So, how much does it cost to bribe a New York State Senator? Apparently, $10,500.00. That's how much Tim "Horton's Kennedy took from the New York State Teachers union in exchange for keeping the Buffalo School Board elections in May (in a concerted effort to keep turnout low.) From the Buffalo News...
All Western New York senators voted for the bill, with the exception of Tim Kennedy. It's ironic because Kennedy previously co-sponsored the bill and voted for it twice.
His critics say pressure from the teacher's union caused him to flip flop. NYSUT donated $10,500 to Kennedy over the past year.
Having the election in May forces taxpayers to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay for all the election workers. Common sense would dictate having the election in November during the regular, general election. The Teacher's Union likes the election in May, that way, the only people who show up are teachers and their families. And guess which candidates they overwhelmingly support? The ones backed by the union, of course. (And you can't blame them. They're the ones looking out for the teachers' best interests.
How anyone could continue to vote for Kennedy amazes me. The next time you hear someone say, why do they hold the School Board Elections in May?, you can tell them, Because Tim Kennedy was bribed to vote to keep it that way. And you voted for this thief!
If there's one thing I can't stand it's when a public official takes a disingenuous stand on a topic. Buffalo Teachers Federation President Phil Rumore did just that yesterday and I think it's important he be called out on it...
The head of the Buffalo teachers' union says Paladino is unfit for the job, pointing to the racist and sexually inappropriate emails Paladino forwarded to friends shortly before he ran for governor.
"The thought of having a man who sent out these emails, is repulsive," said Buffalo Federated Teachers President Phil Rumore. "And I would hope that the people in his district would say: 'No, this is not the kind of person that we want on a school board where our children look up to him.'" Rumore finds these emails "repulsive." Yet, this is the same man who said nothing when Ralph Hernandez' district-issued laptop was found to be filled with porn. Could that have something to do with the fact that Hernandez is a Rumore supporter? Outgoing Park School Board member Lou Petrucci was let go from a coaching position at Holy Angels Academy. From what I'm told, parents went to school officials and expressed anger over an inappropriate email Petrucci sent to his players. Now, I'm not saying Petrucci is a pervert. A major liar, yes. But not a pervert. He probably used bad judgement in sending out the email in question, and a few parents probably wanted him out to begin with and used it as an excuse. Again, Rumore apparently had no problem with Lou, because he knew Lou would do exactly as he was told by the union. Lou always does exactly what he is told to. No new news there. After Pornandez was caught with the pictures of the naked midgets on his computer, Catherine Panepinto and at least one other board member had theirs professionally "scrubbed" before they could be looked at. I seriously doubt they were trying to erase Google or Yahoo sites. The Buffalo News did a story on this, yet Rumore was silent again. Now, he expects you to be outraged over Paladino's emails ? (that weren't even his. He forwarded them). Give us a break Phil Rumore. The bottom line: Rumore knows Paladino is going to be a thorn in his side and he knows the press will be looking into the allegations he makes. And, believe me, people are talking about the conditions inside of city schools. And that's a good thing. http://www.wgrz.com/news/article/203512/37/Insiders-Paladino-Will-Easily-Win-School-Board-Seat
Here's the Channel 7 story on the school board members and their computers being scrubbed. Any comments now, Phil?...
In a move that can only be described as classless, School Board President Lou Petrucci informed interim School Superintendent Amber Dixon that she would not be getting the permanent nod, via text message. From Mary Pasciak's blog...
Moments before the board emerged back into public session to unveil
its decision to hire Pamela Brown, board President Lou Petrucci let
Amber Dixon know what the board had decided. By text.
"It's going to be Brown," he texted her. As word of the notification-by-text has trickled out, many Dixon
supporters say her 21 years in the district and nine months at the helm
of it should have warranted the courtesy of a personal visit -- or at
least a phone call -- to deliver the news.
"He ought to be ashamed of himself," one City Hall insider said about Petrucci.
Anyone in South Buffalo who knows Lou Petrucci is not the least bit surprised at this. He will do anything in his power to make himself look good (including telling outright lies). He will take credit for things he has no part in. His sole qualification for public office is an unbridled ability to kiss Ray McGurn's ass. Everyone and their brother knows this. I'm surprised a reporter as tenacious as Mary Pasciak hasn't exposed him yet. Total fraud.
