It has come to the attention of New Rochelle Community Pulse that on Thursday, January 22nd, 2009 a 7th grader was arrested on the grounds of Isaac E. Young Middle School on drug charges. Our sources tell us that the boy was reported to the New Rochelle Police Department by another student’s parent. The parent called the police after she became aware that her daughter, who also attends Isaac, had been sold marihuana by the boy. The police went to the school and arrested the 7th grade boy without incident. It is not clear why the police chose to arrest the boy at school rather that at his residence.
We will update this story as more details become available.
There is some idiot who
There is some idiot who keeps saying that if you do not pay property taxes, you have no right to critique or speak out? Who is this maniac? Everyone who owns or doesn’t own a house can critique. Tell this person to go back where they came from (some slimy rock I assume). Tells you the mindset of this person who is presumably a north ender who has issues with renters i.e. working class people. How arrogant of you school board president. Do you work? Do you pay rent? Do you live from paycheck to paychek?
this is so true i wish
this is so true i wish someone would have done something sooner thank you
🙂
This “new” mess brings up
This “new” mess brings up the issue of transparency again. When will it occur to the administrators of our schools and to city hall that it’s in the best interest of all in the community to be informed- that includes parents, teachers, local business, and students in the schools. Sweeping things under the rug only proliferates the illusion that everything is fine. Everybody knows the opposite is true. Alienating the parents will create suspicion. What good is that? Without violating anyone’s civil rights, the school can call attention to the community about the problems related to drug use/violence. The New Rochelle High Resource Center offers courses on gang violence routinely, providing the opportunity to become informed. These courses should be multiplied and beefed up to include local resident participation. Does anyone know of community resources that inform parents of what to look for, how to intervene in the case of negative influences on their children in the schools. What about the funds given to the district from federal agencies? There’s talk of lots of money being pumped into IEYMS for social issues. Is the IEYMS PTA active participants in the process? Are they informed of the process? Last I heard, parents were being turned away at the front door and directed to enter in the side entrance. (still haven’t figured out why-does anyone know why?) Why do parents only meet with faculty once per year? Now, parents can’t come to the building unless a guidance counselor has organized a meeting- I heard this is to ward off “problematic” parents. Now how many parents are problematic? You mean the school cannot control one, two parents that may be a “problem” or is it because the school has swept so much under the rug they don’t want parents to see? Again, energy forces in the wrong place-CYA. The parents of this community don’t even know they can and should be in the process to make decisions. Where is the leadership? Where is the union in this? A town hall meeting discussing parent involvement should be on EVERYONE”S mind.
It is the policy of both the
It is the policy of both the City of New Rochelle and the City School District of New Rochelle that there ARE NO GANGS IN NEW ROCHELLE. Got that? That’s the “policy”. No gangs.
Meanwhile, the schools have undertaken graffiti eradication programs and, based on your comment above, offer courses to students on dealing with gang activity.
Both the City and the District have been offered support from the Federal and State government and TURNED IT DOWN! They don’t want the money or manpower because it means acknowledging what any 9th grader can tell you – that gangs are a problem in the schools.
You didnt answer the
You didnt answer the question BOB? Is it the school’s fault if a kid decides to sell drugs?
Actually, I did answer the
Actually, I did answer the question (twice) but apparently you don’t like the answers you are getting so why don’t you just make your own point instead of begging me to make yours for you. I am not inclined to further “debate” someone who hides behind the anonymity of the web and excepts to be taken seriously.
=======
For the benefit of readers, let me reiterate that I did not say it was the school’s “fault”. That said, as a matter of law, the district does have legal responsibility for the students in their case. Further, if directly or through negligence the district creates conditions which foster or otherwise permit illegal activity at the school then they are responsible. Of course, the student selling drugs is responsible, the person providing drugs to the student is responsible, the students who bought drugs are responsible. If, as I pointed out, any part of this incident relates to gang activity in the school then the district would clearly have culpability because the district has willfully sought to conceal from New Rochelle residents the presence of gangs operating in the public schools.
