SCHOOL BOARD TRUSTEE OMAR MCDOWELL CONSPIRES TO DEFRAUD $100M FROM MOUNT VERNON TAXPAYERS

Educational Genocide In The City of Mount Vernon

CURRENT CORRUPT BUSINESS MANAGER
KEN SILVER

Educational Genocide has been happening in Mount Vernon for the last 19 years and the perpetrators are wearing robes and suits.  It is clear that securing jobs and contracts are more important than educating children in Mount Vernon’s School District.  Valhalla’s Prison is full of past Mount Vernon students who have been robbed of an education. The same people who are supposed to pray for us continue to prey on us.  Since 1997, when Mount Vernon’s black churches and politicians orchestrated a takeover of Mount Vernon’s school board, our district went from blue ribbon status, to one of the worse school districts in the country.

POVERTY PIMP
W. FRANKLYN RICHARDSON

Who is responsible for former Mount Vernon students being unemployed, imprisoned, having substance abuse issues, or no longer being alive? Is there no shame in this city when it comes to our clergy and politicians? It is painfully clear that some in our district are more interested in the Architect that will control a proposed $100 million bond than it does on test scores and graduation rates.

School Board Trustee, Omar McDowell is the new anointed point man for Rev Richardson and the meddling churches. Richardson led the group that is responsible for destroying the Mount Vernon school district. McDowell, the only Trustee who owns no property in the City of Mount Vernon and who pays no property taxes, has taken the baton and is pushing the church’s agenda. The District is trying to pass a $100 Million bond and McDowell wants Richardson’s personal architect, Fuller and D’Angelo to secure a no bid contract without any oversight whatsoever on how our money will be spent.  Where are the feds?

CORRUPT SCHOOL TRUSTEE
OMAR MCDOWELL

$43 million of the $100 million will be spent on Longfellow and Grimes Elementary schools which were built only 10 years ago.  These schools were so poorly constructed that they are falling apart. The $100 million dollar bond used to construct these schools was stolen. Longfellow and Grimes have massive construction issues and are falling apart. These schools were built with crooked architects and contractors and no oversight. Instead of investigating previous bonds to determine who is responsible for this crime, the district wants taxpayers to pay for repairs.  Where are the feds?

The meddling churches are now up in arms because there is a call for a bid process for the bond architect. They demand that Fuller and D’Angelo control the proposed $100 million bond and they absolutely do not want oversight. It is Trustee McDowell’s job to deliver for the churches and he is hell bent to do just that.  Where are the feds?

Joining in on the architect scandal is past Board Member Lenny Sarver, and past Business Manager, Tim Costello. Current Business Manager, Ken Silver has been a disaster because he is not his own man. He has allowed Costello and Sarver to set the financial agenda for the district. Sarver had such a close relationship with Fuller and D’Angelo that he had to recuse himself from voting on their resolutions while he was on the board. Reports say that Sarver and Costello are financially benefiting from the architect firm and are pushing Silver to favor Fuller and D’Angelo.  Where are the feds?

CORRUPT FORMER TRUSTEE
LEN SARVER

In the past 5 years, The Mount Vernon City School district has paid more money to Fuller and D’Angelo than they spent for vocational training or many other needed services. The firm has raked in tens of millions of dollars, taking away from vital children services. One issue troubling Ken Silver is that Fuller and D’Angelo came up with the figure of $100 million needed for the bond. Our guess is that another architect firm would come in with a price tag of $50 million for the bond performing the same work. If this happens, this will expose the planed rip off of taxpayer money. Look for Silver and McDowell to make sure Fuller and D’Angelo receives the contract.

McDowell has two allies on the Board, Darcy Miller and Charmaine Fearon. The trio was elected in 2014, and appears to be puppets to Delia Farqueson, Elias Gootzeit and the blood sucking churches. Mount Vernon Exposed would bet that neither Fearon, McDowell, nor Miller would sell out the children of Scarsdale or Eastchester by robbing them of an education.  It’s easy to beat up on black and brown children.  We  also doubt that Sarver, Silver or Costello, would bring the same pain to Yeshiva students and Jewish taxpayers as they do to the poor people of Mount Vernon. A federal investigated is needed.  Where are the feds?