Dixon has served the schools well in her short time as superintendent. She did the best she could under some trying circumstances. I worked with the developmentally disabled for over six years. When text messaging became popular, some of them would inform their bosses they were quitting via text message. We explained to them that that's not how adults in the real world conduct business. Obviously, nobody every relayed this basic message to Lou. That five-word text message from City Hall - School Zone - The Buffalo News
You may have received an email from me regarding our registration for the indoor soccer league at the Tosh Collins Community Center this Thursday. This will be my 4th year running the league and 21st year as the referee. Previous to the past four years, the league was organized by a small group of parents. They all were very nice, well intentioned people.
Previous to me, the league was organized by current school board member Louis Petrucci. His league, for kids ages 6-9, had four teams. The reason for this was poor advertising combined with non-soccer people making questionable decisions. The only schools informed about the registrations were Notre Dame and St. Ambrose Academies. The athletic director at the Discovery School #67, who does a terrific job over there, wasn't informed of the sign ups and was treated rudely (not by Lou, but by one of his co-organizers).
Our current league has gotten so big, we had to break it up into 8/9 and a 6/7 yr old divisions. We also added a clinic for 4 and 5 yr olds a few years back. Last year, the 6/7 and 8/9 age groups had a combined 12 teams. This year, we expect between 14-16 teams.Unlike the previous organizers, we set up huge email lists and went to every public, private, and charter school in South Buffalo. I love the students and parents from Notre Dame and St. Ambrose, but felt the students at Trinity, school 27, school 72, Discovery, Southside, and South Buffalo Charter should have the same opportunity to play as well. And they showed up in huge numbers.
I got at least a half dozen emails this week from parents asking about their 10 year olds who have outgrown the league. Here's the history on that. About 15 years ago, I was going to run a boys and a girls' league for 10-12 year olds. However, I could not afford to spend another night running leagues unless I was working for the recreation department. The Councilmember at the time, who was politically opposed to me, recruited some parents with no soccer experience to run a league at the Southside Elementary School. Each year, the league had less and less players. They eventually made the decision to make it into a league for 10-14 year olds. They had 10 year old girls playing against 14 year old boys! That's what happens when you have non-soccer people running soccer leagues. Needless to say, this, combined with poor advertising, resulted in less players and the league eventually folded. It no longer exists.Lou Petrucci was one of the parents who ran this league in it's last season, as well. If you want to know when the registration is for your 10 year olds, I suggest you call him or the former Councilmember (who now makes $80,000 holding the Congressman's clipboard). You can also thank her for the "temporary" garbage tax she supported and voted for.
This Spring, Lou Petrucci is up for reelection. Although I'm a very reluctant candidate, I might have no choice but to oppose him. I'm starting to think that's the only way to get people's attention and get a seat at the table. It's either that or move to where the teaching/recreation jobs are. I feel there are at least a thousand people crazy enough to vote for me. Last election, Lou ran unopposed and won with 217 votes. 26 voters were so happy with his performance, they selected write-in candidates. Overall, the school board races in the city drew a dismal 4.19% of eligible voters. School Board races don't really cost tons of money. I'll just need help obtaining the necessary signatures and getting the vote out. Emails are free. If people are willing to put signs up at their houses, that would help out, too. The difference between Lou and I is very clear. One of us showed he cared about all the students in South Buffalo. The other was only there for a select few. Lou Petrucci=4 teams Myself=12 teams (and counting)
If you're interested in supporting my potential candidacy, please talk to me and let me know the issues that concern you. Thanks. "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead
Don't say I didn't warn you about this guy. The mainstream media might not hold these clowns accountable, but we do around here. Please watch this short clip carefully. Buffalo School Board President Lou Petrucci tells a WIVB reporter how he and the school board are dead set against creating a position for a new administrator for the six failing Buffalo schools. But just a few days ago, Pinocchio told a WGRZ reporter how badly the position was needed! Obviously, Phil Rumore had a talk with him between interviews.
It's so funny how Petrucci changes his views based on what he is told to do. A month ago, he voted in favor of giving Folasade Longlastname a ridiculously generous buyout. After the public's understandable outrage, Petrucci had the nerve to speak out against the buyout. Dude. You voted in favor of it! Come on, Dave McKinley. Put a camera in this guy's face and ask him how he can be so hypocritical?
The Buffalo School Board, led by Ralph Pornandez, have decided to keep Dr. Williams around for another year. No surprise there. What I did find surprising was this quote from school board member Lou Petrucci...
