of the private school community, which I think has been short-changed, but not because of previous boards, but THIS board in particular, speaking of those of the Orthodox majority.

1. Now the board members must be in compliance with continuing education by the NY State Education Department. What private school children are entitled to are clearly spelled out in the following link:

http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/nonpub/HANDBOOKonServicestoPupilsAttendingNonpublicSchools/Handbookpage.htm

I do believe that there should be a private school advocate who sits with the board, or even a board member, who is well versed in these laws. I do believe that the private schools can benefit from additional programs and are entitled to programs that they do not get.

I do believe, with all my heart, and have seen it with my eyes, that there are certain Rabbis who are in charge of yeshiva education in the Five Towns that want to control what comes in and out of their schools. Why? I don't know, and I don't want to make any judgment calls. When these Rabbis were approached to have certain programs aligned with the high school for the purposes of using more resources, I know that the private school Rabbis stepped in and did not want any kind of intergration. Unfortunately, some of the programs have to be intergrated so that there is no appearance of bias. Also, parents wanted certain benefits without intergration also. Well, the laws aren't written that way.

Second, the Orthodox majority of this board has overstepped their authority to break the law in a few aspects, only to be pulled back at the 9th hour because of a lawsuit or because the school attorney laid down the law.

How can the public school and private school communities work together?

There needs to be advocacy. The school board members don't have the latitude to advocate for special interests, and they shouldn't. It is up to them to design a committee for advocacy, the same way you sat on a sub-committee once. The committee should report back to the board members.

As a PS parent, I voted for Michael Hatten, because I know of his business, how he treats students AND teachers and how he conducts himself. To be in a business like he is in, which is much more tightly regulated than a school district such as Lawrence (yes, proprietary business schools in the state of New York is, because there is more of an opportunity to commit fraud and stiff students), I thought he would be more independent with his actions and he would be more vocal.

David Sussman rode the fence for many years, supported both the private schools and the public schools. He himself, however, decided to not show up at the cancelled board meeting which was cancelled by the Orthodox majority. He also supports programs that he knows are short-sided and the costs are not fully revealed.

Between you and me? And everyone involved? Maybe the state should step in at this point and make appointments.

The Contract for Excellence is not being adhered to (use the link below):
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/CFEfieldmemo.htm

And just as I said before, our 3 and 4 year olds are placed on a bus, without a matron, good-bye to door-to-door service, and they have be to buckled in and un-buckled by the bus driver. All 3 year olds have to be in car seats.

And, my other issues, as stated before still stand.

I don't agree with the smearing tactics and the accusations about religion or ethnicity that is going on between community members. Between ads in newspapers for ballot organizers, the crap about using yeshiva girl pictures in front of the middle school, the bigot remarks, etc., have been just terrible. We are not teaching our children to love one another or to be tolerant of those with cultural or religious differences, so we do need to tell them that we are ALL working together to ensure that they are safe in their schools and receiving the best education possible.

8:29 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I still say, let the public school students attend the yeshivas too. This way they can get a good education, since the private school parents are denying them a shot at a good education, in the public schools. Integration is the key to solving the problems of the community. Do it the Martin Luther King way!!!!!!!

8:41 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree with anonymous above. Lets send our public school students to the Yeshivas. This way everyone can get an equal education! I think thats a GREAT idea.

8:45 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

As a PS parent, I did vote for M. Hattan and U. Kaufman, because I myself was upset at the lame duck trustees and their last minute voting.

How did you have the esp to know what the "lame duck" board was going to do after the public school candidates lost the election?

8:49 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Her" kids can walk down the street in perfect safety. My kids get cursed at from speeding cars full of "her" kids.

Maybe you and your kids should try walking on the sidewalk or at least not in the middle of the street on Saturday and chances are you won’t get yelled at. Why does the Orthodox population feel this level of entitlement? Just because your religious beliefs keep you from driving, does not mean that I should have to perform the Orthodox Slalom all the way down the street every weekend? Stupid little things like this is what make people in the community detest certain practices and the people who perform them.

9:10 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Um, hello? Do you think this phrase would be acceptable if any other racial or ethnic group was highlighted? Try replacing the phrase "Orthodox" with the term "Black", "Hispanic", or even just "Jewish". Offended yet? I know I sure am."
-OM

When did Orthodox Jews become a racial or ethnic group, the last time I checked, it was a religious designate. Black is the old slang for the new politically correct term African American, which is a race, Hispanic is a rather broad term, but still it is a race, Jewish is a religion and since this is more Jew on Jew, using Jewish would serve no purpose. Offended, not yet, only at the incredibly one sided blog. It is your right to post whatever you want, but if you were truly interested in any semblance of harmony in the 5 Towns, you would discontinue posting this garbage and use the prominence of this blog for something more than the current hate filled rhetoric.

10:12 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

to anon 8:29 pm
why don't you call the district clerk on monday 295-7032 and verify, I think you will find another piece of misinformation(blatant lies) that the Pam team is spreading-David Sussman was available and was going to the cancelled board meeting. It was cancelled on him as well.....Have a nice weekend.

6:43 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm sorry, but is this a joke? I am a public school mom, and I have to ask a respectful apology from orthomom and all other private school parents here. First for for the disgusting ads that have been put in the papers. I am not on board with them. THey have nothing to do with the issues and everything to do with hate and prejudice. I am not pleased with them.

Second of all, I have to apologoze for the public school parents on this blog who are obviously so blinded by their hatred that they can't see how hateful they are being. It is completely wrong to defend these ads as some are doing here. These ads are wrong, and anyone who can't or won't see that needs to reassess their objectivity.

Third of all, to those who say OM is divisive, try reading her. She is just as quick to criticize her own community as she is our board members. Want to know what? Even if I don't agree with her on all her views, I can respect them.

Fourth of all. Didn't anyone even stop to consider what might have gotten us here? All of my fellow public school parents are screaming about how the don't trust the sitting board. Well, you know what? The private school communtiy didn;t trust the non private school majority board. And perhaps they had a point. My friend and neighbor (who is Orthodox btw!) sat down and cried to me a few years ago because her severely learning disabled son was evaluated and she was told in the meeting that he could "either go to public school or get no services". Well, my sense of right and wrong thinks thats wrong. I don't care if you guys are angry that the Orthodox choose to send to prvate school. There is no reason we can't split the pie asmuch as the law allows. They are taxpaying citizens. Do you think that just maybe had we showed the private school community more of a giving and sharing spirit we wouldn't be here? Did it ever occur to anyone that had we presented the budgets that had 10% increases but included some new perks to show the private school community good faith that we might not have had the pain of kids being put through austerity year after year? Think, people.