CORRUPT FORMER BUSINESS MANAGER
TIM COSTELLO

Where are the good Clergy Members? Why has the only mobilization of our religious and political officials been over the control of this proposed bond. When was the last time our churches and leaders galvanized to bring an end to the educational genocide that has occurred in this city? Where is the outrage about our imprisoned and uneducated former students? Why don’t churches open their doors to help school children and other youth stay out of trouble? What are our churches doing besides lining up to get their hands on bond money? Trustee McDowell should take time out of his day to visit Valhalla’s jail so he can learn that almost all inmates from Mount Vernon are former dropouts. He also needs a history lesson to learn why so many former students are in jail.  

CORRUPT FORMER TRUSTEE
ELIAS GOTZEIT

Prior to the Black Church takeover in 1997, Mount Vernon had one of the best vocational programs in the country. Academically challenged students learned carpentry, plumbing, auto repair, cosmetology, etc., which kept them in school. As a revenge pay back to Italian Civic Association member Ralph Tedesco, the church controlled board eliminated the entire vocational program, which Tedesco ran. Once the program was gone, academically challenged students dropped out in record numbers and ended up in jail.  Where are the feds?

Mount Vernon Exposed looked up The Scarsdale School District’s Mission Statement. It is as follows:

The Scarsdale Public Schools seek to sponsor each student’s full development, enabling our youth to be effective and independent contributors in a democratic society and an Interdependent world. To this end, we endeavor to help them to think and express themselves clearly, critically and creatively; to understand themselves and others within the broad fabric of human experience and the natural universe; to appreciate their rights and responsibilities as citizens; and to become people of integrity, maturity and generous spirit. A measure of our success is the degree to which they fulfill their potential for the common good. Valuing our individuality, we unite to keep the flame of learning.

Unfortunately, The Mount Vernon School District’s mission statement can easily read as follows;

The Mount Vernon School District seeks to make Political and Religious leaders happy by giving them full control of contracts and jobs.

Sad but true, educating children is not a priority of our district. The Mount Vernon School District should be embarrassed at what they have done to the children of this city.  Parents who are fortunate enough, send their children to private schools. They can look forward to double taxes, by paying property taxes as well as tuition. Unfortunately, all others are forced to send their children to a district that sends more children to prison than to college. What we need is the district to call in the feds to investigate the district finances. We also need the Clergy, Political leaders, former board members, and former employees, to stop beating up on minority children.

Almost every school board candidate in the past 3 years promised an audit. Where is it? History will not be kind to people who are responsible for Mount Vernon’s Educational Genocide. Everyone who has sat quiet while it took place is just as responsible. Where are the so-called good board members? Open an investigation. No Audit, No Bond.  Bring in the Feds.

BLACK CLERGY BACKED SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT CUTS DEALS AHEAD OF SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION

SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT
ELIAS GOOTZEIT

Elias Gootzeit, who is seeking re-election to the Mount Vernon School Board, has been an embarrassment to Mount Vernon. In his past 7 years as a Board Member, his behavior at school board meetings have been disruptive and bizarre. The New York State Education Dept. has a video of how school boards should not behave, and Mount Vernon’s School Board, during Gootzeit’s tenure, was used as the example. He is known to go as far as to throw chairs when he does not get his way. Gootzeit aligns himself with The UBC (United Black Clergy) and Ernie Davis, whose meddling in Mount Vernon Schools has caused the destruction of Mount Vernon’s once blue ribbon school district, and the tripling of property taxes.

Mount Vernon Exposed was informed, that in an attempt to keep Gootzeit in office, deals have been made. Frances Ann Lightsy, Principal of Grimes Elementary School, and a staunch Ernie Davis supporter, has been working very hard to get Gootzeit re-elected. Ms. Lightsy is retiring at the end of the school year, and reports are, Gootzeit has arranged a job in the District Office for her upon her retirement. This is payback for Lightsy’s support. Our school system has been auctioned off to the highest bidder for the last 18 years. Nothing Mr. Gootzeit has accomplished in his tenure has helped educate children. In fact, scores have tumbled and taxes have soared while he sat on The Board.

Gootzeit championed the yearlong fight to allow undocumented citizens to vote in school elections. This was an attempt help get him re-elected. The health of a school system is vital to the health of any city. Having undocumented residents determine the future of Mount Vernon, our tax rate, and property values, is insane. Gootzeit has not offered one solution to help children, or cut taxes. He is an advocate against change. His connection to The UBC, an organization with roots to CEPAA, a group who seized control of the school board in 1997 is troubling.

