[VIDEO IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]
Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) expressed his disappointment with the NYS Assembly’s passage of the East Ramapo Monitor Bill this afternoon, which he called “a sad day for Democracy.” Hikind delivered an impassioned speech to his colleagues from the floor of the Assembly, prior to casting his vote, where he made it clear that the bill is unprecedented and is unfairly targeting Hassidic Jews rather than addressing the real issue—the community’s lack of sufficient funding for its public schools.
“In my 32 years in office, I’ve never heard anyone suggest getting rid of a school board’s rights,” Hikind said on the Assembly floor. “If this school board has done anything wrong, anything illegal, then bring in the Attorney General. But that’s not the issue.
“This school district lacks funds. They are being cheated. So instead of addressing that, the people who are unhappy because certain non-mandated programs have been eliminated have made this a racial issue. They talk about the Jews and ‘the block vote.’
“The East Ramapo Monitor Bill establishes a very dangerous precedent. A monitor who has the ability to overturn decisions made by a duly elected board is clearly unfair. If an appointed monitor can make decisions for the East Ramapo school district, then other appointed monitors can do the same in other districts. Where does it end? There will be no point in even electing a school board anymore—those elected members will become a board of advisers as the appointed monitor becomes a dictator. We eliminate the democratic process.”
Hikind vowed to continue working in the legislature, where the State Senate has not yet voted, to prevent the clearly biased bill from becoming law.
“With G-d’s help, I’m confident that this will not become law,” he said.
Note: The Assembly vote was 80 to 56 (76 were required to pass).
(YWN Desk – NYC)
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8 Responses
This is EXACTLY what has been going on in Lakewood for the past year or so. A state monitor was brought in and overrides every single decision made the Board of Ed. As Dov Hikind said, it’s literally like a dictatorship.
If you run your district in an honest manner, without shtick, you do not need oversight.
However, if you run your district in an improper manner, you deserve to have a monitor. I certainly don’t want my taxes wasted or directed to someone’s pockets.
If Dov Hikind doesn’t understand that, he shouldn’t be representing us.
hymie18
What dishonest manner?Everyone agrees that nothing illegal was done. Please watch your language.
Hikind is doing what every person should do.
Uncle no
Because they Aren’t honest in there dealings it’s about ripping off illegally for the yeshivas
I dont know when this happened to us Yidden that we have people like #2 Hymie, who show such a selfish disdain to our mosdos.
In Lakewood most of the issues with the Board of Ed was with the Money taken by the Public school system yet the pain is ONLY felt by our schools. 99.9 of yeshivas are more in compliance with the rules than the Public Schools.
UncleMo: Specifically what proposals has the Lakewood monitor overridden?
Just want to add, this is a reminder that we are in Golus!!!
If Yidden become majority members voted by the people, what the goyim will do, is bring in a so called “Monitor” to circumvent law and Democracy.
This is becoming a trend and it’s very scary
It started with Lakewood and who knows where it will end!!!
Faker,
Yet even the monitor has said that they have not illegally diverted funds.
Yet you have no qualms saying vicious lies.
No wonder you are called a faker.