And you know what really bothers me? That we are trashing the "Orthodox led board", and the truth is that they have cut less for our kids than the previous boards have done on the same exact budget.

I have to agree with orthomom here. It's ENOUGH. Enough of the lies. Enough of the hate. Enough of the ads that play on prejudice. Enough lawsuits that are based in nothing but propaganda and false claims (Pam, I like you, but I mean you).

The private school community is entitled to our generosity and they never really received it. You feel like they haven't been generous to us this year to your complete satisfaction? There's a mirror there. Look into it.

9:45 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"
Maybe you and your kids should try walking on the sidewalk or at least not in the middle of the street on Saturday and chances are you won’t get yelled at. Why does the Orthodox population feel this level of entitlement? Just because your religious beliefs keep you from driving, does not mean that I should have to perform the Orthodox Slalom all the way down the street every weekend?"

That comment shows more of the same blindess to our own faults while criticizing others. Have you EVER tried to drive down LAwrence Avenue when the middle school gets out? I have. And I saw the the kids getting dismissed walked right down the middle of the road bocking traffic (once they even started a football game and I as forced to go into the oncoming traffic lane because they wouldn't move) There were many cars who had to play "middle school slalom". It wasn't fun. It was inconsiderate, but it had nothing to do with whether the kids were protestant, catholic or jewish. It happens. I had just picked up my son from the middle school and I gave hima huge talking-to about beinf onsiderate and never doing what we saw. That's what you should do when you see a similar situation with the orthodox. and they should do the same. Our kid learn by being taught.

And we are teaching them bad things with all this prejudice.

I also should mention that I would like to see an apology from Maribel, Andrew and Pam for the ads run in their names. My vote might just depend on it.

9:51 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

So the ads against having the Orthodox control the board are completley unacceptable but the full page "Why Pamela Greenbaum Needs to Go" ad in the same issue of the Herald is ok with you?

You're a liar, a bully, and a hypocrite orthomom.

10:10 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

anon10:10
the anti pam ads have a signature at the bottom, no one is hiding on those ads, let pam and co. put their names on their ads too or do they just want to keep perpetuated hate and scare tactics?

12:07 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

the anti pam ads were anti pam not hate filled against an entire segment of our school district-people do have the right to pick and choose who they like or dislike- what would you call someone who dislikes an entire segment of the population?

12:11 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"My friend and neighbor (who is Orthodox btw!) sat down and cried to me a few years ago because her severely learning disabled son was evaluated and she was told in the meeting that he could "either go to public school or get no services""

That is an outright lie. Whomever told that story either lied or doesn't have a clue as to how Special Education Serices works. CSE does not (and cannot) force children into the public school system by holding services hostage, which would be illegal. Next time you plan on making up a lie, make it a bit more believable. Once a child is found to require services, the CSE will offer services within the confines of the public school setting under the free appropriate public education laws. If a parent chooses to send their child to private school after that offer, CSE will still provide the special education services they had offered (as again, witholding them would be illegal) at their private school, they will just deny any attempt by a parent recoup tuition fees for said private school if it was determined that the public school could have appropriately serviced the childs needs while providing an appropriate education. Now if that child is found to be severely disabled and their condition is one which is determined that the public schools can’t provide an appropriate environment, then and only then is a private school (doesn’t matter if it is religious or not) tuition to be reimbursed. Why don't you go back to your neighbor and ask if their child is currently reciving services in private school, I'll bet they are...

12:25 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"what would you call someone who dislikes an entire segment of the population"

In the current environment, I would simply call them a 5 Towns resident

12:26 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have been living in the 5 Towns since 1967, and it was always a great place to live..borderline Paradise. Now it feels like I live in Iraq! What a frigging shame!

12:44 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

12:44 PM: You're right. I was born and bred here. I went to local schools. It has changed terribly.

Everyone has an attitude, can't park, can't drive without the cell phone to their ear - illegal I might add - and have to drive these big boats for their 10 children. It has become a terrible place to live - no quality of life anymore.

2:16 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is sickening and blogger 2:16 should look in the mirror.Everyone has been a newcomer somewhere and sometime. The Irish, Italians, immigrants from East Europe everybody. %0 and sixty years ago there was a problem with the original "Jewish " migration into the sleepy Five Towns. I thought we had gotten over that garbage. Every group has its own idiosyncrasies. Accept diversity and enjoy it. Don't dare believe that your oddities are any better or worse than your neighbors.

4:55 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Its a joke to compare an ad calling for someone to not be elected to the anti-orthodox ads. If the ads had just said not to vote the private school candidates I don't think anyone would have cared.

7:06 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Angry public school mama should have run for school board trustee.

7:08 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Noone is denying any new "immigrant" type of people the right to enjoy living in the 5 towns. But if you are going to live in the community, act as a member of the community, and act respectfully to other people who are different than you. Everyone knows what I am talking about.

7:10 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Its a joke to compare an ad calling for someone to not be elected to the anti-orthodox ads. If the ads had just said not to vote the private school candidates I don't think anyone would have cared.



Ads in the past have referred to "Private School Candidates" and that too was a turned into a big problem. No matter what public school candidates do, the spin is always put on it by certain people.

And to blogger angry public school mama...you should really attend some board meetings and educate yourself on the goings on in the district. No disrespect meant.

7:36 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Public school mama here again.

Who said I haven't attended meetings. You are obviously one of those people who think everyone who doesn't have your viewpoint is ignorant. Its unbelievable that because I say we should have tried to deal with the private school community with an open hand, I must not know anything about this district. What I do know is this district didn't suddenly start doing poorly on tests when the budget went down. One begat the other, and we all know which came first. To blame the private school community for all of our school's problems shows you to be either ignorant or not being honest.

7:44 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anon 7:10:
Yes, we all know what you're talking about when you talk about people who don't act with respect towards others. Unfortunately, we saw some of those peoples attitudes on display in the nassau herald in big ads.