CORRUPT CLERGYMAN
REV. WILLIAM MIZELL

Since CEPAA took control of the board in 1997, children and taxpayers have caught hell. Under CEPAA, vocational courses were cut from the educational system. Ralph Tedesco, the director of vocational training for the district, was a member of the (ICA) Italian Civic Association. The ICA was the group that once held a grip of the school board, and was defeated by CEPAA in 1997. Despite the devastating effect it would have on children, the vocation programs were cut, only to hurt Tedesco and the ICA. This left academically challenged children, no option but to drop out of school, resort to crime, and face years behind bars.

Ms. Lightsy was appointed Principal in 2003 by CEPPA’s board members. She will have no retirement trophy on her mantle, listing her accomplishments as Principal. Grimes Elementary School has over 60% of its children below State levels in reading and math. Ms. Lightsy, whose salary is higher than any Official working for The City of Mount Vernon, is finding time to help inject herself in the School Board Election, while her students cannot add and read.

When we go to the polls Tuesday, do so for children, and people who struggle to pay for their education, nothing else.  Political deals have destroyed our educational system. If we are going to help our new Superintendent succeed, we must cut ties with our troubling past. With corrupt individuals backing Elias Gootzeit, there seems to be no shame in the continued exploitation of children, and taxpayers in the City of Mount Vernon.

CLERGY GROUP RESPONSIBLE FOR ELECTION FRAUD LOOKING TO CONTINUE INFLUENCE IN MOUNT VERNON SCHOOL SYSTEM

Voter Fraud Part 2

The group responsible for destroying Mount Vernon’s School system, and for massive amounts of voter fraud, is backing Elias Goodzeit in order to help continue their influence in the Mount Vernon School System.

REV. WILLIAM MIZELL

Rev. Mizell of Grace Baptist Church is the point person for churches who look to seize control of The Mount Vernon School Board.  In May, 2012, Rev Mizell, on behalf of The UBC (United Black Clergy) supported four Candidates, Francis Wynn, Elias Goodzeit, Delia Farqueson, and Brenda Crump. Mizell asked the Mount Vernon Democratic Committee to help their candidates win, because the clergy had lost credibility with the voters in Mount Vernon.

The UBC and their candidates illegally used Democratic Headquarters, and no leases were issued to use the facility. This is against New York State Campaign law. The 2012 election was marred with voter fraud. Sources informed Mount Vernon Exposed, that voters were bussed in from all areas, including The Bronx, to vote for Mizell’s candidates. As reported by The Journal News, dead people voted, people voted multiple times, and servicemen stationed overseas on election day had votes cast for them at poll locations. One voter’s home address was the abandoned tennis courts at Memorial field.  Comptroller Maureen Walker and her Husband Robert Walker were also part of the fraud that election day.

Mizell’s candidates won the election. The losing candidates requested the voting machines be impounded. This is common practice in elections, to guarantee they are fair and honest. Rev Mizell urged the sitting Board Members they helped get into office to vote no, and the motion failed. Two Board Members, who voted “no” were Elias Goodzeit, and Delia Farquharson. Both were winning candidates in the disputed election. Why would Elias Goodzeit, an Attorney, block the process to verify that an election in The United States Of America was fair? What was he hiding? Elias Goodzeit spent 3 years denying his involvement in voter fraud, yet he voted no to allow anyone to examine the voting machines.

ELIAS GOOTZEIT

Last year, Goodzeit, and Farquharson started a group called The Mount Vernon Board Campaign Action Committee. This organization is supposed to find school board candidates favorable to Grace Baptist, and other churches. When the black churches originally gained control of the board in 1997, they called themselves CEPAA (Coalition for the Empowerment of People of African Ancestry). Ministers have changed their organization’s names several times, to stay ahead of United States election laws. CEPPA became the UBC (United Black Clergy) and now, The Mount Vernon Board Campaign Action Committee.  We will discuss CEPAA Later.

 Last year, the Campaign Action Committee chose, Darthea Miller, Charmaine Fearon, and Omar McDowell as their candidates. Darthea Miller is Mizell’s choice to be the next Board President.  It looks like the trio of Miller, Fearon, and McDowell, are backing Elias Goodzeit, with the promise to put Miller in the President’s seat, as long as Goodzeit wins. Charmaine Fearon, is an Attorney for Morgan Stanley, and needs to be careful that she is not part of any voter fraud that may happen this year. Also, she cannot plead ignorance to not knowing the history of the people who support her. This is a disaster waiting to happen. Attorneys, Goodzeit and Fearon are well aware of the separation of church and state laws, and the fact that Grace Baptist, and other Churches who support them, are, and have been in violation of their IRS 501-C3 tax exempt status. Sources say, The Mount Vernon Board Campaign Action Committee was formed to hide Grace and other Churches’ involvement in the election process. Complaints have been filed with the IRS, and it is only a matter of time before the Government acts on the misbehavior of religious intuitions in Mount Vernon. Their supporters need to be aware that these religious organizations violate IRS law.