Petrucci said he had been hearing a number of concerns from his constituents in South Buffalo regarding Williams staying on for another year. Among them: public statements Williams had made indicating he thought the next superintendent should be black.
He said other concerns included the year's salary and benefits that the board recently approved for outgoing Deputy Superintendent Folasade Oladele, along with the recent drop in Buffalo's four-year graduation rate -- from 53 percent to 47 percent.
Yeah Lou. If you think the constituents are upset about you voting for Oladele's $168,000 buyout, wait until election time. There either was a shady deal here or you are completely oblivious to the way people in South Buffalo feel about city hall types. To vote for this buyout was unconscionable and the people I've spoken to are angry about it. The entire school board should be removed. Board will not terminate superintendent's contract
Thank God for the City Control Board. It looks like they will vote against the full year buyout for outgoing Deputy School Superintendent Folasade Oladele. Her contract called for a three months severance package, but the superintendent and the Board approved a full years pay. The GAVE her $168,000 of our money!
Park (South) district representative Lou Petrucci voted in favor of giving her the money. What motive could Lou have possibly had? He's talking about larger class sizes and laying off teachers and then supports this? Residents need to question Pinocchio about this when they see him. Expect an outright lie as a response. Once a scammer, always a scammer...
The five Buffalo school board members who voted to give Deputy Superintendent Folasade Oladele a golden parachute of $168,000 should all be drug tested immediately. How stupid can they be? It took Buffalo developer Carl Paladino to go down there and convince the control board not to accept it. Lou Petrucci: How can you claim to represent the children of South Buffalo and then vote to approve such a measure? Petrucci and the other four fraudulent board members should resign. They obviously care more about politics than they do about the performance of the schools.
I know everyone doesn't have time to watch the news. Please watch this two minute clip on the Buffalo School Board and tell me they and Dr. Williams are not circus clowns...
In accepting Folasade Oladele's resignation, the Buffalo School Board agreed to pay her $136,000 to do nothing for an entire year. Oladele, you might remember, is the genius who spoke with a straight face, about the merits of Ebonics. While it's good to see some inefficient heads begin to roll, one has to wonder how the board can approve such a generous offer. This is especially true when they are asking teachers to accept larger class sizes next year. The vote to hand out the $136,000 passed by a vote of 5-3...
Christopher L. Jacobs, Jason McCarthy and John B. Licata voted no. After the meeting, all three said they objected to the package that Oladele was given.
“I felt we were offering her too much to leave,” said McCarthy, who represents the North District.
“This runs counter to what I think is a priority in the district — teachers in the classroom,” Licata said. “We’re telling people there will be 30 kids in a classroom, and here we are, throwing away a salary. This is ill-advised.”
So South (Park) representative Lou "Pinnochio" Petrucci voted in favor of paying Oladele $136,000 to leave town. Thanks, Lou. This shows South Buffalo residents exactly where you stand. You had a chance to make a statement regarding your independence, and in typical fashion, you caved in to the powers that be. Stay tuned for more corruption in the coming weeks. James Kane: Is there a resignation letter in your future? We see lots of political appointees and very poor results. It might be time to start thinking seriously about selling cars.
This letter writer from Lackawanna pretty much sums up our inept school board...
Buffalo School Board needs to set priorities
The Buffalo School Board passing a budget when one member is absent (Louis Petrucci), another just resigned (Pamela Cahill) and two vote no (Mary Ruth Kapsiak and Rosalyn Taylor) is absurd. One dissenting board member simply wanted to hold off the vote until all questions could be answered, however, CFO for the school district, Barbara Smith, was going on vacation so the board decided to vote on the spot. Nice time to go on vacation, right after Superintendent James Williams returns. One comes back while the other leaves and dysfunction continues during this crucial time.
The next few weeks are critical for the future of our schools and children. The passing of this budget shows the lack of continuity of the board and its inability to come up with solutions as a group. It’s another result of the administration’s gross inability to function as a unit.
Alan Wynia
Lackawanna
I'm sure Petrucci will have a good excuse/lie for why he was absent. He probably promised both sides he would support them. He's a pathological liar. If there was a vote to wash Ray McGurn's car or mow Jim Comerford's lawn, Pinocchio would have found a way to get there. Absent during a crucial vote on the budget is unacceptable and unprofessional, but we're not surprised. We're still waiting to see the college degree. Buffalo School Board needs to set priorities
The Buffalo school district has proposed a great way to combat it's failing schools and low graduation rates: larger class sizes. Wait a minute. Can you run that by us again?...
