Notes from the BoE- UPDATED

Once again, our Superhero scrupulously avoids a controversial vote!

GA attended last night's BoE meeting and stayed still the lights went out around 1 AM- 5 hours past my bedtime.

Now I 'get' the metal folding chairs which like medieval torture devices (Iron Maiden, rack, thumbscrews) were impossible to doze in. Did I tell you the room was 8,000 degrees?  Who could sleep a wink.

Not to mention the screeching of an agitated Maureen Sullivan, who woke up a few dead people in Hoboken Cemetery.

Yup,  GA took a bathroom break at the wrong time, missing Mount Mo's eruption, only seeing folks flee from the room to whisper about it outside in hushed tones.  Hysterical (literally)- near tears, she railed on about how horrible her public school experience was which begs the question (again): why is Sullivan on the BoE?   Thankfully, Mo's shelf life is expiring and GA expects next November she'll be on to new public institutions to trash and new peers to stab in the back.

As for her tirade, I suggest you go to the videotape.

By yourself. 

I did catch BoE Peter Biancamano in the hall, too.  And since he promised to get me Rachel Maddow's autograph (he works at MSNBC) I am going to tell you how charming and delightful a guy he is and how his mutz rules.  (Peter, you've got 5 business days. It should say, "Love you, GA!")

So do you want to know the highlight and the lowlight of the BoE meeting?  (According to me)

GA's Highlight:  Assistant Superintendent Dr. Hernandez started the meeting by recognizing the retirement of several district employees. One by one, he called out the name of retirees and described their service to the Hoboken school district. Very nice!  The final name called: Mo DeGennaro.  And Hernandez completed his speech with "we wish Mo DeGennaro a long and fulfilling retirement".   Um, he died 5 weeks ago.  Well, I'm guessing Mo had a good laugh at that one from his perch in the Afterlife. (*** Read UPDATE below... )

GA's Lowlight: Late in the meeting, BoE member Francis Kearns attacked the Board's decision to have days off the district calendar for the Jewish High Holy days Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashonah.  Kearns was very unhappy with the recognition of the holiest Jewish holidays, saying that if one 'group' gets their holiday's off, then why she shouldn't she get a day off for St. Patrick's Day?  So Yom Kippur = Saint Patrick's Day.   Did anyone tell Rose Kearns that the school calendar breaks for (Christian) Christmas and Easter for 10 days?  And she's got a problem with Jews asking for 2 days?  So that was an anti-Semitic slap against the Jewish Board member who'd sponsored the initiative.  Cheap shot.  Disrespectful. And when Kearns was called out on it, she did not apologize but instead doubled down.  OK, Kearns,  if/when you run for re-election, GA will make sure every Jewish person in Hoboken knows what you're about.  Shalom.

What else?  A lot of stuff in between.  Won't discuss the Charter matter- I'm a parent first, blogger second (or third).  Needless to say, every parent in the room was there out of love for their children and that's what we all have in common.  

Joe Branco did tell me to mention that Councilman Dave Mello had named the proposed Charter School.  Why did you want me to say that, Joe?  OK, I said it.

Joe is an interesting guy.  GA's trying to figure out if he' gone over to The Dark Side (DS).  He was seated next to DS operative Nick Calicchio most of the evening.  (It appears Joe's being wooed pretty hotly and heavily by DS ops on the blogs on his HHA loss). But Joe was quite friendly to GA so don't know if he's gone all 100% DS.  Maybe 50-50?

Joe, head to The Light!

As for Nick Calicchio, he spoke last and got in a semantic battle with Superintendent Toback over whether Santa Claus being asked to leave Calabro from inside the building meant Santa was 'kicked out' or 'rescheduled'. You say po-TAY-to, I say po-TAH-to.

Speaking of the fabulous Superintendent Toback, he is tall.  I went over to introduce myself after the meeting; he towered over me (I'm 5'-4") and is built like a linebacker.  (Advice to Calicchio: defer to him on the Santa thing.)

So all-in-all this BoE session went from a polite, civilized affair to a surreal debate over religious holidays and Santa Claus... par for the course for Crazyboken.

 Now, for the Unsolved Mystery of the night...

Where in the WORLD was Carmelo Garcia?

  

(Updated, 3:00 pm)
MO'S ALIVE!!!

 GA's made a big MO-stake.

Apologies to the family of the LIVING MO- Morris DeGennaro, who is nicknamed 'Mo' like the late Maurice DeGennaro. 

The Mo DeGennaro honored at the BoE last night was the former Athletic Director there... he's got a pulse, and everything!

And may the other Mo DeGennaro continue to rest in peace.