Tag: paterson

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The Passaic River Garden is open and the community is invited to enjoy

Passaic River Garden-2A team of members from the North Jersey Clergy Fellowship CDC, Everlasting Life Foundation Ministry, Tierra Madres, Muture Sisters and the Bergen Community College NAACP have been working with Ivan Wei and next-door neighbors the Rodriguez family to create the Passaic River Garden at 108 E. Holsman Street in Paterson.

Cleanups have been done, some raised beds are made and planted, and the community is welcome to come by and enjoy sitting or helping in the garden and learning about urban growing. Soon, we’ll set up collection times for vegetable scraps to be brought by and donated to our compost area and we’ll invite the community to celebrate the garden’s creation with us. read more

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Principal Moody suspended for letting Paterson rapper Fetty Wap film music video at East Side High

Principal Zatiti Moody
Source: Urban Renaissance Media
A Paterson principal known for his educating excellence and strict discipline enforcement has been suspended from office by the New Jersey State appointed superintendent known for his attempts to keep Paterson students from experiencing quality education. The ostensible reason for the suspension: Principal Zatiti Moody allowed music phenomenon Fetty Wap to film a music video at East Side High School which contains twerking and portrays drug use. Behaviour that – like it or not – happens to be part of the school experience for many urban students. read more

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SCOTUS to hear free speech case of Paterson PO demoted over political sign

first amendment for everyone
Art courtesy of My First Freedoms website
Paterson Police Officer Jeffrey Heffernan’s discipline case is going to the Supreme Court. The 1st Amendment provides for employees to support the political candidates of their choosing, but lower courts found that Heffernan couldn’t invoke this legal protection because he had no intention of participating in a campaign when he picked up a fallen sign that his mother wanted. He also isn’t a Paterson resident.

But still, Heffernan was demoted because city officials perceived him to be engaged in “overt involvement in a political election”. So, the heart of this matter remains free speech rights. NorthJersey.com reports: read more

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Pro-public education Board of Education 2013 candidates

Vote in 2013 BOE elections

Vote in 2013 BOE electionsBoard of Education budgets are typically 3 times as big as the entire budgets of the municipalities in which they’re located. Those hugs pots of money are why Big-Business supporter Gov. Chris Christie and his GOP colleague Mitt Romney are so eager to get their hands on public education funds. They can’t stand money being spent to actually improve the lives of vulnerable children, and students of color, across America when that money could go to make their own children and grandchildren richer. read more

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Paterson Board of Ed will investigate secret state charter school approval

Wei Tiger

Mother Crusader shares reactions from Paterson’s Board of Ed members to the news that Christie’s Education Commissioner, Chris Cerf, approved two more charter schools for Paterson without the Board’s consent or knowledge, or knowledge of other city residents. The State is legally required to solicit community feedback regarding new charter applications but as Mother Crusader points out, “from what I heard at that meeting, nothing about this administration’s charter agenda in Paterson was shared with the good people of that community.” read more

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NY Dems side with GOP

This is a fascinating view of civics and the political process. Also a fundamental reminder that people’s hearts rule their actions.

Democrats have held the Senate majority in New York State since November. Yesterday, on June 9, two Democrats announced they will, “caucus with the GOP (Republicans),” and now Republicans assert that they own control of the senate and have replaced the Democratic majority leader Malcolm A. Smith, with their own man, Republican Dean G. Skelos. The Dems are challenging this political maneuver, calling it illegal. read more