7:47 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm glad to see some anger here from even those who support the candidates who put the ads out. I think they should issue a loud and public apology. I expect it. I support their views on the public schools, but these ads could not have tried harder to be divisive. The lies in them only added gravy.

8:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ok Angry Mama, here we go...

First of all, no one is blaming the current board for poor test scores other than the current board. Our test scores include special ed children and also children who do not speak english as a primary language, therefore lowering the score. However, with programs wittling down they are no longer productive and do help test scores.

You blog about your ortho neighbor who did not receive services, I will not address b/c it was already addresed in this blog and very well explained. If you don't get it feel free to blog again and it can be explained again.

As far as your pie splitting theory, the pie is split over and beyond what the state law permits. Private schools recieve books, special ed services and transportation over and beyond the legal limit. We have showed the private community as you call it "perks" and it has only gotten us false promises from them which you would apparently know if you attended board meetings. (Where is our phone system? Where is the RFP for an attorney? Where are our building repairs? Which you really should pay attention to if your children do attend our public schools!)You say you do attend the board meetings....you must be at the wrong district b/c the meetings I attend I get to observe certain members of the board rolling their eyes and making hand gestures every time a public parent gets up to speak. I see certain members leaving the meeting (maybe to go home for dinner)and returning an hour later, I see board members holding private meetings in the parking lot and stop talking when someone walks by and I have seen at least 4 "EMERGENCY" meetings which pertained to private pre-k busing.
(let us remember busing is a convenience and has NOTHING to do with education) or a state law.

Your make reference to submitting the budget at 10% and include perks for the privates. The budget was submitted higher than that but was reduced by the BOE at .9%, that was not the public school's doings.

Do you understand that we all pay school taxes and under state law these taxes go to the public schools as per state law. Whatever services are mandated by the state for private they get along with more perks such as busing over the mileage required, such as public school teachers going into the private schools for special ed services. State law says we must provide them, not only do we provide them but we go to the private schools, state law says we could bus them into our buildings for services, noooo....out of convenience we go to the schools so the child's day is not broken up.

Private people choose to send their children to private schools...that said they are NOT legally entitled to all your so called perks. And that Mama is state law. And while we are on the subject...what exactly did this board accompolish this school year?? Do you even know?...I will tell you, they have yet to put our emergency phone system in place (that they already have the monies for) they have yet to hire an architect for our building repairs, they have yet to put out an RFP for an attorney, and those are just a few. Oh yeah, I forgot, they did pay for (out of your taxpaying monies) 6 children's tuition for private school b/c their parents refused p/s education which we are accredited to serve, so they can attend private. Ew..is that a perk that you are referring to? And let us not forget the bogus number we were given for private pre-k busing, and of course free building usage on an austerity budget which they pulled b/c its illegal.

Angry mama...just a few tidbits. BOE meetings are held at the Lawrence Middle School and scheduled on your "public" school calendar.

9:30 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am a public school parent. I do not agree with the ads. You should never use once religion. People, People, People, it is very simple,

Stop acting as if non public school children don't get anything. They do. When the special education laws take over and our children are being serviced and tested by other districts you will really see what private school students are treated like. NYC already said they will not be able to handle the volume. They do not provide therapies in schools. Hewlett may give a service, but they do not classify students. This would be more on my mind then the articles. Parents who have received the paperwork are going to be responsible to contact the district where the child attends. I took the liberty in the interest of community togetherness to attach the New York City Special Ed brochure with all the numbers needed. Why is the board not worried about this?
http://pubadvocate.nyc.gov/services/documents/PubAdvo2004Brevised.pdf

9:39 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...


As far as your pie splitting theory, the pie is split over and beyond what the state law permits. Private schools recieve books, special ed services and transportation over and beyond the legal limit.


Ok, let's make this a true statement, instead of a lie. The state does not have LIMITS. Thet have MANDATES. There is no limit to the few services the private school is legally allowed to receive, such as busing and textbooks and special education. It is true that they do receive a higher amount that the bare minimum required by law. However, this is because similarly, there is a state MANDATE for the public schools in terms of what they must receive as a bare minimum. This district (and I am proud to say this) provides FAr higher the the state MANDATE, or bare minimum, for the public school students. However, in a community so wealthy, with a budget so brimming with perks for the public schools, there is no good reason not to provide similar perks as permitted by law to the private school community.

I commend public school mama for speaking and saying what we private school parents have been saying for years. How can you treat us by haviong closed fists and expect us to approve your lavish budgets with an open hand? Had the previous boards shown us some respect and offered some olive branches in their last few budgets, perhaps they would not have gone into austerity, and perhaps we wouldn't have lost faith in the board to look out for the WHOLE community's best interests, and perhaps we wouldn't now be dealing with your dread "Orthodox majority".

Oh, and by the way? The ads were disgusting.

9:45 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Private people choose to send their children to private schools...that said they are NOT legally entitled to all your so called perks. And that Mama is state law.

And is drama, art, bowling, football, baseball, soccer, students clubs, student newspapers, and all the other extra-curriculur items that the tax dollars help fund "legal ntoitlements"? No. They are perks as well - they just happen to be the perks you like. And in America, perks get divvied up democratically. And the only reason why the orthodox "controls" this board is because when ALPS was in control, they treated the orthodox like second class citizens denying them not just the "perks," but services they were legally entitled to. So the orthodox got fed up.

Thank you ALPS for this ad. It helped remind the orthodox community exactly what's at stake in this election.

9:53 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Spin, Spin, Spin....

Im dizzy!

9:58 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Can someone please tell me what services are mandated by the state for the private schools that they are not receiving?

Singed, Concerned Parent

10:10 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

Can someone please tell me what services are mandated by the state for the private schools that they are not receiving?

Singed, Concerned Parent


Ok. clearly you didn't understand the above post regarding state mandates. The state mandates a bare minimum in terms of services for both the private and public school communities. The private school community recieves above the state bare minimum, but there is no maximum. The public school also receive FAR more than the state bare minimum. You would not want to compare the bare bones NYC budget with the Lawrence budget. So in a community with a budget as expansive and full of perks for public school students, is there some reason not to help the private school students get some perks as well?

This is all about fair treatment as allowed by law.

