Lady Liberty: Transparency and Ethics or More Sly Substitution?

[Defeat Bullies]

This is how Lady Liberty's notification looks:

January 21, 2010
Dear Teachers:
As you already know Lady Liberty Academy Charter School is going through its second charter school renewal process. Every charter school in the state of New Jersey is required to go through this process every 5 years. There are 2 major steps involved in this process.

1. Submission of Charter Renewal Application.
2. The Charter Renewal visit fromthe state.

We have successfully completed and submitted the application. Now we are at the next phase of the renewal process which will be the state visit. The state officials have identified Tuesday February 2, 2010 as the day they will evaluate the school's progress. They will be here for the entire school day ensuring that we are providing the best educational experience for the students of Lady Liberty Academy. There should be an opporiunity for you to meet and address the state officials.

Once we have received the agenda we will forward to staff so you can plan to attend.

Thank you in advance. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me here in the main office at 973-623-9005.
************************************************** ******

This is how a "Notification to Staff of Renewal Visit" letter is supposed to be worded:

Sources: staff notice and UHCS


Notification to Staff of Renewal Visit:

Each charter school is required to notify all staff that the school's charter is up for renewal and that DOE staff will be conducting a review of the school. The required notice must contain the following language:

<<Staff from the New Jersey Department of Education's Office of Charter Schools and School Funding will be conducting an on-site review of _______ Charter School on _____ 2010. Time has been set aside at ________ (tentatively) for teachers to meet with NJDOE representatives at the school.

You may also contact the Office of Charter Schools in advance of the visit at (609) 292-5850. Providing your concerns and comments before the visit will allow staff to follow up on identified issues during the visit.>>
************************************************** *******

Does the school think that the state, teachers and parents won't notice or care about sly substitutions and/or omissions in the official form letter? The public has the right to speak with state monitors in a free and un-coached atmosphere. To restrict access to a critical phone number and opportunities to speak with monitors seems to be reflective of an urgent and systemic problem.

Let’s hope the people at (609) 292-5850 care about transparency and ethics.

However, as a form of checks and balances, interested parties should also call the new Governor at: 609-292-6000 and the Ed. Commissioner at: 609-292-0193

[ilovellacs]

-The revolution begins by educating members of our youth beyond what is expected of them.

Although change can be difficult for some to accept and embrace, the true strength of one’s character lies upon the manner in which he/or she acts in the face of transition. While some have resorted to manipulative tactics, or by instilling a sense of false fear into others, you must realize that the very change you seek to revolt, stems from your own selfish needs and lack of self worth as an educator. Your concerns and issues seemingly neglect to focus on what is in the best interests of the community of learners present at this school.

Have you ever once stopped to open your eyes and think about how both your words and actions may have impacted the students in a negative capacity? While we all have the freedom and choice to utilize our voice for various purposes, the fact that you are utilizing yours in such a detrimental manner aimed to clearly damage the reputation of LLACS and its administrative leaders, illustrates your true sense of obnoxiousness and heightens even my personal tolerance for disgust.

Contradictory to what you may feel or believe about LLACS, transparency and ethics, was what this school needed the most in order to survive during a time when it lacked leadership and accountability (Refer to the 2008-2009 School Year). Change at this school is moving in the right direction evident by students learning, teachers being held to higher accountability measures and the existence of leadership and structure that operates on the basic premise of what is in the best interests of all learners.

Truth be told, the biggest hypocrites in this life are those that advocate for the rights of others, while attempting to pursue their own personal hidden agendas, and it is quite evident that you have your own personal agenda.

Perhaps you should engage in deep self-reflection and understand that while negativity may disseminate like a virus, righteousness will always prevail

[Defeat Bullies]

Subterfuge Flavored Kool-Aid = <<The revolution begins by educating members of our youth beyond what is expected of them...>>

What "revolution" are you referring to? Your statement is very troubling/incendiary, in that you are talking about a Public Institution and Children! Why hasn't the public been notified about the revolution taking place in a NJ (K-8) public school? An investigation into this "revolution" is certainly in order.

Are you revolting against NJ Laws?
Is that why Lady Liberty refuses to obey OPRA requests? If so, truly educated people change laws, as opposed to violating them.

NJ schools would be exemplary, if NJ law was followed and the over-inflated and over-paid administrative layer was trimmed.

