[Bird Droppings is an occasional feature, comprised of information forwarded by "little birdies" who don't want to be attached to the information, even anonymously.]
SCHOOL BOARD LOCATES AND REMOVES TWO ILLEGAL STUDENTS
From the September 3, 2008 School Board Meeting Minutes, almost all the way at the bottom of the page.
Mr. [David] Branan moved, seconded by Mr. [Thomas] Allen and approved by a vote of 5 to 1 with Mrs. [Nancy] Szaroleta abstaining that
Whereas, a residency hearing was convened on September 3, 2008 upon the request of the Superintendent of the North Plainfield Board of Education (“Board”) with respect to students, M.S. and S.S.; and
Whereas, notice of the residency hearing was served upon the students’ parents by correspondence dated August 7, 2008; and
Whereas, neither the parents nor students appeared for the hearing despite having received notice; and
Whereas, the Board has considered the testimony and evidence offered by the Superintendent and her designees;
Now there be it resolved, that the Board has determined that M.S. and S.S. are not residents of North Plainfield, and are thereby not entitled to a free public education in the North Plainfield public schools pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:38-1.
Thomas Allen – Aye Drew Elliott Smith – Aye
David Branan – Aye Nancy Szaroleta – Abstain
Sandra Dodd – Aye Linda Bond-Nelson – Aye
The minutes don’t say what town the students actually reside in or whether they were illegal residents of North Plainfield (i.e., living in illegal apartments). The minutes also don’t mention efforts, if any, to get reimbursal of costs from the parents or landlords of these illegal students.
To Grassroots Groundswell’s knowledge, this may be the first enforcement of residency requirements in school attendance in at least 10 years. Data-based corrections from knowledgeable readers welcome – please provide the evidence of enforcements that have occured in the last 10 years when sending corrections -communityrights@gmail.com.
RACE/RELIGIOUS HARASSMENT IN NORTH PLAINFIELD
Recently, during the day, witnesses saw a large group of about 30 African Americans enter North Plainfield from the Plainfield border and move toward the Yeshiva (the Jewish school in the former McCutchen Nursing Home) near the library. The group began shouting at and harassing the location.
At least some witnesses who saw the event did not call the police, apparently because they “didn’t want to get involved.”
The disturbance died down.
A short time later, after dark, the disturbance began again, and a patrol car arrived at the scene where the crowd was yelling and throwing things. The police on the scene reportedly shone a flashlight around at the crowd for a few minutes, until they dispersed, but did not take steps to arrest anyone for disturbing the peace, harassment, or hate crime.
Further reports on this incident would be welcome, especially from witnesses and from North Plainfield Police Chief William Parenti.
Also, if Plainfield readers have any information about incidents in Plainfield involving Plainfield residents and Yeshiva students, please forward that information as well. Before I moved out of NP, I saw some tense street confrontations myself, and I’m sure others have as well. If there is a problem, ignoring it is not going to make it go away; that hasn’t worked in other places, and it won’t work in North Plainfield and Plainfield either.
6 responses so far ↓
Greg Hatala // September 29, 2008 at 1:57 pm |
Could someone provide a explanation as to why one member of the School Board abstained from agreeing that illegal students are “not entitled to a free public education” in North Plainfield as per an official NJSA act? I thought these people were on there to look out for our best interests and the best interests of our kids; is this one of those famous ‘present’ votes that says “I didn’t say yes, but I didn’t say no?” If it is, shouldn’t the Board Member develop some guts?
KW // September 29, 2008 at 4:11 pm |
I think she probably abstained because she was new to the School Board, appointed within the last few weeks to complete Edwin Estevez’ unexpired term, and new officials often don’t vote on things until they’ve been to several meetings to get up to speed.
Greg Hatala // September 29, 2008 at 5:14 pm |
Okay, I accept that as a ‘traditional’ approach … but it just doesn’t seem that someone (who has, incidentally, been on the school board in the past) should have to come up to speed on something as cut and dried as “you don’t live here, but you sent your kids to school here.” I think you’re being fair, KW, and that’s good — but like I said, this isn’t a vague situation.
adsf // September 29, 2008 at 11:20 pm |
re Yeshiva terrorized by Plainfield African Americans —
– was this in any paper?
Police reports?
Where did this info come from?
Barbara Habeeb // September 30, 2008 at 12:06 am |
When I was new on the Council, I couldn’t approve minutes from previous Council meetings that I wasn’t there for, so I had to abstain.
So maybe she had to abstain for a similar reason.
KW // September 30, 2008 at 9:48 am |
As for the Yeshiva’s media coverage, it has not been covered, to my knowledge.
The reports came from witnesses, and the accounts suggested that the police response was tepid and perhaps intended to keep the incident out of the media’s attention, by keeping it off the police logs as anything other than a minor disturbance quickly dispersed.