10:20 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I read the ads, reread the ads and then reread again looking for the horrible untrue points, can't find any. Don't like the truth in print do you?

10:22 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lawrence Woodmere Academy
St. Raymonds School
Bishop Kellenberg High School
Long Beach Catholic etc etc etc etc
If this is all about what is due to private schools where are the complaints and demands from parents of these children? Funny how the yeshiva parents are crying and all the others not so much.
"Poor Us"

10:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

OK, let's start with the ad on the left. It says:

"The ETHICAL STANDARD REQUIRED of all Public School Board members is set by the National School Board Association OCode of Ethics"

Now, there are at least two untruths in that statement:

1. The "National School Board Association" is a private organization. It can set all of the "codes of ethics" not wants, but it has no authority to "require" any conduct by any school baord member anywhere.

2. Even if one were to concede that the National School Board Association Code of Ethics is binding on its member institutions, the Lawrence School Board is not a member of that rganization.

Shall I continue?

10:31 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Funny how the yeshiva parents are crying and all the others not so much.

Funny how no one has an answer to anon 9:53 and 9:45.

10:33 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

to 10:31 you hit the nail on the head this present school board is unethical
there you go

10:34 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The public school children of Lawrence deserve better than what both the School Board and the voters are giving them.

Quoted from a civic rights organization. I guess Mr. Gordon's comment about Nassau County Boards being jealous of ours is not shared by all. I heard that and I could not stop laughing. Roslyn's budget for 3400 is 90 million 1000 going to private schools 4 million in transportation our budget 92million 3400 9 million going to transportation, they are spending 5 million to upgrade their classrooms to include smart boards and power point and software to enhance students, we pray for computers that are less than 8-10 years old. Mr. Gordon tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth,

11:08 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What would the public school system do if 2,000 private school kids decided to register for class for 2007/2008 school year? Instead of berating us they should be thanking us that we pay more than our fair share. Imagine what the district taxes would be if the public school popluation doubled.

I guess you have to be orthodox to understand math. Of course if we were so smart we would have solved the Yeshiva tuition problem by now.

11:19 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well, lets talk about the Roslyn numbers. They prove your point! There are 4000 private school students in lawrence, roslyn only has 1000. You guys are getting a great deal!

11:26 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

There are 4000 private school students in lawrence, roslyn only has 1000. You guys are getting a great deal

How do you figure, the amount of public school students are the same, and the have less private school students, we are getting xxxxxx

11:30 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What would the public school system do if 2,000 private school kids decided to register for class for 2007/2008

I would love it, I would love to see the district figure it out on the crappy budget they proposed. Yes taxes would go up, but you would save up to 60,000 a year for families that have a few kids, and maybe my kids would get new computers, smart boards, and Mr. gordon can write about something he knows.

11:31 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

To may rational anon conversation partner (meant completely sincerely, it's just that your post was so long ago, I forgot the time...), to Angry PS Moma and anybody else who wants to engage in civilized debate.

All of us, regardless of our background, or where we send our children can point to mistakes, even deliberate actions, and omissions that were committed by the BOE when that BOE was under the "other" group's control.

Regarding somebody's really angry post of how their neighbor had fed them a story about their disabled child... I was in the finance sub com meeting about 5 years ago when the previous head / director / assistant super (don't know right title) presented the statistics of applications and certifications of the two populations. If memory serves well (and despite my not being all that old it seems to just take leave of absence once in a while) SE children were 16% of the public school segment, whereas non-publics were less than 8% of their population (I believe that the national, or NYS average at that time was 12%). Not only that, public school children were twice as likely as non-publics to be accepted into SE. You never heard a more convoluted, and clearly untrue answer as to the cause of this discrepancy.

In the committee we continued to have debates over whether to bus SE kids to the public schools or allow them to receive services in their own schools. Again, we ran the numbers and came to the clear conclusion that it was MORE cost effective (and CERTAINLY better for the kids so they don't have to lose three periods - 1) going, 2) SE, 3) returning)) to provide services in their schools, especially at large-population schools such as HAFTR and HALB. And yet the insistence: Get the services in the public schools. Why?

Again, I'm not citing this example to further stir the pot; I'm making the point to show that advocacy, even five, six and seven years ago, has been enormously difficult. I fully agree - as per my pre-Shabbos post - that we need to fix the buildings, update the computers, the phones, get the edicational consultant in place, and a bunch of other things I'm just not anymore informed enough about.

Now to the perks vs. mandates: I suspect that the law give very clear guidelines as to the minimum required programming educational / extra-curricular within the public school system and what must be provided to private schools.

This is not my favorite approach, but maybe THAT is the starting point for a rational discussion. Clearly laying out, with costs attached, what ALL the programs cost - across the board, public, private and all.

I want our public schools to have a competitive football team, a basketball team etc. I want there to be strong music and drama programs and many more and varied programs. Those are educationally sound and holistically important initiatives. But at a time when there is disagreement about how monies should be spent, or the amount of funding to generate through taxation, I want ALL programs on the table... NOT to cut, but so that ALL of us can see what we are getting by LAW and where the PERKS begin.

It's late again. I won't be able to answer anyone tomorrow.

11:34 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anon 11:08

Just one more b/4 bed. If I believed that MY child too would get what I believe is a fair deal, I would - in a second - vote for the higher taxes to fund the high-tech learning environment in the public schools you described in your post... without ANY doubt whatsoever.

And now really good night.

11:40 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I believed that MY child too would get what I believe is a fair deal

What is a legal fair deal?

9:40 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think we should double tax the orthodox they use up our resources by having so many children, they destroy the economy by refusing to shop on Saturday, they have the gall to insist that Lawrence country club have kosher facilities, they should be happy we let them live here and now they want to destroy the public schools!!

10:18 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am not sure how to rspond to the blogger of 10:18.If this is a joke it really is not funny. If it is not a joke than whoever educated you should be ashamed. Everyone in a community or family needs to share,period end of story. But for the record, if we were to count what the "Orthodox" community uses, we would find they consume far less resources than their brethren neighbors. In the schools they cost about 8-10 cents for every dollar we spend on "public" school children. They consume "special Ed' services at about half the rate. Using your perverse argument would you consider lowering their taxes by half. I hope you appreciate my logical game but in truth your blog was disgusting and in opposition to everything this country is supposed to stand for. I hope you are proud of yourself and make sure that your children know you for what you really are.

