BLACK THURSDAY

In Oz no news should be good news, but that ain't so. Also when there is news it usually contributes to the overall depressive atmosphere.

The antidote is to not read the newspapers or the local blogs. Even the stupid personal scandals that are almost daily featured in the TV news reports can lighten the mood.

The "ground breaking truce" of a few weeks ago has shown cracks with newly reported shootings. A local "Job Fair" seems to have been as valid as the recent day of revelation. The City has already been committed to one project without understanding all the potential negatives involved. I refer to the solar panels installation.

Now the "ShotSpotter" program is back on the front burner. I do not believe that there has been sufficient impartial evidence provided to demonstrate that it is of true anti-crime value.

The Armory Bargain is no such thing. A 20-25 year unsecured lease to a commercial enterprise for a Charter School has as much more chance to become by default a municipal burden. Once again "If it is too good to be true it probably isn't." . No one knows what the potential city liability could be. If the Charter School Bubble burst, and it will, what will the building be used for? Will the proprietary corporation have title in its name or in a dummy corporation's name so it can walk away unscathed?

While on this subject of Schools, Maria's daily expose of weird and contrary actions of the PSD and the BOE exposes both a Board and an Administrative organization that has no idea of the rules and regulations inherent in their roles.

The latest imperious insipidity involves the recommendation not to grant the High School Principal tenure despite the over whelming number of teachers and parents that have supported him. One must suspect that there is a personality issue involved in this case which the Interim Superintendent of Schools refuses to reveal on the grounds that it is a "Personal Issue" and must be protected.

I believe that Mr. Brian Bilal has made public his "Donaldson Hearing" and waved his right of personal privacy. Thus the position of Interim Superintendent Anna Belin-Pyles that she can not reveal the charges against him is a false one designed only to protect the Board and the district administration.

Are we positioning ourselves once more to spend money that should be used for education on legal fees and fault payments to an injured party? Let us have the facts.