The district loves to take credit any time a student wins an academic award or or excels at sports or receives recognition for artistic achievement as if the students intelligence, athleticism or artistic ability was something to give to them by the district. Funny how quickly the district and/or people like Mr. Anonymous here are just as quick to disown students who are arrested, flunk out or drop out. When students do well it is because of their teachers or coaches; when they do poorly it is the fault of the parents. It must be nice to live in a world where you are accountable to no one, can take credit for any good things that happen and blame everyone but yourself when bad things happen.
And you blame New Rochelle
And you blame New Rochelle for your mistakes and your mishaps. You’re not even from this city.. You don’t own a house here in our great city. You don’t pay taxes here. Why don’t you move to where you came from? I can probably answer that question for you. I’m sure they spit you up and kicked you out of their city as well. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you bob, cause the big bad wolf will eventually slice you in half and feed you to the dogs. Even though you have nothing now, and your efforts are to gain some notoriety and respect around town, you’re making a mockery of you and your family. The whole country is in hard times right now, you adding your 2 cents isn’t helping the situation and quite frankly SHUT UP ALREADY!
where is the superintendent
where is the superintendent from? last seen in suffolk county. leave cox alone and concentrate on the issues.
by the way anthony bongo sr literally purchased anthony bongo’s career through generous donations as well as free landscape and hardscape contributions.
You’re an idiot cox, that’s
You’re an idiot cox, that’s impossible. Cox, you’re just an angry man.
Real,
You need to pay closer
Real,
You need to pay closer attention, I did not write the comment. Next time try to address yourself to the person making the remarks with which you disagree.
notice that a number of
notice that a number of recent announced candidates for the Obama Administration are tainted with the brush of special interest, tax irregularities, and other matters that take away from the business of the country and his agenda. What a bummer, but no surprise in our day and age when form takes the place of substance and most everything becomes a commodity.
not surprised to hear that Organisciak still lives in Suffolk County and that Bongo came into office through non-traditional channels. Maybe neither of these are true: simple enough for the board to ascertain and report. this is well within the scope of oversight and is why we entrust our tax dollars and children to the educational system. It either of the above is true; we should insist on our superintendent to take resident in New Roc and examine the principal’s vita more carefully especially given the difficulties faced by this important school.
the school district is, frankly, our weakest link. it is petrified wood; little meaningful changes in personnel, policy and worse, unwillingness to let in light to dispel the heat of growing public controversy and concern. Noam Bramson, Chuck Strome and the city administration KNOW that the viability of a growing and vibrant city REQUIRE nothing but the best in a school district.
Here are some outlined thoughts.
1. Let go of the mantra “its for the kids” and stop rationalizing and start collecting facts on exactly what should be for the kids. Our student productivity and place in the State has regressed sharply over the past years. Alas, we are no longer “Scarsdale East” as some would have said a decade or two back.
2. By facts, read up on some important information re: what districts, boards, and educational costs really are — (1) districts — Jeffrey Greene, Harvard Grad and Supreme Court of US testifier– seminal “Educational Myths” will move you from bromides such as throwing money at the system, Special Education, etc… The Casey Report published by CRPE University of Washington Graduate School, will educate you on the issues of incompetent, entrenched, and arrogant school boards (God do they loved words like “Educator.”) Better yet, check why a growing number of major cities like New York City and Houston chose better ways knowing that school boards were like Cooperatives, likely comprised of non-business minded, community activists who somehow see themselves out of the context of the community and the City’s need for growth and excellence.
3. the school districts and city administrations share one fear that binds them together in a negative embrace — they fear change and voter denial. So every challenge becomes an attack against the “kids”; facts that point out risks to the educational proposition are subsumed under the equally onerous mantra that “H/she is not an “educator.” If they want to really see an educator, look at what goes on in private industry where excellent curricula is designed and developed, productivity and quality standards developed, results rewarded and non-performance not rewarded. What is the mystery over developing behaviorally appropriate performance standards, measurable criteria and curricula that is not gadget driven, but student driven.
