Fwd: PAVE Charter School to be placed in PS15, Red Hook

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: James Devor <jimdevor@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, Mar 6, 2008 at 1:34 PM
Subject: Re: PAVE Charter School to be placed in PS15, Red Hook
To: emilyholiday@gmail.com,

As of Tuesday evening, it is our understanding that the plan to place PAVE inside of PS 15 is "on hold"

To be clear, notwithstanding its clear obligation under the Education Law, at no time did the central Department of Education "consult" with the local Community Education Council regarding our opinions as to where PAVE should be located or even as to whether or not the Charter School in question was a good idea. Indeed, none of us were told of the planned placement of PAVE inside of PS 15 until a few days before the parents were.

This cavalier disrespect for our Council (and Community) was especially grating since we had recently gone through the turmoil over the placement of the Kahil Gibran Academy last spring. We took great pride in our role in amicably resolving that problem and were promised by the Department that we would not again be similarly taken by surprise in the future. That pledge like so many others by the Department of Education was shamelessly broken.

As I was quoted in the Courier, PS 15 may (or may not) be the best interim location for a Charter School serving Red Hook, but that first requires a conversation between the community, the CEC and the DOE. Personally, I still insist that conversation must be held BEFORE any such decision is finally made.

____________________________________________
Jim Devor (1st VP, Community Education Council 15) jimdevor@yahoo.com