Education – R&R – Reachout and Rebuild

We Got to Work Together

David Posnett — Tue, 05 May 2020 14:49:41 +0000

“Being different is cool” – a lesson from kids in Germantown, PA.

A truly powerful video relevant to our current times (click on the image to see the musical video):

Recognized by the United Nations for Extraordinary Public Service

“On the Other Side of the Fence” is a touching documentary about a musical (by the same name) that was created to foster empathy and partnership between children from two Philadelphia schools for over 30 years.

The Issues that Matter in NY CD-1

David Posnett — Mon, 21 May 2018 01:45:42 +0000

From: Steven Lupo as posted on FaceBook:

I was knocking on doors for Kate Maguire Browning today. At one of the first homes I went to, a young woman answered the door. She looked exhausted. I apologized for disturbing her and explained why I was there. She asked me for Kate’s position on healthcare and I gave her the best answer I could. I then asked why it was important to her.

She responded her daughter was terminally ill. She been up most of the night and that’s why she looked exhausted. My heart broke. She said life has been a struggle, not only because of her daughters illness but also the constant battle with insurance and pharmaceutical companies, who try to deny her daughter coverage.

I brought up the fact that my daughter was born premature and spent 14 days in NICU. But I was lucky. I could concentrate on my daughter’s recovery. I didn’t have to worry about going broke or fighting insurance companies. I stated no American should have to go through what she is going through.

At this point I reminded her of Zeldin‘s position on healthcare. I reminded her how he voted to take healthcare away from millions of Americans. He has voted on the side of the insurance and pharmaceutical companies, to charge us more money, while offering inferior coverage.

Later in the day I met a widow on a pension. She is living on her deceased husband‘s federal pension. She is very worried that the Trump administration will reduce her benefits. She’s worried if Social Security and Medicare will be there for her children. She’s worried the inflation we are starting to see will eat away at her fixed income.

Many live in the echo chamber of #RussiaGate, but most Americans are looking much closer to home. They are concerned about their jobs, affordable healthcare, affordable homes, lower taxes, educating their children, environmental issues, the opioid epidemic, etc.

That’s what I focus on as I speak to folks. That is the message we need to focus on to unseat Zeldin.

And we must never, NEVER, bash the other Democratic candidates. NEVER!

We must unite and rally around the primary winner. We have a tough battle ahead. Please stay positive!

This Brought a Big Smile to my Face

David Posnett — Sat, 25 Mar 2017 21:45:52 +0000

By Bob Brody:

This brought a big smile to my face: A petition I was so happy to sign. Click on this link to see the pictures.

As per http://parentstogetheraction.org

“We Delivered 600,000 Save PBS Kids Petitions to Congress On Tuesday, we delivered your Save PBS Kids petition—with 660,000 signatures!—to the Senate, accompanied by kids, parents, and The Cat in the Hat. It made quite a splash!”

Defend PBS!

What has Zeldin Actually Done ?

David Posnett — Sat, 18 Mar 2017 16:06:25 +0000

Letter to the Editor by Tina Plesset, published in the East Hampton Star, 3/17/2017

“What Has He Done?”

Educators and kids are doing what our leaders should be doing — implementing a hopeful worldview through example. Our Representative Lee Zeldin has talked about anti-Semitism, but what has he done?

Recently, Cynthia Miller-Idriss, an associate professor of education and sociology at American University, writes that children of all ages are “experiencing extraordinarily high levels of stress about their safety and the well-being of their friends and families. Educators across the country have reported heightened anxiety and fear among their students.” Dr. Miller-Idriss says, “The rallying cries of the past few months have been about resistance and persistence,” and she writes that this movement has taught positive lessons in regard to social justice.

However, the main point of her article is to say that while these protest actions teach a sense of agency and purpose, they don’t make children feel safe or hopeful. Her call to action is for parents and educators to help their children and students to be helpers, and to “reach out to offer support,” as evidenced by mosques and churches that have come to the aid of defaced cemeteries and communities that have had fund-raising campaigns to resettle refugees.

While we haven’t experienced overt anti-Semitism in my neighborhood of East Hampton, we do have neighbors to protect in our community who are facing an inhumane deportation program. Fortunately, our town board has led the way with town meetings and issuing policies to protect our neighbors. This is responsible leadership.

In the past month, members of New York’s First Congressional District have been looking for Representative Lee Zeldin through phone calls, letters, emails, and a FaceTime meeting, to take action on these issues. To his credit, he has issued a statement saying, “The recent threats and property crimes targeting institutions and symbols of Jewish faith demonstrate that the rising tide of anti-Semitism in the United States and globally must be combated forcefully and decisively.”

Talk is cheap; what has he done? Has he visited a Jewish cemetery that has been defaced or a synagogue to personally express his support for the Jewish community? Has he spoken with immigrants to allay their fears? Has he visited schools, colleges, and universities to tell those who need to be protected that he is there for them? Has he come out and disavowed the biased right-wing news media that has been fueling the fires of anti-Semitism, bias, and hate?

However we slice and dice this issue, we come to an age-old principle, “Actions speak louder than words.” Given the recent actual violence and threats against the Jewish community and the rampant fear among our immigrant neighbors, only positive actions by Lee Zeldin now will give us the hope needed to lift us from the hate we are witnessing. The right-wing media continues to spew hateful messages, perhaps to foment the violence we are seeing. It is time for Mr. Zeldin to commit to action. I hope Representative Lee Zeldin has the courage of leadership to show the way for all of us — his constituents and neighbors. Now is the time. He owes this to his children and ours.

Respectfully,

TINA PLESSET