4. we need a new school board and better ways to select membership. I would be comfortable with district boards membership as long as some seats were occupied by community members. And there should be term limits and all school boards should be trained in oversight and policy and serve at the pleasure of the people through their elected officials.
5. collective bargaining is a sham. We have the Union Head attending as a spokesperson board meetings and as I understand it, He also is the Head of the PTA. If either is true, he would have a lot of trouble under the FLSA, but the State is much more generous in their handling under the TAylor Law provisions for union/management relationships.
6. The recent Suozzi Report should be required reading for all citizens who pay taxes. It is incredible how little the unions contribute to the budget. They give back little or nothing. Their annual salary rates/benefits/and options for more during a contract term are staggering. Do you know in a given year they can (a) get tenure when qualified (b) get contract per annum salary incresase, and (c) generous vertical salary increase if they advance in their education which is more than simple given the generous tuition plans and an entire summer to complete coursework. By the way, just how many days a year do teachers actually work? Even Obama joked about this during the last light snow storm and he is ready to toss hundreds of millions of dollars into a bloated system that needs massive reform, some give backs, proper collective bargaining, and a sense of community responsibility,
5. the city needs to support its own growth and expansion plans by stop pussyfooting around the “its for the kids” mantra and risk defeat at the polls by making the boards partner or better, be held accountable proportionally for the strategic plans in the city. you will not get the residents and businesses you want without an excellent school district. Look at ours — 80,00 or so people, one high school, 2 middle schools, and elementary schools that are reaching beyond reasonable capacity levels. The State does not help with its unfunded mandates. It is all in the Suozzi Report. Read it and weep.
Looking at the above, it might suggest to you that I think there are no strengths in the district. Not so, despite the power of their unions and its willingness to support politicians to vote their way —
1. OUR TEACHING TEAM AS A RULE ARE AS GOOD AS ANY I HAVE SEEN AND I HAVE SERVED AS A CONSULTANT TO A MAJOR SCHOOL SYSTEM YEARS EARLIER. Our teachers are first class.
2. Most of the first line management team are excellent; some are not. I wish all of the principles for example, were as skilled and committed as the Ward School’s principle. How did we get him or move him forward — we need to independently evaluate our first line management team and use a best practice approach to replicate excellent. Unfortunately the internal system of moving people up in the system is a typically designed posting type system formulated by the union and that is just plain wrong. We need professional managers who happen to be educators. And, please, no political appointees due to popularity, campaign contributions, payments for common grounds or whatever. And, although unpopular, force all successful managers to manage at the poorer performing schools and compensate them for that.
7. Clearly we need a new Superintendent as well as board. He is not up to it. Photo ops are more important than strategic planning. The NR District Report reports on some good things, but it is slanted to optimize the impression that parents will get from matters that are tactical and not strategic. Where is the information on the so called Demographic Study driven by, God Help Us, a BOCES group in Suffolk County. Don’t we have expert consultant organizations in the field that would have undertaken this challenge. Of course, they would have needed to work with the City Administrators as well and maybe that was not in the game plan of the District.
The Administration; Mayor, City Manager, Department Heads, and yes, even the Council are strengths. They are open to dialogue although it would be nice if Noam would “obamatize” and bring some dissenting voices into his circle of advisors. But, he is good for us as is Chuck Strome when he doesn’t do things like publish a joint rejoinder with the Superintendent on a Journal News Opinion Page and completely miss the point of what the Op Page was all about. Don’t take my word for it, call the paper.
