Information Session or Campaign Event?

Kids First team, circa 2010

GA as you may know, is a Hoboken public school mom.  And (huge) supporter of public education.

Look what I found while perusing Yahoo's Hoboken Moms Group message board:

In response to several of our members wanting more information on the Hoboken school system, Hoboken Dads Group is pleased to be hosting Board Of Education Member Peter Biancamano. 

Get Your School Questions Answered Thursday August 2nd 7:30-8:30pm at Northern Soul. 557 1st

Street Hoboken Moms welcome too. 

  Hmmm... 

An information session on the Hoboken school district (public schools) is a terrific idea.

A School Board campaign event disguised as an 'information' session on the Hoboken school district is NOT. 

GA's not sure but...

Let me share a few red flags, and then hope for the best.

Red Flag #1-

Biancamano is a warm, charming fellow. He is also a political partisan,  member of the School Board anti-Kids First minority.  Don't take GA's word for it, these are his own words in his letter to the Hoboken Reporter:

"...we are a divided board"

And Biancamano is actively engaged in campaign strategy sessions for the Kids First opposition slate of candidates. From an earwitness back in June:

I found out yesterday that Joe Branco is the campaign manager for Markevitch and (Oland). it seems that they all met at Momma Russo's mother's house on Madison street Tuesday night, I guess it was for a strategy session. Fran and Peter, Pupie, Holmsie, T Burns etc. were also present.

Do you believe Biancamano will put his best foot forward to promote the leaps and bounds of Hoboken public schools (under Kids First majority leadership) and tout the improvements and progress the schools have made since ejecting Biancamano's political sponsors?  (Including forcing an audit which uncovered myriad abuses before Kids First)

Here's what he wrote in his letter:

Last year, only 87 percent of our senior class graduated in June... Our district’s performance on standardized tests is disturbing.

 Does this sound like an advocate of Hoboken public schools to you?  GA was shocked to read this dissing of our district's kids' performance by a School Board member.

Our school district is in fact expanding, attracting more newcomers than ever and the key to advancement of our schools is to encourage residents to STAY, highlight improvements, not 'division' and 'disturbance'.

What message does he plan to deliver at Northern Soul?

Red Flag #2-

Why weren't OTHER School Board members invited?  Why only Biancamano, who is the most junior board member with only one year under his belt?  Why wasn't a more seasoned Board member invited as well?

Since this is being hosted by a Dads group, presumably the audience will be parents.

Wouldn't it make sense to have invited a Board member with a child enrolled in the Hoboken School District, too?  These are Board members with children presently enrolled in a Hoboken Public School: Irene Sobolov, Ruthy McAllister, Theresa Minutillo, (Kids First) and Carmelo Garcia.

 Red Flag #3-

Brian Murray, the organizer and head of Hoboken Dads, is an on-the-record critic of Superintendant Toback and the Kids First Board members.  

And  Carmelo Garcia partisan.

You may recall Mr. Murray organized the 'protest' at a School Board meeting, which GA wrote in a post called Pool-i-tics. I referred to him as "Dad no. 1".

In a nutshell, Murray had scheduled a Hoboken Dad's kids' swim event at the High School, never submitting the Facilities Use Form he was provided with by Hoboken's Rec department.  The form required Murray to show his group had insurance to use the pool.  Murray never obtained insurance, just sat on it for months, and neglected to return the mandatory form to initiate the approval process.  Without returning the form, the BoE never saw nor reviewed Murray's pool request, thus (obviously) it couldn't be approved without being seen.

But somehow, Carmelo knew about it... and had a "win-win" suggestion to change the pool insurance requirement on-the-fly!  Yikes. After which Murray said

"It seems there's just one Board member, Carmelo Garcia that puts Kids First."

Real political theater.  Staged.

When it comes to the Hoboken School Board, Murray is a partisan by his own words and deeds.  And he is hosting this event, only inviting a Carmelo-allied BoE member.  

Red Flag #4

Northern Soul?  Neither Murray nor Biancamano live in the 4th ward. Why there?

Here's what a friend told me:

Northern Soul was Timmy’s place of residence during his first campaign. He announced that he would be there at least one night a week to meet and discusses “issues” and invited his peeps to come by and share a brewski with him. Dutch treat.

Hmmm... wonder if Timmy will show up.  He's already hit the campaign trail, according to a witness:

 Occhipinti was introducing Markevitz and Vasquez to the senior citizens at the multi service center bbq.

So, GA hopes this is NOT a political event, but a genuine opportunity for interested parents to find out about the great things happening in our public schools and why they should consider them a viable and attractive choice.

Not a "disturbing" one.