Federal trial between Spring Valley NAACP and East Ramapo school district nears end

The federal trial between the Spring Valley NAACP and the East Ramapo Central School District is nearing the end.

News 12 Staff

Feb 26, 2020, 10:53 PM

Updated 1,513 days ago

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The federal trial between the Spring Valley NAACP and the East Ramapo Central School District is nearing the end.
The NAACP has claimed that for years the school district's “at-large” process of electing school board members favors the majority white community and favors a district voting system.

The majority white school board has cut school budgets and slashed programs for public schools where most minority students attend, despite overwhelmingly sending their kids to private schools

The case, however, is hitting a snag.

The judge ordered a prominent Rockland County rabbi to testify, but he has refused.

The NAACP says Rabbi Yehuda Oshry is the leader behind the effort to get white candidates on the school board.

He has until Thursday morning to show up to court or face arrest.

Attorneys for the school district declined to speak on camera, but say there's no evidence of racially polarized voting in East Ramapo.
The final day of testimony is scheduled for Thursday, although this case could linger on a bit longer as there are still a few more witnesses to take the stand, including Superintendent of Schools Dr. Deborah Wortham.
 


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