Back in the day, when I was first teaching, I taught at one of the best schools in the South Bronx – PS 31. I later moved up to become the director of Gifted and Talented before I helped found South Bronx Charter SChool. PS 31 had its flaws – many caused by an awkward collocation in what can only be described as a prison-like building from the seventies. The school was successful, though, and the staff highly skilled. Shortly after I left, a new Principal came in, Liza Diaz. I remember seeing her when I visited my old school – she was a slow-moving woman who took long lunches. But the part of this story that means anything to me is not this woman (whom I can literally see doing nothing else but ordering lunch) – but rather the slow degradation of my PS 31. They are currently being described as a “C” school – which is in itself sad, since many schools get Cs in the school ranking system and are not degraded that way. But PS 31 used to be the pride of the South Bronx, and it would still be today with stronger leadership, and especially if they hadn’t brought in this lazy, ridiculous woman and at the same time given her the task of turning 31 into a middle school. This decision happened around ’05, and when it did, Carol Russo (the old and venerable principal) and I sat in her office and predicted this – almost to the point of seeing some corruption being unearthed. The DOE under Bloomberg wanted to fix some bad middle schools in the Bronx, so they took a working elementary school, trashed it, and now they’re cleaning up their mess. It’s a shame, and it didn’t have to end this way.
Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Jared Alessandroni, Teacher
Sunday, January 15th, 2012Bree Sharp
Tuesday, December 20th, 2011My bud and super-talented performer is producing an amazing cover EP and you can help! There’s not much time, but it’s totally worth it! Go go go!
Safer Bus
Wednesday, November 30th, 2011http://www.dnainfo.com/20111130/chelsea-hells-kitchen/school-bus-app-aims-help-parents-track-kids
Been busy creating apps and… maybe trying to watch the entire series of Star Trek the Next Generation on Netflix. One app, Safer Bus, is starting to get some press. Very exciting! Visit safer.us to learn more.
Family Van
Saturday, August 6th, 2011I kinda forgot to post this three weeks ago when we left! Visit my family and our tripping times here:
http://familyvan.tumblr.com
In Utah now – then Arizona then non-stopping back home.
Preach
Wednesday, May 11th, 2011I Am an American Atheist
Friday, November 26th, 2010I’m proud of this video Dave and I edited up in a few hours. If you don’t get the reference, check out this – well, atrocity from a few years back: I am an American
Totally worth your two minutes.
This Sunday Sunday Sunday!
Wednesday, October 27th, 2010As soon as we get back from the Rally, it’s Improv time! Sunday, noon, UCB Theater (at 26th around 8th) – if you don’t come, numerous furry animals will die awful, un-cute deaths.
Atheist Web Comic Launched
Tuesday, October 12th, 2010
Hey web followers – you know it was time for something more hard-core than poetry to drop over here – well here it is.
Atheists are Parasites – Open
Monday, September 6th, 2010We all have someone we fantasize meeting in a restaurant and with whom, having argued, we are so victorious that our opponent runs of punching walls. Mine is Glenn Beck, the shock-jock who won big by yelling about 9/11. However, one of the things that bothers me the most is the way he, like many pundits (on both sides) take for granted that they can bring on a guest whose opinions are blatantly awful, nod and agree with them, and then act as though they, the hosts, are moderates on that topic. In this clip, Rabbi Daniel Lapin makes the frankly Hitler-ian comment that Atheists are parasites. His point – that atheists are benefiting from the religious culture of our country. From abortion-clinic shootings, from Muslim and Christian terrorists? Gay bashing? What exactly, are we benefiting from?
Fraud Alert Fun
Thursday, June 24th, 2010I have been selling a few things on Craigslist recently to prepare to be back in NYC more full-time. Mostly small stuff – a DVD player, a lawnmower – but in the process, received two clearly fraudulent requests. Both indicated that I must take the posting down immediately and their desire to make the purchase immediately. Both were, mysteriously deaf and therefore unable to communicate via telephone. Both wanted to wire money.
What I don’t really get is why the wire would be such a useful scam. Wouldn’t the scammee not just cancel the order before it could be processed once they found out? And why go through the trouble? Or maybe that’s just it – you go through almost no trouble and even if you’re rewarded once, you net serious cash for an hour’s worth of work.
Anyway, I came to a great video after Googling around a bit on it – what makes it great is just the style and tone of it. Good job, FTC.