The Mount Vernon Campaign Action Committee urged last year’s candidates to decline support from other groups. However, recently Delia Farquharson begged support for Gootzeit, from a member of Concerned Property Owners, (a north side based organization). Furthermore, members of The Mount Vernon Campaign Action Committee wanted to drop Wanda White from their ticket as a deal for support for Goodzeit. Those request were denied.

Over the years, greed by some of the most prominent black church Minister’s in the City of Mount Vernon, destroyed our youth by denying them a proper education. Under the influence of the black Churches, Mount Vernon went from having great schools, to having one of the worst school districts in the country. Property taxes have tripled under their leadership. Graduation rates are at an all time low, because children are dropping out at record numbers. Most children in Mount Vernon perform below grade level.

DELIA FARQUHARSON

There has been severe mismanagement of public funds for the past two decades due to the influence of the black churches in the City of Mount Vernon. Although taxes have tripled, vocational training has been removed from Mount Vernon schools, further hindering the prospect of children becoming employable.  Uneducated youth resort to crime, drugs, gangs, and finally become incarcerated. The elderly become squeezed out of their homes, while falling home prices have made Mount Vernon an undesirable place to live. How did this happen? How did people who preach the word of God become such opportunist? Why did they destroy a generation of youth?

Prior to 1997 the ICA (Italian Civic Association) controlled the school board. Founded in 1917, the I.C.A. elected its first school board trustee in 1919. Its members, all who trace their roots to Italy, got out the vote by phoning and making house calls to their voter base. The ICA financed the running of school board candidates, influenced the hiring of the superintendent, teachers, and had complete control of contracts. Schools on the north side had better teachers, more computers, and were just plain better equipped than south side schools. The ICA took care of the north side, and African Americans and black church leaders in Mount Vernon were outraged.

Even with the favoritism to north side schools, the children in south side schools were being educated. Mount Vernon had blue ribbon, nationally recognized schools, and a high graduation rate. For example, on a state reading exam in 1996, 93.1 percent of Mount Vernon's sixth graders scored above the minimum competency level compared with 89.9 percent of all Westchester sixth graders. Children passed in great numbers in both middle-class and poor sections of the city. The average property tax bill in 1996 was about $3500 per year.

Black Ministers under CEPAA, mounted a campaign to wrestle power away from The ICA. The ringleader of CEPAA was Grace Baptist Church Pastor,  Franklyn Richardson. Despite US laws against mixing politics and religion, Preachers in violation of their 501-C3 tax-exempt statuses, preached politics from the pulpit, urging people to come out and vote for their candidates. In May of 1997, with 11,547 voters cast, CEPAA took control of the school board. The winning CEPAA candidates were, Frances W. Wynn, Carolyn V. Ben Reuben, Lynn C. Frazer-McBride, Gerald M. Coleman and the Rev. David D. Henry.

The 1997-98 budget was $95.9 million. CEPAA challenged the budget vote, which was defeated during the 1997 May election. In 1997, spending per pupil in the City of Mount Vernon was $9,383.45.  Today, spending has increased to almost $30,000 per pupil. Immediately following the 1997 school board election, CEPAA went to work, hiring “their” people to work in the school system, regardless of qualifications. Contracts were awarded to acquaintances, bonds were taken out, and money went missing. People became rich off the backs of our children and taxpayers.

It wasn’t too long after CEPAA put “their” people to work that taxpayers and children in the City of Mount Vernon began to feel the effects of CEPAA’s high taxing policies. Scores of children began to plummet, vocational schools were eliminated, students began to drop out in record numbers, and property taxes skyrocketed. Crime also escalated to record numbers, and our uneducated and unemployable youth ended up in jail. An entire generation of children were destroyed, mostly African American children, due to the policies of CEPAA.

Since our black Ministers rescued us from the ICA, over 6000 kids have dropped out of school. Most of our south side school children, the ones being rescued by CEPAA, are now well below state standard levels in reading and math. Some schools have much less than 30% of their children at or above grade level. Davis Middle School is an embarrassment, and ranks at the bottom of middle schools

In NY State, with 25% of 7th and 8th graders at or above reading and math levels. Davis Middle School is at risk for a State takeover.