11:11 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I echo the sentiments of the response to 10:18. He/She must be real turd. When they slam the doors of the freight trains you'll hear it from the inside of the train ..like the rest of us. BTW your gentile neighbors would turn you over the Gestapo without any hesitation . Wake up and smell the roses!....or is that the coffee

11:28 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yeah 10:18 is out of line.

When monies for technology is increased, the private school students enjoy the upgrade in their technology too, as this is part of the mandate. However, the budget for technology is only 300,000 - so it ain't gonna happen.

This budget being proposed is only hurting all of our children, not helping them - both private and public.

12:17 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

So it is Sunday morning, and the police have been called to remove a whole bunch of election signs put on public property on Broadway.

They aren't public school candidate signs either.

12:40 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

So it is Sunday morning, and the police have been called to remove a whole bunch of election signs put on public property on Broadway.

They aren't public school candidate signs either.


Yawn. You make it sound like they put them up on streelights. The property owners made the error (happens every year, in just about every election) of placing them on the swail between the sidewalk and the street. I guess you can't blame property owners for mistaking the swails for their own property - they do foot the bill for landscaping and upkeep...

12:46 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anon 10:10 Recent audits of the $93 BILLION budgets show:

Books: Public $78 per child
Private $48 per child

It also shows the luch program being subsidized by $50,000 a year WITHOUT federal funding, which is illegal in NYS.

These are just two ways to make it equitable.

1:41 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The Alps group is well financed and more organized than the orthodox community. Alps has people going to the nursing homes in the area collecting absentee ballots. They are spending money on extensive thought provoking advertising(Yes its hatefull and in bad taste). What is the Orthodox community doing other than placing signs on lawns and sending people to speak in shuls?If heaven forbid we don't win they will be out for revenge! Blogging is not enough!

2:08 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Granted ,some of the Orthodox kids walk in the street on Saturday.
I visited my daughter in Cedarhurst this past Passover.I gotta tell you the steets of Cedarhurst are full of dog doo.This ain't comin'from the Orthodox.
Before you criticize us ,please clean up after your dogs.

2:38 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Who let the orthodox here anyway, why should they be entitled to any opinion, lets hold elections on Saturday so they can't come. Its antidemocratic for them to foist their beliefs on the rest of us.

3:23 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

And some ALPS supporters have been trespassing on private property in the middle of the night taking down legal signs.

5:10 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anyone heard of the first ammendment? Freedom of religion and freedom of speech? I guess that won't in the curriculum if the Greenbaum ticket wins.

5:20 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Books: Public $78 per child
Private $48 per child

I am not going to discuss the signs or the dog doo, as I feel they are petty and really have little to do with the issues. If you have a complaint about how much is spent on books you should speak to your yeshiva. Ny state law mandates private schools to submit book requests with a signature from parent. It is your school that request textbooks, so if they don't spend as much, it is not the fault of the public school. The law also states the district is not allowed to purchase any religous textbooks. This is why there is a difference. Very petty,

6:01 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sure, we have heard of 1st ammendment, freedom of religion and speech...

Have you ever heard of separation of church & state?

6:03 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What is the Orthodox community doing other than placing signs on lawns and sending people to speak in shuls?

Why do anything? It is unfortunate that the children are the ones who are going to suffer, 3 year olds without matrons, not important, but giving up $80,000 in building usage revenue so the Haftr basketball team can play for free they are okay with. Hey folks, we are all being hosed. I encourage everyone to go other district websites, you will see why public school parents are upset. People don't understand in this district how private school children are given the bare essentials, in areas where their taxes are six times higher, they get no busing during school vacations, they do not get special ed services at school, and in some places get vouchers for transportation, I am afraid while our board is talking about free building usage, we are not preparing our community for changes in the special education laws, leaving many families in trouble when the district their children are going to school in refuses to test before remediation, and offers no on site services. Ny city already stated they just don't have enough people to handle the increase. Ela scores come out 5/22, and I bet you the scores did not go up. Every school district that has high scores puts all resources into the children. When you see a number like 26,000 this includes all transportation and books. When calling the state they will tell you are "actually spending is roughly between 16-18 per pupil. This community has to really be educated on how public schools work. The laws are not changing, and recently the Supreme Court was asked to here a case about special ed tuition, but why discuss this when are board is busy with "real" issues.

6:10 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Although I agree that it is wrong to use a term such as orthodox to separate a religious group, is it not extremely hypocritical that you name yourself "orthomom" thus stating that you represent yourself in terms being orthodox and yet you have the nerve to get offended when non-orthodox yet Jewish members of the community refer to others as orthodox, a term that you yourself use for separation. I moved into this community over 10 years ago and from the first day this separation was evident. Sunday through Thursday my "orthodox" or more religious neighbors were open and friendly, but when Shabbat hit they barely said hello and avoided eye contact because I chose to drive a car and not go to temple. Instead of making this a community of tax paying citizens who want the best for their children you made this into a Jewish vs. non- Jewish issue, a public school vs. private school population. You go to temple and observe Shabbat and attempt to be holy and yet you can't even follow the simplest orders of the Ten Commandments that say "love thy neighbor". In your selfish attempts to save money you neglect an entire group of smart innocent children, many of which are Jewish, and deny them of privileges that they deserve. And after that, you have the audacity to sit here and complain about someone using the term orthodox in what you infer to be a derogatory way. It’s almost funny, you sit online and try to stand up for what you believe is right and do some “good”, and yet all you do is try justify everything wrong that you stand for, that’s what’s disgusting, not using the term orthodox.

6:35 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...


Anonymous said...

Although I agree that it is wrong to use a term such as orthodox to separate a religious group, is it not extremely hypocritical that you name yourself "orthomom" thus stating that you represent yourself in terms being orthodox and yet you have the nerve to get offended when non-orthodox yet Jewish members of the community refer to others as orthodox, a term that you yourself use for separation.


Is that hypocritical of orthomom? why, not at all. I have no problem if someone asks me if I'm Jewish. i have a problemis someone says not to hire me because I'm Jewish. There are innocuous ways to use a designation, and there are inflammatory ways to use a designation. Orthomom? Innocuous. "Orthodox majority school board"? Inflammatory.

