Manny is definitely "on the move" --- to somewhere, but before he says his final goodbyes --- he has plenty of messy, unfinished business to clean up, including outstanding charges of racial discrimination against his Administration.

To date, City and other media's reporting regarding at least 22 complaints concerning corruption and racial discrimination, filed by current or former Rochester City School District (RCSD), African American employees --- has been somewhat lopsided.

It seems that every voice and every perspective involved with this ongoing issue has been reported, except perspectives of the majority of complainants and victims. One would think that the media and others would be interested in hearing from those of us who voluntarily subjected ourselves to the so called "independent review panel" process. Not only did the majority of us end up getting the short end of the stick --- relative to the bogus, kangaroo-court-style decisions that resulted from a so-called "independent review" process, which was led by Superintendent Rivera's Chief of Staff and top level individuals from the RCSD's Human Resources Department --- but we have now opened ourselves up to even further retaliation.

One of the most ludicrous claims regarding the so-called independent review panel's conclusions is "that racism wasn't a factor in the employees' treatment." This is according to a 1/17/07 City article. How ludicrous! The same article makes it abundantly clear that Rivera is feeling so confident in his manipulative abilities to suppress and manage the issue of widespread, rampant, systemic racism within the RCSD --- that he is now all but daring complainants to "let it become a judicial matter."

One reason why the Superintendent is probably so confident regarding the latter point is because he knows that if complainants do decide to take the matter to court --- by the time the case comes up for litigation --- he will be long-gone (laughing all the way to the bank), and comfortably anchored within the Boston, Massachusetts School District, Elliot Spitzer's Administration, or where ever he decides to land. It seems that he has absolute, free reign regarding ever-expanding choices, especially since he pulled off the near-miraculous feat of "winning" designation as the 2005-06 regional and national Superintendent of the Year --- while leading a school district that continues to be labeled with the unfavorable distinction of having the highest dropout rate and the lowest graduation rate within the entire State of New York --- truly, truly amazing!

The only thing more ludicrous than the denial of ongoing, deep-seated, individual and institutional racism within the RCSD, is the blatant, unmitigated gall that the Superintendent displayed in his attempt to dupe the public into believing that his Administration is concerned with "hiring the best and the brightest for our students." I must state plainly and simply --- his claim is nothing more or less than a bunch of (to put it mildly) "poppycock". In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. The truth is that many of those, especially in so-called "leadership" positions, are there solely because they are staunch supporters and gatekeepers of an institutional culture, which includes widespread, discriminatory practices and a vile form of vindictiveness that's rotten to the core, and will never even dream of rocking the status-quo, educational boat.

In many cases, positions which have been bestowed upon people within the RCSD, has absolutely nothing, or very little to do with their authentic qualifications and/or effectiveness. If those in positions of leadership, power, and control are so qualified; so bright; so good at what they do --- then how does Rivera explain (in spite of professed, so-called, academic improvement) that the RCSD continues to maintain one of the lowest graduation rates, and conversely, one of the highest drop out rates, not only in New York State, but within the entire nation?

Somebody must necessarily be lying!

Yes, Dr. Rivera is definitely "on the move," but it's a crime and a scandal that thousands of our students are not --- at least not in a forward or progressive direction. Thus, as I mentioned from the outset, the illustrious, much-sought-after Superintendent has plenty of messy, unfinished business to clean up.

The bottom line is that parents, taxpayers, community members in general, progressive educators, and even some of our more mature and enlightened students, need to forge real, concrete unity rather quickly, and insist upon a fair return or a refund, for the tremendous investment that we have made in Superintendent Rivera (for the second time around).

We might want to begin by demanding (in a civil and organized manner) that his jet-setting, on-the-move (from Rochester to Albany, to Connecticut, to Boston, to Florida --- to who knows where) mode of operation come to a halt during these last six months --- so that he might become more focused on the duties that we are still paying him a handsome salary to perform!

We would like to invite the community to join us in sending the superintendent a clear message on February 15, 2007.

RALLY FOR CHANGE

"No Racism," says Rivera.

City Newspaper

December 20, 2006

85% Of City School District Students

Are Children of Color

85% Of City School District Teachers

Are White

THERE’S NO RACISM IN THE ROCHESTER CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT ???

RALLY FOR CHANGE

When: February 15, 2007

Where: Outside RCSD Central Office Building

(131 West Broad Street)

Time: 5:30 PM

For more information, contact the Parent and Community Advisory Committee @ 464-8376, and/or

P.O. Box 19442, Rochester, NY 14619-0442.