but, our greatest strength is our citizens — geographically dispersed, culturally diverse, and if moved and motivated, ready to serve and support this City. “For the kids” would mean something to them — it means getting more Regents scholars, improving SAT results, getting our newest residents more skilled in English language, involving immigrant parents without them fearing retaliation or deportation (paranoic or not it exists), owning up to issues — we are a safe city with great first responders, but we do have some issues around gangs and drugs. Nothing like Yonkers, not even close, but nothing to sweep under the rug of rationalization and denial. We have a number of great citizens — Jim Killoran over at Habitat for Humanity whose hands reach out for all to grasp, Sisters Eileen and Mary over at Ursuline’s Adult Learning Center who radiate brotherhood and dedication, people I don’t even know but who offer ideas and suggests, It is unimportant if I agree or not, but I value the presence of Bruce Negrin, Anthony Sutton, Peggy (the critic who loves the city), Jim Maisano, Boyle the ex Councilman, Martin Sanchez —- I can go on but let me close with Bob Cox. Why does anyone have to agree with him on issues? Simply be very grateful that he offers a forum for views and is willing to take the heat deliverd by some pretty rotten comments written by some pretty miserable people.good on you bob and next time you are downtown, drop in on Habitat and look around, patronize a local business (Kaffeine Coffeeis excellent) and spend a moment thanking the BID people who work tirelessly to clean the area up. These are fine people and we are lucky to have them.
Well Said !
Abraham Lincoln
Well Said !
Abraham Lincoln said ” He has the right to criticize who has the heart to help”. That being said, take a moment to listen and talk to any of the people named in the last paragraph and you’ll realize the type of character and optimism that exists in New Rochelle. You don’t have to agree with everything they say, however, they DO show the other side of the coin, as it were. There is great effort spent by some on spinning issues and controlling media while a host of others work quietly, without need for fanfare and contribute to improving things everyday. All of those people, and more, are amazing at what they do and we are lucky to have the efforts of their passion directed our way.
It is common knowledge that
It is common knowledge that the city police dept has a significant police troupe dedicated to identifying, infiltrating and erradicating gang activity. It is also common knowledge, although the Mayor, City manager and Police Chief will deny it, that a list of individuals, mostly kids who belong to or want to be in gangs, have been identified. As an active city employee, working to improve the life of our children in our schools, I know this. I see it everyday in our interaction with the policy, district attorney and school administrators. The political gang in City Hall and at the Board of education are in bed with the realtors, who support their campaigns, and consequently, there will never be an admission so therefore there will never be any action. I just read that the principal at Isac Young improved on the erradicating the grafitti by 800%. That must have been a lot. What people don’t know is that most of the grafitti is not outside the building. It’s in the bathrooms, why do yo think none of the bathrooms have inner or outer doors, How disrespectful. You can’t have privacy and the kids are treated like cattle at isac and they’re treated with white gloves at albert leonard. Thomas D – city employee for 23 uears.
OK Bob, explain that –it is
OK Bob, explain that –it is the school’s fault a kid ties to sell drugs?
To Anonymous on Sun,
To Anonymous on Sun, 01/25/2009 – 23:25,
Your comment is not clear. Of course, neither is your identity nor your affiliation to the City School District of New Rochelle.
Nevertheless, did you mean “tries”? If you meant “tries”, it is inaccurate. HE DID SELL DRUGS TO OTHER CHILDREN. The article DOES NOT say “he attempted” or “tried.”
It is also known that the accused boy “tried” to sell to a second child. In this case it was another boy. He was unsuccessful in this “attempt.” That makes at least two sales that have surfaced. This was not originally reported by NRCP.
It was also reported that the boy who was arrested spent a inordinate amount of time in the hallways at Isaac E. Young Middle School, when he was supposed to be in class.
As far as the “schools fault” or responsibility for school climate and safety, we should ask the parents whose children attend the school to make that assessment. Of course, it is difficult for parents to make any assessment if the entire incident is swept under the rug.
I did not write this post
I did not write this post and the first time I heard about this incident was when I read about it on this site. If you read the post you will not see anywhere in the post that it was the school’s “fault”.