Let's put it this way. If the private school community had put out an ad saying "Don't vote for the non-Orthodox and non-Jewish candidates". Would you have smiled and shrugged it off? Of course not. The difference here is, the private school community would NEVER run such divisive ads. The ALPS crew is not as concerned with propriety, I guess. Too bad.

In your selfish attempts to save money you neglect an entire group of smart innocent children, many of which are Jewish, and deny them of privileges that they deserve.

You obviously are so caught up in your own perspective that you can't see that this is exactly how the private school community feels about the services denied their kids.

6:49 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

anon 6:35 - I just returned from the Israeli day parade, where I had parked my car in a garage. When I retuned to retrieve it, the black cashier - probably in his sixties, called out to another another black man, I'd guess not much younger to help me: "Boy, get this man his car from across the street." The worker, without batting an eyelid proceeded to bring the car.

If I were to call a black man "boy," I'm sure the reaction would not be the same. It's not only what words we use, it's also the context, and who uses them.

In our context, the word "orthodox" has been utilized in an extremely negative sense, whereas Orthomom identifies what she is. I have no clue who she is or how long she has been blogging, but I'd guess she thought that it was a cute handle and went with it.

I don't like negative stereotyping, especially like the posts from 10:18 above. The ads are despicable, regardless of our differences.

7:04 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I hate to divert from the nasty ads, and as a public school parent and a reform/conservite jew, I thought they were in poor taste. Like the textbook spending blogger, people truly do not understand the working of a pubic school system. Please before you ask me why I want to take from your child, which I don't I think there needs to be some understanding. I have posted a few posts from our lovely presidents NCLB website. I did not copy the whole article, because it is long winded and does really pertain to us. If interested I will give you the like below, read this, and try just try to understand. Also, I support pre-k busing, but unless there is a matron on that bus I will vote no. I do not want a child to get hurt, put matrons on raise the budget and I will vote yes. Read

Implements President Bush's Reading First initiative by increasing federal funding for reading programs from $300 million in FY 2001 to more than $900 million in FY 2002, and tying federal funding to the use of scientifically-proven methods of reading instruction.
Implements a new Early Reading First program to support early language, literacy, and pre-reading development of preschool-age children, particularly those from low-income families.
Strengthens teacher quality by providing $2.8 billion for teacher quality programs and allowing local school districts to use additional federal funds to hire new teachers, increase teacher pay, improve teacher training and development or other uses.

7:13 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

So I suppose, Its ok to separate yourself from other Jews and call yourself Orthodox, or "Frum from birth" or whatever term you want to use to separate yourself from others, but when someone else calls you by the term you wish to be identified with, it isnt acceptable for them to do so? That is being hypocritical. The problem is you come into a community and choose to separate yourself from the community. Then when someone identifies you by your label that you choose, you call it anti-semitic. You cant keep hiding behind the anti-semitic complaint whenever you are criticized for a separatist philosophy vis-a-vis the communtiy as a whole.

7:20 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"is it not extremely hypocritical that you name yourself "orthomom" "

Maybe she's an orthodontist?

An orthopedist?

7:47 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

To the Hopefully Small Vocal Minority of Anti-Orthodox Parents who are driven by Intolerance, Greed, and Fear.
I apologize for not giving you enough. Even though I am being financially crushed by private school tuitions, I lower your taxes and subsidize your children’s education by keeping my children out of the public school system. Somehow it is not enough. I know that my kids don't get the same perks that your kids get with the clubs and the sports teams, but why should they, my kids are Orthodox Jews after all, and they don't deserve it. Somehow I must teach my kids to do with less so that your kids have even more.
I apologize for taking out a massive mortgage to purchase your neighbors home so that they can retire with financial security. This neighborhood belongs to you. I should have known my place and not invaded it. At the very least, I should have obtained your permission first. I know it was extremely traumatic for you, knowing that I may dress a little differently, and that it may upset your sensibilities.
I apologize for getting upset when your kids threw stones at my kids around the time of last years budget process. My kids must have done something to provoke it.
I apologize for even thinking that I can have an opinion on how my tax dollars should be spent. Based on past boards performances, I should trust that your candidates will treat all of the districts children as fairly as they have in the past. Seeing the recent "public school" candidate’s advertisements, I now know that my kids will be treated fairly.
Please forgive me.

8:51 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Please the "poor me syndrome" is just about played out.
Get over yourself....

Believe me, we have.

8:57 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

know that my kids don't get the same perks that your kids get with the clubs and the sports teams, but why should they, my kids are Orthodox Jews after all, and they don't deserve it.

They don't get the same not because they are orthodox jews, they don't get the same because of the law, Blaine Amendment, Board of Ed vs Allen, put your children in public school, I don't care if my taxes go up, my child will not be in a class of 26/27 kids, and then maybe his computer will be less than 10 years old. I am sorry kids threw rocks, we are not greedy selfish people, we are legally entitled all those perks, we are supposed to get them,I don't know what to say to a community that truly does not know anything about public education. Read other school district websites, Enough already,

9:47 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

whatever term you want to use to separate yourself from others, but when someone else calls you by the term you wish to be identified with, it isnt acceptable for them to do so?


Come on. The issue is not labels, but the label chosen.

Call them "Private School Candidates" and that is acceptable. But come to think of it Sussman is not orthodox, he is a private school supporter. Call it like it is or dona't call it at all.

10:17 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

why dont we merge the public and private schools, and everyone will get equal treatment and everyone can go to school together.

10:22 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mr. Gordon is not being very truthful. I just read a post on that other web site, he touted the board as accomplishing many things they did not accomplish. He also said Nassau County would be envious of our board. He also posted the lies about the girls high school of Brooklyn. Mr. Gordon has a good time at all our expense, now if he get the truth right, we would all be better off read. savesd15

11:24 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

With everyone fighting about those so called perks, I have posted the link to the New York State web site. The state unfortunately the state considers these perks core subjects.

http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/deputy/Documents/learnstandards.htm

11:33 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The state unfortunately the state considers these perks core subjects.

Like the bowling team??

11:34 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Like the bowling team??