The fact is, Lady Liberty has violated NJ's Open Public Records Act (OPRA) multiple times. The fines and legal fees associated with violating OPRA are steep and consequently diminish educational resources...

Why won't Lady Liberty provide the requested public documents?
What is Lady Liberty hiding?

:

More Lady Liberty OPRA Requests (Responses Due Feb. 9th) - PennJersey.info Forums

Lady Liberty's OPRA Response Awaited--due date was 1/27 - PennJersey.info Forums

Lady Liberty's OPRA Response Awaited--due date was 1/27 - PennJersey.info Forums

Still more information from Lady Liberty Academy Charter School - PennJersey.info Forums

Lady Liberty responds to complaint regarding number of trustees - PennJersey.info Forums

More information from Lady Liberty Academy Charter School - PennJersey.info Forums

Lady Liberty Charter School - Complaint - PennJersey.info Forums

More on Lady Liberty Charter School compliance - PennJersey.info Forums

Newark Charter School out of Law Compliance - PennJersey.info Forums

[ilovellacs]

The revolution we are referring to is instilling our young children of color with the capacity to not only coexist in this world; but be highly competitive with those who believe that OUR children have a manifest destiny of perpetuating the cycle that is so evident in our community. Allowing our students to take ownership in their education, instilling independence, an understanding, and believing that they can compete against students just miles outside of this Newark border, is powerful. I hate to make the assumption that you can’t relate to our kids, but I find that so hard to believe. Anyone with two eyes, can see the odds against our children.

What is most dangerous in this world are those that teach children of color with the false intention that they have our kids “best interest” at heart. The only person you are fooling is yourself, not the staff, not the parents, and certainly not our students.

But, what is not mentioned in this blog is that our students feel so successful, so safe, and so respected at Lady Liberty Academy Charter School. This is what adults have to realize, when you go into education as a profession, it is about flexibility, change, and children! Our own selfishness needs to take a backseat to our students.

Bottom line, this is a choice school for our children and OUR STAFF, if you are unhappy with the changes, instead of complaining about it, just leave.
Negativity will no longer be the larger voice at Lady Liberty Academy Charter School.

[Defeat Bullies]

Try to focus:
Why doesn’t Lady Liberty’s $400,000+ administration refuse to obey NJ’s OPRA law and reveal key school documents?

Why is the contract of the principal and the curricula a secret?

Why did Mr. Booker snub Newarkers and bring $400,000+ people from NYC, especially if those people cannot obey simple OPRA requests?

Maybe Mr. Booker can tell the public what NJ certificates are held by the principal, two head masters and secretary he brought over from NYC?

Equating “Negativity” and the reasonable request for lawful behavior in a NJ public charter school is very telling…

It is a good thing that you are hiding your identity.

[weilunion]

Hello-

My name is Danny Weil and I write for Dailycensored.com | Underreported political and social news from the U.S. and around the world

I recently wrote an article on Oceanside Charter school that also will not release public information. They hide behind the sophistic ramblings about kids, their needs, choice and all the other malarkey that is routed around as a shroud for the need for naked agression against the public record acts.

As an attorney who has sued three cities six times, once over such a request I will be gleefully telling your story of the refusal of the carceral charter to release their records so the people who pay them their hefty salaries and 'bennies', while teachers are fired all over the country, can see how they handle a public institition. Or is it a private institution? Can't have it both ways.

This lack of accountablility hidden under rhetoric for kids reminds me of 'Jerry's Kids' and the money he raked in off the backs of the poor and disenfranchised.

Please see all my stories on the privatization of education at Dailycensored.com | Underreported political and social news from the U.S. and around the world . You can see the front page or go up to the top to 'Author Posts' and see many articles on deception, lack of transparency and accountability to the public and the charter charlatans.

This school should not be allowed to renew any public charter without releasing the information requested.

And readers, notice how the administrators or board members of these ridiculous butler schools never talk about why they need such large pay and why teachers cannot have unions, academic freedom, rights to assembly, a sustainable salary of be responsible for their own curriculum instead of contracting it out to chop shops run for profit?

Yes, the good thing is that there is a 'public interest' and for those who advance it we will be on the case of Lady Liberty as she 'scales' back learning in favor of the liberty of 'earning'.

We have no use for the administrators and should put them back on the stagecoach to NY so they can live in the barrios and the urban sprawl created by 30 years of Reganomics. Thanks, Liberty you've given me a great target and another way to make the case for public schools, not charters.

Dr. Danny Weil