The question I asked about “isolated incidents” is the district’s penchant for describing ANY negative event – hanging nooses, a stabbing – as “isolated incidents”. Yet the racial harrasment and violence in the schools are not isolated incidents. There have been numerous examples of racist acts in the schools targeted at latino and black students. We have reported on two of them here recently. There is a significant problem in the schools with what is known euphemistically as “youth violence” (gang activity) ranging from strong-arm robberies to group sex acts to physical violence to melees in broad daylight on Main Street.
In this case, there is not yet enough information to determine the source of the problem but we know this (a) gangs are operating in our schools; (b) gangs are heavily involved in selling illegal drugs; (c) gangs are selling drugs in our schools; (d) this student obtained the drugs he was selling from someone.
We also know that official policy of the school district is to DENY the existence of gangs and that they are operating in the New Rochelle public schools – all the way down to the middle school level. You can ask any high school student and they will tell you stories about gang activity in the schools. And we are not talking about 4 guys hanging out on a stoop. Asking any police officer and they will tell you about national gangs with local affiliations operating in New Rochelle – Bloods, Crips, Latin Kings, Mara Salvatrucha (otherwise known as MS-13). Talk to the FBI and they will tell you that by their count the number of gang members in Westchester County was 15,000 in 1995 and estimated today to be over 150,000. You think all of them are in Yonkers? Dream on. You can walk into ANY school building in New Rochelle and find gang tags; it is why the principal at Isaac proudly declared last April that he had overseen an “800% reduction” in graffiti and vandalism. What he did not say is that the school undertook a graffitti irradication program because that is one of the first recommendations that any law enforcement agency would make to a school official confronted with a gang problem. What does it tell you that there was so many gang tags being spray painted onto Isaac Young that they were able to reduce it by 800%. That is A LOT of “graffiti”. And does anyone believe that the “graffiti” in question is “street art”? I don’t think so.
When the school district KNOWs there is a gang problem in the schools, denies it and does nothing about then the district IS responsible when gang activity flourishes. There are programs out there – programs that comes with state and federal funding -to deal with “youth violence” issues but the New Rochelle will not accept a dime of it because in order to do so they would have to admit that there are, in fact, gangs operating in New Rochelle. Yonkers and Mount Vernon tried the “head in the sand” approach for years; look how it worked out for them. Now they are busy trying to turn the problem around but things have gotten way out of hand with street shootings not uncommon. Look closely because that is the future for New Rochelle if our officials continue to pretend that gangs do not exist in our city.
Instead of the typical knee-jerk reaction from apologists for the school district how about some praise for the parent who called the police. In a a day and age when most people look the other way, at least one New Rochelle resident had the courage to pick up the phone and report the incident to the police.
So, while you spend your time figuring out ways to absolve the district for ANY responsibility for ANYTHING that goes wrong in the public schools I am going to focus my attention on this brave parent.
Thanks Mom! Whoever you are. You are the hero in this story.
if a kid sells drugs he’s in
if a kid sells drugs he’s in a gang? Only gangmembers sell drugs? What gang is he in? Did you interview the child? What’s his name? What are his parent’s names? Where does he live? Does he attend Isaac? What are the facts?
if a kid sells drugs he’s in
if a kid sells drugs he’s in a gang?
No. And if bother to read what I wrote I never wrote that.
Only gangmembers sell drugs?
No. Again, I never wrote that.
What gang is he in?
As indicated, we do not know IF he was in gang or got the drugs he sold from a gang so there is no way to answer this question.
Did you interview the child?
No. As indicated, the first I heard about this story was in the NRCP post on this site. I only know what I read in that post.
What’s his name?
As indicated, the first I heard about this story was in the NRCP post on this site. I only know what I read in that post and the post did not give his name.
What are his parent’s names?
As indicated, the first I heard about this story was in the NRCP post on this site. I only know what I read in that post and the post did not say their names.
Where does he live?
As indicated, the first I heard about this story was in the NRCP post on this site. I only know what I read in that post.
Does he attend Isaac?
As indicated, the first I heard about this story was in the NRCP post on this site. I only know what I read in that post and the post says the student attended Isaac – and was arrested at Isaac.
