Racism Accusation In Allentown School System

The Morning Call and Express Times have reported that the federal government is making inquires regarding opportunities for minorities in honor, gifted and advanced placement courses in the Allentown School system. These investigations usually result from a complaint. Yesterday, in a Facebook comment, a local Latino accused the school administration of institutional racism.

What will it take until the parents of this district take to the streets. ASD is institutionally hostile to students and educators of color. No question. So what are you going to do about it?

Those making such comments base their accusation on the small number of minorities represented in the administration and teaching staff, vs. the high percentage of minority students in the system. Although minorities are now a majority in the Allentown School System, this transition occurred in just the last decade. The career of the average education professional is about thirty five years. Before the fiscal crunch, when Allentown was in the hiring mode, it took aggressive action looking for minority candidates. Almost half the population of Puerto Rico now resides in Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Florida. Many communities in these states are competing for Hispanic educators. Hispanic teachers cannot be manufactured. The activists should expend their energy cultivating an appreciation of education in their community. In the meantime, they should show more appreciation for the dedicated teachers of ASD.

Allentown's Taste Problem

The Morning Call reports that Sangria, the high end restaurant in the Butz Building, is failing; That's because it never existed in the real marketplace. Butz was given a grant for $350,000 to outfit the place, so he and the operator rode that pony as long as the ride was free. Truth is that none of these high end puppet shows have succeeded, there's no market for such in Allentown. That's because this town has zero ambience. The Cosmopolitan also is a failure, but the owners have pockets deep enough to keep the doors open. The arena will not make Allentown a dining destination. It will attract a hotdog and beer crowd, that will exit this town as fast as a clogged 8th Street will allow. They're building a monstrosity on Hamilton Street, which will not attract one dime beyond those getting the free ride. Thus spoke the marketplace.

School Board Math Test

The Administration has been going around pushing to turn the Phoenix Building into apartments, and give the owner a pass on taxes, to boot. Needless to say, the pitch worked at City Council, what doesn't? That independent body voted 6 to 0 to approve, with Jeanette Eichenwald absent. They're using the old historic name, Adelaide, in their pitch, and the usual buzz words, like loft and young professionals. The developer wants to turn the building into 150 apartments. Unless we learn how to clone young professionals, common sense knows that school age children will be running up and down the hallways at the Phoenix, or Adelaide, or whatever they call it. If many children aren't there for the first wave of tenants, they surely will be, as the bloom fades on that rose, long before the KOZ would expire. What does it cost the Allentown School system to educate 100 to 150 children a year? The taxes on the building are only $18,000. Any more than two students is a loser to the School Board. How many children can they expect from 150 apartments? Why would they even consider approving a tax incentive? Why would the Administration even ask?

The classic postcard shows the building from the rear, facing the Jordan Creek

A Jew At St. George

This weekend I had the pleasure to attend the Heritage Festival at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church, and the privilege to met Khouria Minerva Sabbagh, wife of Rev. Fr. Anthony Sabbagh. Khouria is a term of honor, conveying the significant role she plays in the life of the church. The numerous children delighted in the kiddie rides, adding smiles and giggles to their heritage experience. Needless to say, the middle eastern food was lovingly made by doting grandmothers. Although the Syrian community was out in force, the annual festival attracts a large, diverse crowd. During high school, I would occasionally attend midnight mass with a Syrian friend. In the small world of Allentown, one of Khouria Minerva's daughters is now married into that family. Although the festival was  joyous, with current events, we must keep the Syrian community in our thoughts and prayers.

Allentown Is Open For Business

According to Francis Dougherty, Pawlowski's managing director, the sale of the fire training facility at Queen City Airport "demonstrates to all the rest of the country that Allentown is open for business." I believe that in many ways it demonstrates that Allentown is for sale. The Administration has insinuated that if the Lehigh Valley Hospital couldn't buy that land for expansion, they might well move their lab, costing Allentown many jobs. They now imply that the sale will create more jobs. In reality, it was never said that the parcel was wanted for anything but additional parking. Queen City contains acres of paved area which could have been rented for parking. Dougherty also said that the fire training facility will be moved to the police academy in Lehigh Parkway, creating a "center of public safety training excellence." When I first starting posting about this sale last year, I wrote that we are headed toward such a facility. Consequently, we will create a Public Safety Director, and support staff. How ironic that the Fire Chief has such sugar plums in his head, while construction still hasn't started on the East Side Fire Station. The future Public Safety Center will further infringe upon the public's park land in Lehigh Parkway. With Dougherty calling City Council's approval "a partnership to bring sustaining jobs to the community", don't be surprised in the future to see more parcels shaved off Queen City and Lehigh Parkway.

*The provided link goes to the Morning Call  Blog 610.  There was also an article in Saturday's hard copy Morning Call, however, I'm unable to locate the story on mcall and provide that link.  Both those articles were written by Emily Opilo.

Below is a reprint from my post of July 2012, entitled The Fire Tower Caper

A molovinsky on allentown exclusive. The residents of Allentown are being told that if we do not sell the fire training tower to the Lehigh Valley Hospital Laboratory for expansion, we're in danger of losing a large employer. It appears much more likely that it's the back end of a long standing plan, and that the hospital is accommodating us. There have been plans for at least two years for a new fire training facility, and the city has been soliciting grants for such. The multi-story, multi-million dollar training facility is to be built adjoining the police academy in Lehigh Parkway. The location is the road and hill currently used as the temporary exit road for the park,  and also used as the exit during the Lights In Parkway. In the past this area served the public as park land, used for many years by model plane enthusiasts. The new training center would bring all the heavy fire equipment from nearby counties, necessitating a wider road, moved further east of the current single lane exit road. This would be in line with the new park tradition of spreading more macadam. molovinsky on allentown has also learned that with new adjoining police and fire training facilities, there is discussion of a new position, Public Safety Director. The Director would oversee Police, Fire and EMS. The new position would require appropriate assistants and secretaries, in The City Without Limits. 

The above is my post from July 2012, entitled The Fire Tower Caper.  Allentown City Council approved the sale this past Wednesday, June 19th,  2013.   

Allentown Raises School Tax 38%

You won't read this headline in today's  Morning Call, it simply says that we are rehiring five gym teachers. My post yesterday concentrated of the consequences of living within our school budget. Although the post was concise, as per my style, I had done my homework. Conversations with Armstrong and Zimmerman revealed that they would not support any rehires, while we faced an 8.5% tax increase for the next four years. Last night the remainder of their peers voted to bring back the elementary level gym teachers. It is reasonable to expect even more rehires will occur when the State Budget reveals a few more dollars for Allentown. By not applying the found dollars to the general fund, the School Board is ensuring that the full tax increases will be levied. This approach in four years will yield an effective tax increase of 38%. The suburban school tax increase this year averaged 2.8%. Although yesterday I tried not to stake out a position on the rehiring, I can tell you that unabated tax increases will have dire consequences in the sought after middle class home market. While we are diverting close to a $Billion Dollars in state income taxes to gentrify Hamilton Street, we are squeezing the joy out of both our children and homeowners.

UPDATE: Rolf Oeler wonders in a comment if Scott Armstrong will be reelected.  On a Facebook page I visited today,  an administrator at a local charity called Armstrong a troll and useless.  A teacher from Dieruff called him a stupid ass.   I suspect that with the 8.5% tax increase, he will be reelected if he articulates his position to the taxpayers.  In a few years, when the increase reaches 38%,  his positions will be appreciated even more.  However, I doubt that he will tolerate the abuse for that long.