Under the proposed budget, the maximum class sizes would increase to 30 from the current 25 in kindergarten through third grade, to 32 from 28 in fourth through sixth grade and to 30 from 28 in seventh and eighth grades.
Some familiar faces were at the Buffalo Public Schools protest on Monday. "Pinocchio" Petrucci shows his support for the boycott by telling a channel 2 reporter that he sent his daughter to City Honors today. This is the exact stance people that have come to know the two-faced liar would expect.
Later in the segment, local activist Carl Paladino correctly reminds the reporter that the people protesting the schools continuously elect political yes-men like Petrucci. I guess you can say, you get what you pay for. If you elect an incompetent school board, you get under performing schools. If you're on the school board, I can tell you straight up. Do not believe a word Petrucci says. He lies and exaggerates so much, even he can't keep track of his lies.
Wasn't "Pinocchio" the one that leaked it to the media and accused Dr. Williams of calling the volunteer girls basketball coach at McKinley a lesbian in a closed meeting? That has nothing to do with this story, but since Lou is a liar, I thought I'd remind the people in city hall that he cannot be trusted. Ever...
It looks like some career politicians are calling for the state to take over the Buffalo Public Schools...
Hoyt said Tuesday that he is researching the possibility of a state takeover of the district.
"I am fed up with the leadership in the district and the leadership of the board," Hoyt wrote in an e-mail. "I believe that both the superintendent and the board have shown an inability to seriously address the crisis facing our inner-city youth."
Isn't it nice that a man chasing around 21 year old interns in Albany for 20 years, now fancies himself as an expert on education? Hoyt, who'd be stocking shelves at WalMart had his father not been Assemblyman Bill Hoyt, is clearly in the pocket of the charter school lobby. But if their plan calls for the removal of Superintendent Williams and the entire Board of Education, I have to say I'm all for it.
The Superintendent has been a major disappointment and the Board is too busy looking up pornography on district issued laptops to get anything done. They should all be removed starting with Ralph Pornandez and Pinocchio Petrucci.
At the end of this clip, Hoyt continues his role as paid spokesperson for the charter schools by saying, "There is strong evidence that the state is finally getting it's act together." It's about time, loser. You've only been in Albany for 20 years. Someone needs to pull the hook on this bozo...
The Buffalo Board of Education voted to rescind the residency requirement for teachers at a meeting on Wednesday. The public was not informed of this discussion. It was done very quietly behind closed doors, because the Board knew it would be controversial.
Buffalo Common Councilmember Darius Pridgen is rightly outraged. People in the city need jobs. The teacher who lives in the city is going to add to his/her street. They will shop at the neighborhood supermarket and contribute to the local economy. From my experience in organizing youth sports, I can say many teachers have served as great volunteer coaches for their own kids, also. If the children in the city don't have teachers on their streets to look up to as role models, they will model themselves after the gang leaders and drug dealers that we know are on their streets. The taxpayers of Buffalo are the employers for the Buffalo Schools. They have a right to decide whether this is a good law or not. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go to the beach in Hamburg (Oh wait, I can't. It's for Town residents only.)...
Councilmember Kearns drew a harsh response from Buffalo School Board members when he suggested new students to South Park High School take an entrance exam or get there straight from the successful South Buffalo Discovery School. From The Buffalo News...
Some board members bristled when Kearns turned the discussion specifically to South Park High School, which has been identified by the state as persistently low-achieving. He said that it should be changed into a school that students have to test into, or it should become a school that serves graduates of Discovery School in South Buffalo.
“You need the change in South Buffalo. What about the rest of the city?” board member Mary Ruth Kapsiak, who represents the Central District, said to Kearns. “You’re talking about the bottom-tier five [high schools]. You’re addressing one. What about the others?”
Florence D. Johnson, an at-large member of the board, also spoke passionately on behalf of struggling schools in areas of the city that are predominantly minority. If South Park becomes a school that serves its South Buffalo constituents — who are predominantly white — then other schools will become less racially balanced than they are now, she said.
“If we have one school that is majority children and majority race, what is going to happen to [schools in predominantly minority parts of the city]?” she asked.
I can't believe how distorted things have become. We have someone calling for a school to return to it's neighborhood roots. God forbid, a school trying to have community ties anymore. The current result is a school where people come from all over and their is no sense of community. How many times have you heard old timers talk about how great of a school South Park "used to be"? I wonder how many South Buffalo residents have fled to the suburbs over the past few decades, so their kids could get a decent education.
