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Tony Cucci took a shot at these 3 gentlemen in today's JJ. Suggesting that they lived in abated properties and therefore did not pay their fair share of taxes.

It's time for Tony Cucci to go. He's a bitter old man and a negative force on the JCBOE.

I just received the email below. Please VOTE, whether you have children or NOT as the quality of our public schools matters to everyone, not to mention taxes paid out resulting in a budget of over $630 Million, of which

$200 Million is UNACCOUNTED for in the last audit!

Please remember to get to the polls between 2PM-9PM this Tuesday, April 21st!

I'm forwarding a note below from my friend [redacted] who is urging everyone to vote during tomorrow's important school board election. As she points out, turnout is usually low and candidates in the past have won by as little as 50 votes. She is endorsing a slate of candidates whom Dan Levin also recommends.

Since this is so important, I'm offering my babysitting services if you need them to get out and vote.

Cheers,

[redacted]
(PM or email me for further info-BrightMoment)

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: [redacted]
To: [redacted]
Sent: Sunday, April 19, 2009 9:29:48 PM
Subject: Important info about JC schools

Hi everyone,

I am writing to remind you all to please remember to vote on Tuesday, April 21 for the Jersey City of Board of Education. As many of you already know, control of the Jersey City School system is being gradually returned to local control from the state. The composition of the board matters more now than it ever has, and because of the confusing way the election is held separately from all other elections, past seats have been won by as few as 50 votes. Change is brewing in our city, and the more we contribute to making that happen, the better it will be for our kids, our property values and our community.

There are three seats on the board open. If you already support a candidate or a group ticket-- terrific! Please remember to get to the polls between 2PM-9PM this Tuesday. If you do not know the candidates, I am pleased to be supporting the trio of Eric Goldsmith (A-10), Moshe Rosenbilt (A-8) and Tom Wilen (A-1) who are enthusiastic, capable and bring what seems like a good balance of the right kind of experience and a healthy amount of dismay with the current board to be useful. You can learn more about them by visiting their website at www.jceen.org Basically, they want to bring the city's startlingly low test scores up through the sharing of best practices from other successful schools and school systems; they want to make schools and their leaders accountable for poor performance; and they want to take charge of the gigantic, mysterious $630 million budget which has been carelessly managed of late. ($200 million of which is not accounted for in the last audit!)

I ASK YOU TO DO TWO THINGS:
(1) PLEASE DO VOTE.

Last year only 7000 people voted TOTAL in the Board of Ed. election and seats were won and lost by as few as 50 votes, so every vote matters.

(2) TELL EVERYONE YOU CAN THINK OF TO VOTE.
Your mother, your friends, your neighbors, whether or not they have kids. If the quality of the schools does not improve in Jersey City, the growth and positive change in our community will wither away.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss the election or the candidates I support, please call me. (347)262-5667.
THANK YOU.
[redacted]

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+1 Brewster! My pet peeve as well.

I go to City Council meetings, Historical Preservation Commission meetings, planning board meetings, and even when I agree with the speaker I often find that they are not persuasive as they adopt this "conversational tone" of flatness, no dynamics, pitch, bordering on ennui that irritates and persuades no one as you attempt to hear what was said.

I guess that public speaking is only practiced these days by those who are politicians or purveyors of bluster and hubris, unfortunately for the general public.

Board of Education elections are indeed hotting up, and for good reason: JC?s public schools are finally returning to local control. The future of tens of thousands of JC kids is at stake. Eric Goldsmith, Tom Wilen and I (Moshe Rozenblit) have decided to run because:

? Our elementary schools rank in bottom 15% of the state, yet the current BOE voted unanimously to extend the contract of the current superintendent for 3 more years, with a hefty pay rise.
? The KMPG audit (commissioned by the state) found that 1/3 of the budget, i.e., over $200M, was unaccounted for; the portion that was accounted for included salaries for 9 dead people and over $200k/year for a janitor with lots of overtime. Rather than use the audit to clean the system, the BOE lambasted the auditors.