Ministers continue to violate the law, and are heavy in school politics. Our children have suffered under their control. In the 2012 school board election, the process was rigged to insure certain candidates were elected. CEPAA always blamed the ICA of stealing elections to control money and jobs. The Ministers are now being accused of doing the same, by their actions in the 2012 election.

Mount Vernon has a wonderful Superintendent, Dr. Kenneth Hamilton, who has a very tough job. He was handed a very difficult situation. We are hopeful that his leadership will turn around our school system. Progress has begun.

We urge anyone concerned with the education of our children, and the high taxes we pay to educate them, to demand that all churches cease from meddling in our school system. Enough is enough. Any church member, who hears any Minister endorsing candidates, should report them to the IRS. We have lost a generation of children due to their unscrupulous behavior. We also urge Delia Farquharson and Elias Goodzeit, who is running for re-election, to explain why he voted not to allow voting machines to be inspected in the controversial 2012 election. Fair and honest elections are what this country stands for. What were Goodzeit and Farquharson hiding?

ORGANIZATION THAT RUNIED MOUNT VERNON SCHOOLS AND LOOTED $100M WANTS ANOTHER BITE AT THE APPLE

CORRUPT SCHOOL BOARD TRUSTEE ELIAS GOOTZEIT

FORMER SCHOOL BOARD TRUSTEE DELIA FARQUHARSON

On Monday, April 14, 2014 a School Board forum was held at the Vernon Heights Congressional Church located at Columbus and Beekman Avenues.  The poorly advertised, political insider forum was also poorly attended.  In a city with over 35,000 voters, barely 100 voters or citizens were in attendance.

The forum was organized by The Mount Vernon Board Action Committee, Inc., a fly by night 501(c) (4) club that is comprised of the same individual’s that have left the Mount Vernon School district in shambles.  The group was started and organized by sitting school board Trustee Elias Gootzeit, a blatant conflict of interest.  Gootzeit’s other questionable organization; “Neighbor’s That Care” was also listed as an organizer of the school board forum.  How is that for ethics?  Why is a sitting school board trustee and a former school board trustee working so hard to get their slate of candidates elected?  What skeletons are in their closet? Do they have knowledge of any crimes that have may been committed and are they afraid of any secrets getting out?

The black clergy were also heavy in attendance.  The black clergy has backed candidates for the last 20 years that has been on the school board.  Delia Farquharson currently leads the Mount Vernon Board Action Committee, Inc. as she serves as its President.  It would be insanity on the part of all voters to back or support any candidate that is supported by this fly by night organization that has a history of back incompetent candidates.  The City of Mount Vernon cannot afford another hijacked school board election. 

What community involvement, if any, did the Mount Vernon Board Action Committee have prior to injecting itself into Mount Vernon School politics?  Can the Mount Vernon Board Action Campaign Committee, Inc. explain how they would improve the quality of life in Mount Vernon?  Voters must reject the Mount Vernon Board Action Campaign Committee and any candidate supported by this organization.  C.E.P.A.A. or the Coalition for the Empowerment for People of African Ancestry has resurrected itself through the Mount Vernon Board Campaign Action Committee. 

The Mount Vernon Board Action Campaign Committee gave the public a sneak preview of what to expect on May 20, 2014 when voters go to the polls to elect 3 School Board Trustee’s.  Voters can expect the polls to be ripe with fraud. 

At the end of the night at the forum an “election” was held in order for the Mount Vernon Board Action Campaign Committee to decide what candidates they are supporting for this years school board election. The election box was rigged with the Mount Vernon Board Action Campaign Committee’s candidates.  Now this organization wants the public to get behind a group candidate that 34,900 voters have yet to hear about.  How is that for transparency?   This is the exact reason that only 17% our 3^rd grade kids in the district are not proficient in English, Language, and Arts, because of the shenanigans’ of the Mount Vernon Board Action Campaign Committee. 

However, voters can reverse this trend of our children failing by rejecting any and all candidates supported by the Mount Vernon Board Action Campaign Committee.

Voting for any individual associated with the Mount Vernon Board Campaign Action Committee, or C.E.P.A.A. will ensure that taxes will continue to rise and our elderly will continue to lose their homes due to negligent, abusive tax increases.  Brace yourself.

Voters must vote for candidates that are independent of the political machine and free from outside influence.  The ideal candidate for school only needs to answer to the taxpayer and to the children of Mount Vernon.