Busing was a noble experiment that failed miserably. Here's an interesting concept. How about holding families in all neighborhoods accountable for their kids at school? Regardless of their skin color, start creating some academic and behavioral expectations for all students when they enter Kindergarten. I'd love to see South Park become a community high school. Then, despite the fact that he remained silent throughout the whole discussion and never challenged Kapsiak or Johnson, Lou "Pinocchio" Petrucci can stand up and say it was his idea all along. You know he will. That's what self promoters do. Kearns urges School Board to join summit in push for improvement
You might not always agree with his style, but Buffalo developer Carl Paladino is getting to the heart of a very important issue in our region, the failure of the Buffalo Public School system. Some city lawmakers joined Paladino today in a lively meeting on the current status of the Buffalo schools. In a rare show of unity, members of both races agreed some drastic changes in the school system were in order.
Ellicott Council Member Darius G. Pridgen, a former school board member, said the city's school district is in dire need of a "complete overhaul."
"I apologize to every kid, because we should have been paying attention to them a long time ago," Pridgen said.
Council Finance Committee Chairman Michael P. Kearns railed against the Board of Education for turning some schools into "dumping grounds" for students with special education needs.
"I'll tell you right now, my daughter is not going to a Buffalo public high school," Kearns said.
Buffalo has one of the lowest graduation rates among black males in the nation, said Education Committee Chairman Demone A. Smith. Only 31 percent of black males graduate, the eighth lowest rate in the nation.
It's ironic that Pridgen feels that way, since he was a member of the do-nothing School Board for several years. It's great that now, he thinks drastic changes are in order. What an epiphany!
To me, the first order of change needs to be instilling discipline in the students. They clearly are not learning it at home. Right now, in the grammar schools, it is the students who run the show. I worked as a substitute today at Public School #27. In one 5th grade class, I had four kids argue with me when I made them put away their IPods. Can you believe the nerve of me? Not letting them listen to their music while we were doing a reading assignment? Why isn't there a policy in place involving cell phones and other electronics? It's very simple. You have a lock box. Anyone caught with a cell phone or an IPod gets it confiscated. They get it back at the end of the semester or their parent has to come to the school to retrieve it. God forbid we hold the parents accountable for the actions of their kids. In this instance, I blame the principal. There appeared to be no policy in place at the school.
The Buffalo School Board meetings are a big sham. They show up and talk about how great everything is going and pat each other on the back. Meanwhile, none of their kids attend the poorest performing schools. A few of the schools in the city are very good, however, many are in complete and utter disarray. The two or three students in every group that want to disrupt the class or cause problems need to be removed. (Currently, they are not.) Alternative schools for these children need to be established. If that were to happen, you would be shocked at how much better the rest of the students would perform.
The politically correct are already criticizing Paladino for his idea of creating boarding schools for the most troubled students in Buffalo. Of course they are. Their kids go to Canisius, Nardin, Nichols, or one of the wealthy suburban districts. These are the same people who applauded Judge Curtin's busing mandate 30 years ago, and we all know how great that turned out! If we all just keep our eyes closed and cross our fingers, all the problems of the Buffalo schools will go away on their own. Paladino wants to hire minorities to work for his private company. However, many of the Buffalo Public School graduates he tries to employ cannot even fill out the application.
The schools need to get the parents involved, but they also must stop pandering to them. Stop giving them everything for free. Make them earn certain things, even if it is merely a symbolic gesture. Make some hard choices. Bring in a Superintendent with some actual ideas for improving things. Keep an eye on this issue, as I have a feeling some great changes are going to come from this debate. I'm thinking about showing up to a school board meeting. "Big Daddy" Williams has a short fuse. Maybe, he'll throw a punch at me and I can take a dive...
Carl Paladino showed up at the Buffalo School Board meeting Wednesday. He outlined a series of changes he deems necessary in order to improve the Buffalo school system....
"My remarks are directed at the collective board, which should be ashamed for its functional paralysis and inability to implement change necessary to deal with core problems," he said.
Paladino gave board members 30 days to deal with the issues he spelled out or resign. If they do neither, Paladino says he will do everything in his power to persuade the Common Council to withhold its funding for the school system.
"I'm giving them 30 days, and then I'm mobilizing people," he said. "I'm good at that."
