April 22, 2009 (GBN News): NY City public school parents have gotten a reprieve of sorts from the Department of Education. The deadline for casting ballots in the “straw vote” for Community Education Council (CEC) elections has been extended to April 29. However, there is a catch: A high level DOE source told GBN News that voting will now be mandatory.The Education Department has been trying in vain to get parents to participate in the non-binding vote for council members, but many parents and CEC members themselves have felt that it is pointless to vote in elections that have no meaning, for representatives who have no power. Consequently, the Department has apparently resorted to the only surefire solution to parental ambivalence, which is to compel them to participate.
It is unclear just how the DOE plans to enforce the mandatory voting rule. Parents are not under the direct jurisdiction of school safety officers, thus cannot be physically detained, suspended or otherwise mistreated. However, the DOE source told GBN News that the Department is looking into having the children of non-voting parents suffer some sort of consequence. Sanctions currently being considered include taking points off their grades, or losing lunchroom and bathroom privileges.
The DOE plans to publicize the mandatory voting initiative with new robocalls featuring the voice of Tony Soprano. The calls will reportedly tell parents, “If you don’t want your kid to get hurt, you’ll vote in the CEC elections.” Parents can vote on the website www.powertotheparentsorelse.org.
Well I did get a call from former Mayor and People's Court Judge Koch asking me to vote in the CEC election straw poll process..........or was that a court order??
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