More District 3 Parents vs Harlem Success at CEC Meeting Over Videotaping

This follow-up to our stories this week concerning this epic battle over HSA co-locations is just one more example of the current school wars, with Tweed always lining up on the side of the Charters. The UFT, which could be an organizing force is toothless due to its own charter co-locations and teachers and public school parents are getting more and more restless. Are there any more despicable people than the HSA crew? Even other charter schools despise them. As they continue to overreach, one day it will all come crashing down. Just imagine, HSA takes our public money but has enough money to pay videographers to tape all their meetings. And how much does their PR person Jenny Sedlis make? How much does the PR person in your public school make?

Make sure to see the video I posted of a parent with a special ed child rejected by HSA.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHwZj8Y9Q7M

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I'm trying to sort out what happened last night at the District 3 (Upper West Side and parts of Harlem) CEC (Community Education Council) meeting. The report in the Daily News that Harlem Success Academy was stopped from taping the meeting by CEC chair Noah Gotbaum. I found it hard to believe this was simple story of cencorship even though it sent a chill down my spine for the rights of free speech, no matter how obnoxious HSA people can be. Knowing Noah I knew there had to be some back story. I left this comment on the NYCEd listserve:

Is this [Daily News] report a distortion of what really happened? Does this mean we can be barred from taping public meetings without permits? Why would they ever give a permit? When I went to tape the CEC 15 PS 15/PAVE hearing I was told by a charter school advocate that I couldn't tape. I stood my ground and Jim Devor backed me up.

Frightening to free speech and open access.

It turns out that someone from GEM filmed the CEC 3 event the other day with a pen camera and it will be going up on the net soon. Can people be forced not to use cell phones from taping? Reminds me of the hysteria in the UFT when I taped Randi's wine and cheese party that led to a ban on taping at UFT delegate Assemblies.

I saw video of another group that barred HSA videographers from filming during the summer by blocking the camera (an alternative tactic that I also don't agree with) and though outraged that Moskowitz takes public money while using other funding (supposedly) to hire videographers the idea that we are handing the DOE a weapon to stop filming is chilling. I think we ought to film them filming and show how they take our money and waste resources on political action.

We'll have to go out and buy those small cameras that attach to your glasses. But unless there is other info I'm missing I support the right of HSA and GEM to film these events. Do TV networks have to get individual permits to tape public meetings? I bet not.

This email came in from a parent activist:

ALL Public Meetings can be videotaped and are subject to the Open Meetings Law. This includes CEC meetings, PA/PTA meetings, SLT meetings, Charter Board meetings, Charter Committee meetings and Charter Sub-Committee meetings.

HSA has every right to videotape AND the public has every right to go to HSA board/committee/sub-committee meetings and videotape too.

Some more context from a D3 parent who prefers to remain anonymous:

At last night's CEC3 meeting at PS145, Elizabeth Rose presented on space planning in District 3. Harlem Success brought a crew of people in orange shirts who were aggressive and loud, for instance clapping and hooting when Elizabeth Rose said that parents want choice. Harlem Success also brought a photographer and camera man to record the meeting.

CEC3 President Noah Gotbaum asked them to put away their equipment, saying that the CEC itself had been forbidden from filming in meetings without a permit in the past, and the same rules should apply to everyone, not everyone except Eva Moscowitz. The photographer and camera man at first refused to stop, then put away their equipment until the meeting restarted but quickly took it out again. CEC3 members objected and stood in front of the camera to block it. The camera person held the lens high to keep taking pictures over their shoulders.

A woman in an orange HSA shirt came out and walked around the room with an iPhone, taking movies with a big "dare me" smile on her face, and even blew a kiss at the PS145 parents. Security was called. Soon there was a message delivered via a DOE rep to Noah Gotbaum. The message was, the Chancellor was speaking to Eva.

Later in the evening a tiny woman came up to speak, surrounded by her three small children. "I'm going to tell you something very personal," she said to Elizabeth Rose in a shaky voice. "I just escaped from 26 years of abuse. At PS145 I found a safe place where I feel welcome. I want to tell you, you remind me of my ex-husband."

Now it's beginning to make sense. One day there will be a massive confrontation at one of these meetings that will turn real ugly indeed.
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