I know for a fact this is not an idle threat. Please stay tuned, as I hope to relay information to regular readers of this blog as to how they can become involved in the reform efforts. Paladino outlined five areas he feels need to be addressed:
1.) Too many children in special education.
2.)Too many costly state mandates.
3.)The inability to require School Board members to meet certain educational requirements.
4.) State laws giving unions too much of an upper hand in contract negotiations.
5.) Superintendent James A. Williams. The board, he said, should fire the superintendent and launch a national search for a replacement.
South (Park) district board member Lou "Pinocchio" Petrucci offered a diplomatic response to Paladino's demands...
"Carl comes here, and he routinely beats us up," said Louis Petrucci, who represents the Park District. "I don't always agree with everything he has to say. But he speaks because he is passionate. [I think] we could take away the sense of urgency he has, to get kids achieving as well as possible as soon as possible."
In other words, " I have a low opinion of myself, and I'm really afraid of Carl. He prints his own money and could squash any one of us like grapes if he wanted to. I do whatever Phil Rumore tells me to, so I hope Carl doesn't recruit someone to run against me." It's funny. Petrucci was not too supportive of Paladino when he was overheard at the Bishop Timon 5K race in September telling one of Paladino's volunteers he was "on the wrong side" in the gubernatorial race. There are a lot of canaries down by the docks and many of them report to their neighborhood blogger. Don't you think I hear things, Lou?
Petrucci is a recent graduate of the Ray McGurn School of Fibbers. He will lie or exaggerate anything if he thinks it makes him look better. At least McGurn is smart enough to tell believable lies. Pinocchio tells so many whoppers, even he has trouble keeping track of all of them. (Link) View more Pants On Fire Sound Clips and Liar Sound Clips
I don't think it's something Petrucci would have had the guts to say to Carl's face, but I guess that's where we come in. I can't wait to hear what lie Pinocchio uses in denying what my reliable source overheard him say. Looks like Lou's lips continue to sink ships...
James Kane, chief of staff for superintendent James Williams: Takes $104,000/yr to help the entitled South Buffalo families find jobs in the Bflo Public School system for their mediocre spoiled children, while the rest of us schleps write blogs making fun of them.
The Buffalo School Board has decided to broadcast the interviews for their vacant seat in the East District, but this transparency was not without opposition. From today's Buffalo News...
The question of conducting the interviews and deliberations in public arose last week, when board President Ralph R. Hernandez mentioned during a committee meeting that he thought the interviews should be conducted in public. Chief of staff James M. Kane balked, saying candidate interviews in the district have always been done behind closed doors.
You can't really blame Kane, a West Seneca resident, just slumming in Buffalo temporarily. It's a process he's used to. When he's getting teaching and administrative jobs for his underachieving friends from the South Buffalo entitled class, it's always done behind closed doors, so as to make it seem as though they acquired the jobs through legitimate means. Heck, this was probably the way it was done when he was appointed to his job 20 years ago over more qualified candidates (just another one of the benefits of being the fortunate son of political operative Don Kane).This class of people doesn't understand what it means to actually compete for jobs like the rest of us from the unwashed masses. Why should they? They're "better than the rest" of us. Don't believe me? Just ask them!
In the same day, we have a school bus in Buffalo getting struck by a moving car and a 3 year old boy being left on a bus outside Rochester for three hours in near freezing temperatures.Expect many more stories like this as the school year continues...
A driver fleeing from Lackawanna police at a high rate of speed crashed into the back of a school bus at Perry and Louisiana streets Wednesday afternoon, injuring himself and a child, according to reports.
The bus was on Perry taking children home who were released early from school when the crash occurred just before 1 p.m.
At what point do people recognize busing as the huge failure it is and go back to neighborhood schools? It obviously hasn't worked, as the cities are more segregated now than they ever were. Take all the money we're wasting on gas, bus drivers, and aides and put it into the classrooms. I heard Buffalo School Board member Lou Petrucci talk about busing when he was running for office. Haven't heard a word about it from him since.
Drive by Notre Dame Academy during dismissal. You'll see parents and grandparents picking up their kids. You'll see older brothers and sisters walking the younger ones home. There's a word for this scene. It's called a community. The schools used to be the center piece of the community. Not any more. We need to go back to the way it once was...
Serving on the school Board must be a tough job in Buffalo. One member (Vivian Evans) actually lives in Maryland and shows up once every 7 weeks for meetings. We're waiting for South (Park District) member Lou Petrucci to take a hard stand against one of his fellow political hacks. I'll start holding my breath now...
