Unauthorized Use of Clarkstown School District's E-mail List Has Parents Talking

The Clarkstown Central School distributed a message Sunday alerting parents that two e-mails they may have received over the weekend from "Clarkstown Integrity" had been unauthorized.  

School District Notification to Parents

This is the text of the district's message which had the subject heading "Unauthorized Access and Use of District's Email List."

May 15, 2011

Clarkstown Parents,

Email messages coming from clarkstownintegrity@yahoo.com have been sent to parents in the Clarkstown School District since last Friday.   We have determined that this group has acquired unauthorized access to the district's parent email data base. The district cannot, and  does not use email addresses of parents for political purposes.  An investigation as to how this access occurred is ongoing.

Thank you very much."  

Unauthorized Email

The content of a Clarkstown Integrity" message sent on Sunday dealt with two of the school board candidates:

"RE-ELECT KEVIN GROGAN  

BUDGET VOTE TUESDAY, MAY 17

7:00AM-9:00 PM

NOT SURE WHERE TO VOTE? 

CALL DISTRICT CLERK  AT 639-6455

Due to an overwhelming positive response from our last communication we are sending an update to our friends and neighbors in the clarkstown community.  

Our community has a choice between two different approaches regarding how to run our schools.  

One choice is to vote for Karen Kasman, who served on the board from 2000 to 2006 and is responsible for many financial problems, mismanagement of Bonds for capital projects and the hiring of the current superintendent. 

Ms. Kasman is responsible for: 

1.   The highest tax increases in the school district history without spending a single dollar to fix our failing buildings Ms. Kasman's Tax Increases 7.86% in 2003-04 6.31% in 2004-05 7.89% in 2005-06 

2.   She left the Clarkstown tax payers to pay millions in unnecessary bonds. All the while, the $1.8 million was left hidden in the schools districts bank accounts. The money was found in 2010 along with other funds totaling over $5 million dollars borrowed and never used. 

3.   Ms. Kasman was in the middle of a  financial controversy regarding unnecessary spending at the Family Resource Center. 

4.   Lastly, Ms Kasman has made it clear that if she is elected on May 17th, she will give the superintendent a 3 year extension and a raise. A vote for Ms. Kasman would return the leadership of our school to the old approach of runaway tax increases and wasteful spending.  

Kevin Grogan has fought for fiscal accountability. 

1.   During his board tenure he has been responsible for modest tax increases of 1.49% and 2%.

2.   He and the current board majority successfully negotiated an 18 month salary freeze for all school district employees. 

 3.   He has called for the superintendent to be more transparent in her dealings with the community.

 4.   Most importantly he has fought for all of our kids each and every day. On May 17th the choice for School Board is clear for Parents who care about the future of Education in Clarkstown. That choice is Kevin Grogan. 

Please feel free to forward this note to your friends and ask them to vote for Kevin Grogan on May 17th."

There are three candidates are running for two spots on the Clarkstown School Board.  Incumbents and Grogan are seeking re-elction and Kasman, who previously served on the board is seeking to reclaim a seat.  The proposed budget for the 2011-2012 school year is approximately $173.9 million.

The Clarkstown Teachers' Association web site says its supports the proposed budget and Kevin Grogan and Joe Malgieri.

The Clarkstown Taxpayers say they are opposed to the budget, which increases the tax levy by about 2.3 percent, and they endorse Grogan for re-election.

The group Clarkstown Parents, which includes about 70 district residents, is backing the budget and has endorsed Malgieri and Kasman in the election.

The group also sent out an e-mail blast on Friday responding to the first Clarkstown Integrity message:

Dear Clarkstown Parents:

Please be aware that there is an email blast going around that is designed to mislead you.  

The content of the email is their right to support and misrepresent anyone they wish.  Their attempt to mislead the community is unacceptable and goes to their questionable moral character as a group and as individuals, and to those they support.  Integrity plays no part in what they do!

At the bottom of the email blast they have the following: 

Clarkstown Parents | clarkstownintegrity@yahoo.com | New City | NY | 10956

 We believe this is intended to link their email address with our group of hard working parents and community members who are trying to support education and the children of Clarkstown.

If you have received an email from this group, and you are wondering how they got your email address, please forward the email to us, as we are looking into it.

Thank you, and keep up the good work!
 --
"Clarkstown Parents" is a group of people that are committed to educational excellence for Clarkstown Schools

The Clarkstown Parents group followed up with a second email response blast over the weekend.

"Hello,
As the countdown to the election continues, You may have received yet another Constant Contact email blast from the "Concerned Parents - Clarkstown Parents for Integrity." 
The latest piece of trash that this group has sent out is filled with lies and libelous statements. 
It seems that they are attempting to confuse people about who is saying what. 
Let there be no mistake, THE CLARKSTOWN PARENTS, are supporting the budget and endorsing Joe Malgieri and Karen Kasman. 
These smear tactics are only further proof that those that wish to re-elect Kevin Grogan are desperate to keep the board majority of the four - Phil DeGaetano, Doug Katz, Donna Ehrenberg and Kevin Grogan so they can finalize their sole agenda, which is to oust the superintendent.
For the sake of our children, our schools and our homes please do not let these people de-stabilize our schools by doing this. PLEASE come out and vote on Tuesday,  May 17th and vote for Kasman and Malgieri and  vote yes for the budget. Let's take back control of our school board! 
If you are not a registered voter - you can still register to vote at the school District Clerk's office on MONDAY!!! 
District Clerk - Clarkstown Central School District - Chestnut  Grove Administrative Center, 62 Old Middletown Road, New City, New York. 

For further information, please call the District Clerk at 639-6455."

PTA supports budget

At Clarkstown North High School, members of the school's PTSA said they have come out in support of the budget and have been placing signs around the district support its passage.

"The Clarkstown School District has been struggling with the realities of the financial difficulties that have gripped our nation," said North PTSA president Rhea Vogel of New City. "Last year, significant program cuts in many areas were made to help bring forth a budget that would be supported by our community. As the president of the Clarkstown North PTSA, I heard many concerns from our members that the budget this year would bring even further reductions that would negatively impact the quality of education our children receive.  

"This year, with the careful attention of the administration and thanks to the gracious sacrifice of faculty and staff, many of the cuts made last year were reinstated," Vogel said. "Unlike other school districts, Clarkstown was able to bring this year’s budget before the voters without any layoffs and with an expected tax increase of only 2.3%. This is a win – win situation for students and tax payers!"