Go to the website and see. We can debate back and fourth forever. The current board cut Gate instead of bowling, the private school community is more interested in equality of whatever, and the yeshivas don't tell parents they are entitled to some of the programs, which is their responsibility. As long as everyone is busy claiming equality which under state and federal law is never going to happen, things like free building usage, where income is $80,000 a year is more important then programs like gate. Look a parent wrote about the districts book spending. The yeshivas order the books, they are allowed to order everything but religous books. Maybe it is time to ask the Yeshiva's why they are holding back the truth. How many people know developers are talking to Halb in Long Beach to sell the property for 10's of millions of dollars, while the board promised school six. The plan was originally to put all elementry kids in the middle school, and give #2 to yeshiva katana, and 6 to Halb and #5 to the library. It turns out the state would not support this transfer, and they would not accept all those children in one building. Now, Halb is looking for other property. Do you think they will lower tuition when they sell.

I am not a public school parent and I do not live in this town. I am somone who works in Long Beach you probably seen me around. Not meaning to cause trouble I just want the truth to come out.

11:45 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

anon 11:33 - can I plesae have that link again. It seems to have gotten cut off. Thank you.

11:55 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Which link 11:55?

12:09 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/deputy/Documents/learnstandards.htm

Ny State core standards.

12:11 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Also 28 New york state standards.

http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/pub/standards.pdf

12:12 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

There is something called the big lie. It has worked many places. The garbage about Number Two School and Number Six School never happened, was never considered and is just a big lie. As for the bowling team, this years budget was set last year. This Board has cut nothing and in next years budget, which it is creating, has cut nothing. This is fact, any thing else, lie. By the way, campaign signs are being stolen as we speak. This is only political so i guess during a race that featured ads like the back page of the Herald there is little to say.

12:13 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This Board has cut nothing and in next years budget, which it is creating, has cut nothing.

I agree on the schools, but get a copy of the line item budget and go to page 9 on one page gate cut from 76,000 to 33,000 40,000 from reading. This is not a lie. 100,000 from elementry security, which is bizare since Dr. Mansdorf was so concerned about the childrens safety. This is public information available at any public school.

12:29 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

to anon 12:29
R.E. Gate program
The truth of the budget is this:The 'o5-'06 budget the actual that we spent on gate was
$248, 398, the '06-07(this current years budget) was cut down to
$77, 816(planned to be spent) by (repeat after me) LAST YEARS "PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD"- NOT THIS YEARS "ORTHODOX BOARD"- this years proposed $36, 998 is based on what we actually spent this year which once again was okayed by (repeat after me) "Last years "PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD " NOT THIS YEARS "ORTHODOX BOARD"- Listen, I don't know about you, but I hate to be told half truths and be made to look like a fool.Once again this is the lie told by the alps people. You seem to really care- next time get your own facts- don't depend on the hype the ALPS people give- oh, and by the way, where were you last year when the public school board cut this program? AND gave fitzsimmons an extension on his contract so he could get a big fat raise and cut programs from our children?(by the way I am a PS parent also) wise up!

1:13 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

see the alps ad above-Restore the lawrence public school district- here's the REAL truth
Reading recovery- cut in 2002
elem foreign lang.- cut in 2003
super sat and sup sun-cut in 1999
after school buses- cut in 2003
fields trips- cut in 2002
building repairs-added 2007
read. spec-added 2007
math spec- added 2007
technology-$750,000 added 2007
Who is disantling our schools? The facts don't lie... The public school board is responsible for ALL the cuts, the current board- well blame them for all those additions!

8:52 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

read. spec-added 2007
math spec- added 2007

After the board was sued and spent thousands on litagation for classroom overcrowding, if you post post the truth. Also, building repairs were done because they were emergencies. Dr. Sussman has been on the board for god knows how many years why not blame him, or any other board member, do not lie, tell the truth, read savesd15@blogspot.com, they have documents backing this stuff up.

10:51 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

technology-$750,000 added 2007

What technology, the state excel grant? The one every school in the state received and most have spent? The one that is going to pay for the phone system when they finally pick one? Truth only folks. This community needs the truth, and you know what lies will not help, for those who want documentation, go to the lawrence school district website, board of ed minutes and you will see what goes on.

10:52 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

. You seem to really care- next time get your own facts-

First off I resent being called an ALPS member because I do not agree. Second of all get your facts straight, and know how a budget works. The superintendent submits the "budget" to the board, who then reveiws each line item and approves or not approves it. This year page nine of the line items cuts half of gate, and from reading, and yes I was at last years meetings. It is the board that won't allow pre-k bus monitors and additional program enhancements. It is the board that said they do not have to follow Alany's education plan but quoted it in the "kulanu" scandal another waste of time. Focus,, 265,000 dollars in technology,,,oooh for 7200 students because we do have to provide for non public students. We need 5/6 million more. Oh and for you Ramapo supporters, they just put up their budget for 4.5%, and are adding smart boards to their technology, as technology is the future.

10:58 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

ANTI ORTHO HERE:
I know the truth hurts and as usual when faced with the truth you people play the anti-semite card and cry about injustice. Well said anon7:20. In the end it will not matter anyway as you people will out vote us a usual and get what you want as usual and cry how everyone hates us AS USUAL!!
As I have said before you wonder why everyone hates you look in the mirror or is that against your religion also

11:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wow now I know why you (not all, only those like you) goyim will receive you reward in this world. Politics is politics and money and taxes are just that. I did not feel the other group ever represented me so I used my right for which we fought the Revolutionary War to vote my way. But you who blame my vote for your attitude is nothing more than saying that girl who got rapped is was her fought she was a girl. You are really sick. If I vote for anti tax Souzzi am I to be blamed when the cops get less money. Am I the cause of anti-semitism? You were probably raised on anti-semetic milk as a baby and if you are a Jew then this is just your self ahiting defense. This is no differnt than the AJC fighting money to Yeshivas for over 50 years. But now you feel it is OK to say nasty things don't blame. I never looked at my neighbors who vote your way as anti-semities until now you have come out from under your rock.

11:13 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Truth only folks. This community needs the truth, and you know what lies will not help"

Right. Which is why I'm sure your mad as hell that ALPS is putting in ads saying that this board cut reading recovery, super sunday and saturday, field trips when these items had a big ZERO next to them IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET APPROVED BY PAM, STAN AND CO.!