What are the facts?
I knew eventually you would ask a USEFUL question.
What ARE the facts?
Parents in New Rochelle SHOULD know the facts about what happened here to protect THEIR children from students dealing drugs. Experience shows that if parents were to rely on the school district for this information they would NEVER get it. There are hundreds of robberies, assaults, thefts, weapons violations, acts of vandalism and worse in the public schools but you can count on one hand how many of these get reported anywhere or are disclosed to parents at the school. The NRPD is up at the high school so often they should open a separate precinct in the principal’s office to save on gas money.
In this case, I am sure the police are doing an investigation to determine how the student obtained the drugs and will pursue whoever provide the drugs to the student. I imagine they are also looking into whether other students were involved selling drugs and who was buying.
Now, I’ve answered all your questions so how about answering some of mine.
Do you believe that local affiliates of national gangs like Latin Kings and Blood are operating in the New Rochelle schools? Not “street corner” gangs but REAL gangs.?
Do you believe that parents have a right to know that the police came into the school building an arrested a student for dealing drugs?
I believe it is wrong for the district to keep parents in the dark about criminal activity in the schools. I believe the district tries to cover up this sort of thing as much as possible. I believe their motive is they do not want any bad PR for the public schools. The district fears bad PR because that might cause people to pay closer attention to the schools and question how the schools are being run and THAT might lead people in New Rochelle to question what they are getting for the hundreds of millions of dollars in tax dollars that are soaked up by the district year in and year out. And that would be bad for “everyone” where “everyone” means conflicted union officials, incompetent administrators, negligent board members and everyone else who feeds at the district trough. Meanwhile, hard working teachers, “good” students and concerned parents suffer. I find it despicable that our schools are entrusted to leaders more concerned with protecting the image of the schools (and thus their own self-image) than dealing honestly with the serious issues that confront students in our schools and, by extension, their families.
Or do you to keep dodging and deflecting?
Bob, it’s a public school
Bob, it’s a public school with a very diverse student body. You presume there are gangs in New Rochelle, and you’re extremely racist, yet at the same time you’re angry at the more affluent people of New Rochelle for providing your children with an excellent education. Gangs or no gangs, you never answer honestly and I’m pretty much done with this blog, like everyone else is.
Typical coward.
Unable to
Typical coward.
Unable to articulate your own point of view, unwilling to be accountable for your own words you are reduced to anonymous drive-by name-calling and race-baiting. Pretty pathetic. Happily, you have shown your true colors and readers can judge your words accordingly.
“Affluent people” PROVIDE education in New Rochelle? Gee, how kind of them. These affluent people are SOOOO generous. Excellent education? For whom? 50% of hispanic students fail to graduate from New Rochelle High School within 4 years, test scores for minority students are FAR BELOW white students. Only a “North End” resident would even think to claim there is no “divide” in the school system.
There are no gangs in New Rochelle? Laughable. I do not PRESUME there are gangs in New Rochelle. There ARE gangs in New Rochelle. There was a major gang fight on Main Street not long ago – 50+ youths ranging from 13-19. NRHS was shut down over the whole .25/Ray-Ray shooting. The reason Isaac Young was able to reduce incidents of “graffiti” (i.e.g gang tags) by “800%” in two years because there was so much to remove. The back of Barnard School was a known drug-dealing location until police cracked down; try asking one of our PTA presidents and she can tell you ALL about it. If you actually believe what you are saying I will be happy to arrange a tour of New Rochelle to point out the gang tags on schools and throughout the city, show you photos of gang members and provide you a map of the city laying out the various gang territories. The question is not WHETHER there are gangs in New Rochelle but what we, as a community, intend to do about it. That you want to pretend that gangs exist is yet another example of how district apologists seek to place PR and propaganda over the needs of students, families and other New Rochelle residents.
Another “isolated incident”
Another “isolated incident” over at Isaac. How many isolated incidents does that make now?