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Posted by Mr Frosty
on April 04, 2002 at 10:02:02: In Reply to: Re: Urban Times, Vol 41, Issue 84 - Rev. Allen calls for attendance of DeGise posted by Oneway Joe on April 04, 2002 at 09:37:21:
Isn't Anthony Cucci on that Ed Board? He's Glenn's political mentor. The papers should start running a bunch of quotes from him. It was Cucci's bumbling (charitably described) that brought NJ state to JC to pull the schools out of the garbage. Glenn is running the city in that same fine tradition. : Somebody was handing this paper out at the rally yesterday. : I had a good laugh. I would have thought that Cunningham would want to keep it on the QT that his biggest supporter is an incoherent boob like Allen. : : Rev. Allen calls for attendance of DeGise : : Urban Times News : : By Gloria Dulan-Wilson : : The Jersey City Board of Education met to discuss issues surrounding the upcoming school board elections, and the proposed budget cuts that would drastically curtail the ability to meet students needs. At stake are after school porgrams, art programs, special curricula designed for students with special needs. : : Also on the table were the issues of progress, or lack there of, since the State take over, nearly twelve years ago. Per Rev. Allen, who was aggravated by recent test scores, "our children have been the brunt of experimental this, experimental that. When are they simply going to be taught to read. If they can't read, they can't get jobs, they can't fit in society; they will always be outsiders, considered misfits. I would rather see strong reading programs than any more experimental or so called innovative programs that really do nothing for them. The services they should be receiving are not forth coming. We've had more neglect than we've had services over these last twelve years, and our children are coming up short. It's time we stood up and demanded the quality and services we've hired these people to provide, or know the reason why they're even still with us!" : : Interestingly enough, there was one parent also concerned about the services pr lack there of, that students were receiving in the Jersey City schools. But more centering around an individual, Tom DeGise, former City Council President, who lost his bid to become mayor of Jersey City to Glenn Cunningham. DeGise has been serving as counselor and placement officer at Snyder High School. During the recent mayoral campaign, according to the parent, he took off nearly six months to run for office. : : "I'm concerned about Tom DeGise's attendance," he stated. "He has a high rate of absenteeism because he's running for public office every six months. Now he's running for County Executive. What kind of services are we receiving for our tax dollars? Particularly since we currently face budget cuts throughout the school system. We can't afford to support those who have ambitions outside the service of our children. We're dealing with their substandard test scores and are concerned about their progress and their future. We are paying these eudcators to work with our children. Why should we be indulging those who don't really have their interests at heart?" : : Superintendent Charles Epps, who ahd been listening intently to the question, interrupted him, pointing out that it was against protocol to discuss personnel in public. "If you want to talk about teachers, attendance records, or concerns about the children -- that's appropriate. But we do not discuss individual personnel in public..." : : Not to be put off, the parent apologized, and returned to the subject, stating: "then I'm concerned about the attendance of and instructor, or instructors, who have spent a large amount of their time in the political realm. It's really about the kids, the students here in Jersey City, who have been cheated because of lack of instructional and counseling time as a result of outside ambitions. The administration should take a look at the attendance who are using their time for political gain. : : When Rev. Allen chimed in support of the speaker, it became apparent this issue was one the clearly was not going away. Harking back to previous administrations, Rev. Allen expressed his displeasure over the reference to individual personnel issues: "I would say to the legal department we have to be careful not to hide behind cliches. When we say we can't talk about personnel, remember that two thirds of the $600 million is allocated to personnel. So we're always talking about personnel. Additionally, Mr. Supertendent, your predecessor used to hide all of his friends contracts in the personnel division of the budget, and say that we can't talk about that. It's personnel." : : Aside from the political issues swirling around this, the seriousness of the matter cannot and should not be played down. In fact, according to Allen: "this is a very serious issue. It behooves us to ask how people who are elected to office can perform some of those feats in light of their jobs. If you work for the Board of Education and hold public office, I think it is reasonable for the district to make sure that people do not confuse that relationship. Leaving their assigned tasks and going to do whatever -- whether it's cutting ribbons or trying to be the next county executive."
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