12:34 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

ANTI ORTHO HERE:
Hey orthomom why don't you post a copy of the flyer being handed out in brach's and i'm sure in the temples also! I love the part where it says: There are three seats open and our (meaning your) children will lose everything without your vote. Yea! thats just full of honesty. Our (yours) new board is delivering a budjet you can support with ZERO INCREASES and no cuts in services. B.S.without ant increases services and repairs will be cut and you can allocate money for your busing which can't be done without the budjet passing. Because 30 MILLION in proceeds from the sale of #1 school will be allocated by the new board you'll be electing. Right so you can make sure the money does not go for desperately needed repairs and upgrades!! Or where it says special needs children and their families desperately need your help! Like they aren't getting any. Both sides are shoveling the bbut of course we are liars and you people are so honest I sure I can sleep better now knowing how much your candidates care for my children. YOU PEOPLE CARE FOR THE ORTHODOX AND ONLY THE ORTHODOX AND THE REST IS ALL B.S. WE KNOW IT AND YOU KNOW IT!!!

1:05 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

So since I haven't decided who I am going to vote for, I've decided that this blog will determine my vote. I'm going to keep count from now on of nasty comments and at the end, I'll see which "side" has the most. And then I'm going to choose to vote for the "other side".

1:08 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

ANTI ORTHO HERE:
Hey orthomom why don't you post a copy of the flyer being handed out in brach's and i'm sure in the temples also! I



Um, because it doesn't say "don't vote for Greenbaum and evey because they aren't Orthodox"? I am quite sure that if they did say that, OM would post them.

1:08 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Um, because it doesn't say "don't vote for Greenbaum and evey because they aren't Orthodox"? I am quite sure that if they did say that, OM would post them.

Exactly. Like them or not Blisko Marcus and Sussman have a school agenda in their ads. Greenbaum and co (ALPS) have anti orthos in theirs.

2:11 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

So very sad, what has happened to this community.

I disagree with my neighbor's politics. We have different signs on our lawns. I still help him carry heavy packages into his house and jump-start his car, and he still helps me shovel my sidewalk in the winter and takes in my mail when I am on vacation. I do not call him names or grumble about "his kind" and he does not call me names or accuse me of trying to destroy the community.

Any of us who can take a step back from posting hate-filled accusations here and see the needless anger and bile-spewing for what it is are truly disappointed.

I only wish we could stop hating each other over the actions of those on the school board who supposedly represent us. Is it so much to ask to be able to disagree on how to spend our tax dollars and manage our schools without resorting to prejuice and hatred?

We should all be ashamed of what we have turned our community into.

2:28 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

LAST YEAR'S BUDGET APPROVED BY PAM, STAN AND CO.!

Okay let us not be nasty truthful. Last years board had the above and Dr. david sussman who is running, and murray foreman and Dr.Mansdorf.
While there were cuts last year, this year there are cuts on top of cuts, reading scores come out may 22 and I guarantee they are not good. Overcrowded classroom, 26 in 2 3rd grade classes verify 295-6600
technology, and ciriculum old and outdated, you cant improve without the investment. I have not read one ad in favor of larger class sizes. As far as the cap, I called five districts who do not go over 22 there contract states for more but they said and i quote "in the best interest of the children, and the teachers ability to ensure attention to children at risk is met class sized need to be managable, we don't want to be like the city with 25/26 kids in a class, the reason for our success is ensuring the children get every chance to be successful. We don't want to end up like Lawrence on the cover of the New York Times." This was from the office of one of the top five tested schools on Long Island. I am not sure why Long Island does not see that fiscal responsibility and equality is the most important thing. We are a joke, we blame everything but the truth. I guess I would sum things up like this. Anyone could probably drive with their feet if they tried. It does not mean you should do it.

2:54 PM  
Blogger Jameel @ The Muqata said...

Seeing ads like this make me glad I moved thousands of miles away from Pamela.

3:08 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Its time to call a spade a spade, the point that is being contested is whether this is a school board for all children in the community or a school board for public school children with ancillary benefits for all those who don't attend public school. Since all people in this district have a right and duty to vote and all taxpayers contribute to the school board equally it is in reality a school board for whomever the majority decides it is. Being that the majority of people in this district (for whatever reason) don't send their children to public school it is selfish and disingenuous to arbitrarily decide that it is purely a public school board, if someone has parochial (no pun intended) public school only items in their agenda that is what each schools PTA is for.
In truth the school board representing the majority should be establishing school vouchers mandating a certain dollar amount per pupil to be directed to whichever school they wish to attend, public or private. If there are perceived problems issues with this approach such as the First Amendment or the Blair Amendment now is the time to challenge them in Court. Based on recent Supreme Court decisions it is quite probable to believe that the Blair Amendment will be found unconstitutional because it unfairly singles out religion instead of being neutral and as long as the funding is neutral there is no First Amendment issue either.

3:18 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Newsflash!!! The Aryan Party of Nassau County has endorsed Pamela Greenbaum!

3:44 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

to anon 1:05
Sussman's name is on the flyer you claim is being given out by the orthodox.-He is not orthodox-He is a lawrence graduate,3 of his kids graduated from lawrence, and one is still in the middle school- He instituted many of the programs Pam claims is cut, elem foreign Language, Reading recovery,late busing-we even had "weighting" in classes to compensate for kids with disabilities in the classes and therefore have fewer children per elem. class. that was cut too.It was the public school board that allowed administrators to come in and desimate the system. Gate went last year from over $240, 000 which was actually spent on 4 gate teachers to $70,000this year- so now people are complaining that the budget only contains 30,000 for next year- Where was everyone when administation in conjunction with last years "public school majority" desimated the program and cut off almost $200,000 and went down to 1 teacher? I would hate to think you felt you were in good hands with the "public school majority- It' s clear what they allowed to happed.I saw their ad- Restore educational excellence- You mean they took it away and now they blame others-I don't get it.

4:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Privatize the public schools and let competition reign. Allocate tax dollars to ALL schools based on a per child basis, the marketplace is the most efficient administrator.

4:18 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am a doctor.

I am truly ashamed of MY community.

I could never treat a patient the way you folks are treating each other.

Grow up and think about all the children. That's the whole point.

4:24 PM  

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