Our goals are clear and measurable:

? Increase the standardized test scores by 5% to 10% each year, until JC is at least in the top 50% of the state.
? Reduce the ?unaccounted? portion of the budget from 33% to under 5% within 3 years

Our approach is the only one that will succeed (For more details see our website: www.jceen.org):

? Replace the superintendent with an outstanding, inspired and committed leader, in the mould of NYC?s Joel Klein, DC?s Michelle Rhee, and Chicago?s Arne Duncan (now Obama?s Secretary of Education).
? Empower parents, principals and teachers; reward dedicated teachers while removing ineffective ones; support new quality charter schools and magnet schools to the extent desired by parents.
? Replace the Chief Financial Officer with an expert with a proven track record at implementing strong financial controls and uprooting waste (or worse).
At the various candidates? forums we were heartened to find one kindred spirit: Mario Gonzalez who shares many of our views.

The BOE elections will impact our city?s image, real estate value, the pride of dedicated teachers, and above all: the future of JC?s children. Please vote, and make sure your friends and neighbors vote too.

Jersey City Excellence in Education Now! (www.jceen.org)

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See:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/wires/2 ... ndidates-i_ws_185608.html

I wasn't able to make the JCFBS event. Was there anything interesting said?

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Yes, Moshe had his babysitter no-show and cared enough about talking to his neighbors about his candidacy to come anyway and make the best of it. As opposed to the other 6 candidates who didn't show up at all.

As for hearing, there were plenty of empty seats down front, I don't know why people come to an unamplified event and sit in the back. I was in the 2nd row and had no problems hearing. But I do despair of people speaking up loud and clear at such events. Once upon a time we were taught public speaking, and projecting. Now people think it's appropriate to speak in conversational tones in front of an audience, like speaking loudly is rude under any circumstances. We've gotten used to the electric crutch, even professionals. I've worked on off-off Broadway shows in theaters a quarter the size of that auditorium and the singers were still body miked. (Pet peeve)

Is there a group to join called:
Jersey City Non-Parents for Cheaper Schools (JCNCS)?

I went to the HPNA meeting to hear the JCBOE candidates too. Unfortunately, it was very difficult to hear the candidates, as a very ungovernable child was running up and down the aisles of the auditorium. No parent came forward to calm him down.

The security guard finally intervened and quieted the child down, when the child seemed to be pulling something in the auditorium apart.

Imagine our shock at the end of the meeting when we realized that this child was the offspring of one of the candidates!

Talking to the candidates after the meeting was very informative. I urge everyone to attend the candidates' presentations and vote in the election for their choices.

I heard several of the candidates speak last night at the HPHA meeting. What a crew. Eric Goldsmith, Moshe Rozenblit and Tom Wilen also impressed me. I also liked mandy Johnson who seemed to me to have a genuine concern about the kids. Everyone should vote in these elections.

Ah, the election that dare not speak it's name. Historically turnout is tiny, in the last one 1300 votes got you a seat. JC Schools are still a disaster, and the usual well meaning and/or mediocre suspects have not turned that ship.

How about some unusual suspects? There's some new faces running for BOE, some clearly not up to making changes in the face of entrenched bureaucracy, but some just may be.

I was excited last night at HPNA's meeting where 6 of the 12 candidates spoke, running for the 3 seats, one of which has no incumbent.

There's another debate next Tuesday April 7, 2009
Time: 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Place: Middle School #4 auditorium, Bright Street

Look, listen, decide, and PLEASE: vote.

Here are links to some bios of candidates that impressed me. One of them actually IS a rocket scientist.

Eric Goldsmith, Moshe Rozenblit and Tom Wilen, a group of 3 dads running as a team. http://jceen.org/Bios.html

Rev Mario Gonzalez http://www.cityhopecenter.org/mario_leigh/index.shtml

Date: April 7, 2009
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Place: Middle School #4 auditorium, Bright Street

Jersey City Families for Better Schools will be holding its third annual Jersey City Board of Education candidate forum to be hosted by Augie Torres.

This is an opportunity for you to meet the candidates and ask them questions. Information submitted by the candidates will be posted to the JCSchools list as well.

Hope to see you all there!

If you would like to join the JC Schools list you can do so by going to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jcschools/