Cabrera to protest DOE's plan to evict churches Wednesday

Cabrera was arrested last week protesting the DOE's policy.

Oddsmakers are split on whether or not City Councilman Fernando Cabrera will get arrested tomorrow. We're putting the line at +3500 (35-to-1 for those of you not entrenched in NFL betting pools). Obviously, his office is saying there is no civil disobedience planned for tomorrow, but my gambling team (Bronx insiders) note that Cabrera's fellow protesters may want to get arrested to raise the stature of the protest.

At 1 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 18, Cabrera will join his colleagues in government and religious leaders in a press conference in front of the Tweed Court House (52 Chambers St.) to protest the Department of Education's policy that will evict houses of worship from public schools on Feb. 12. Then, the group will march to the City Council to urge passage of Resolution 1155, which calls upon the New York State legislature to pass and the Governor to sign legislation amending the New York State Education Law to afford houses of worship maximum access to school property.

“We will continue to fight for equal access,” Cabrera said. “We will be meeting at Tweed and then marching over to the New York City Council Stated Meeting at City Hall to continue to make our position known.”

After the Supreme Court declined to hear Bronx Household of Faith vs. New York City Department of Education on Dec. 5, 2011, the city's DOE announced it would ban Houses of Worship wishing to rent vacant spaces from Public Schools during non-school hours.

Following the announcement, Cabrera and Religious Leaders have organized several protests. These include a Prayerful Protest on Thursday Jan. 5, where Cabrera, pastors and congregants were arrested for kneeling in front of the New York City Law Department in prayer during a display of civil disobedience, and a Prayer Rally during Mayor Bloomberg’s State of the City address on Thursday Jan. 12, where over 40 pastors and congregants were arrested while approaching the entrance of Morris High School in another display of civil disobedience (Cabrera was not arrested in that one).

Bill to legalize using City buildings for religion

For our consideration, state Sen. Rev. Ruben Diaz has passed along the bill that would allow houses of worship to use schools and NYCHA buildings for religious meetings and worship. I thought I'd pass it along further.

This bill has hit the spotlight after City Councilman Fernando Cabrera was arrested last week with six other pastors while they were protesting against the status quo.

It has been introduced into the Senate by Sen. Martin Golden and so far cosponsored by Diaz and six other senators. "We are working very hard to get more senators to sign onto this bill," Diaz said.

The bill is sponsored in the Assembly by Bronx Assemblyman Nelson Castro.

SUMMARY:
S6087  GOLDEN   Same as A 8800  Castro (MS) 
GOLDEN, DIAZ, GALLIVAN, LANZA, LIBOUS, MAZIARZ, SMITH, ZELDIN
Amd S414, Ed L
Authorizes the use of school buildings and school sites for religious meetings and worship when not in use for school purposes or when such service or worship is deemed not disruptive of normal school operations.

---

SPONSORS MEMO:

NEW YORK STATE SENATE
INTRODUCER'S MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT
submitted in accordance with Senate Rule VI. Sec 1

BILL NUMBER: S6087

SPONSOR: GOLDEN              

TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to authorizing religious

meetings and worship in school buildings and school sites

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

The purpose of the bill is to authorize the use of school buildings and

school sites for religious meetings and worship when not in use for

school purposes.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends the opening paragraph and paragraph (c) of subdivision

1 of section 414 of the education law, the opening paragraph as amended

by chapter 369 of the laws of 1977 and paragraph (c) as amended by chap-

ter 345 of the laws of 2009, are amended to include:

The City of New York and community school boards and;

A provision that allows religious meetings to include, but not limited

to: meetings, services, and worship.

JUSTIFICATION:

This bill would prevent school districts from excluding groups from

meeting on school property because of the religious content or viewpoint

of their speech, including allowing religious worship services.

Currently, State Education Law allows for social, civic and recreational

meetings and entertainment on school property, as well as other uses

pertaining to the welfare of the community. State law further holds that

such meetings, entertainment and uses shall be nonexclusive and shall be

open to the general public. However, certain groups or organizations are

not always allowed to hold the types of meetings seemingly envisioned

herein, including those with religious content or viewpoints.

For example, several years ago, a U.S. appeals court ruled that the

Bronx Household of Faith church ("Bronx Household"), based in New York

City, was not permitted to use space in a Bronx public middle school for

its Sunday morning worship service. Since then, however, the United

States Supreme Court ruled in Good News Club vs. Milford Central School

that it was unconstitutional for a public school district in upstate New

York to exclude from its facilities "a private Christian organization

for children;u and the Supreme Court further held in the Good News Club

case that "by denying the club access to the school's limited public

forum on the ground that the club was religious in nature, Milford

discriminated against the club because of its religious viewpoint in

violation of the free speech clause.

In light of Milford, Bronx Household re-petitioned the U.S. appeals

court, which again upheld the school's policy banning the use of its

space for religious worship services, reasoning that "While the conduct

of religious services undoubtedly includes expressions of a religious

point of view, it is not the expression of that point of view that is

prohibited by the rule. Prayer, religious expression of devotion to God,

and the singing of hymns, whether done by a person or group, do not

constitute the conduct of worship services. These activities are not

excluded.

Groups like Bronx Household should be allowed to hold and conduct such

meetings, even in the event that such meetings include religious content

or views in their speech, so long as these meetings are open to the

general public. Some school districts have excluded groups and have

thereby acted to regulate free speech and the conduct of such members of

the public, potentially in violation of the First Amendment to the

Constitution of the United States. This bill seeks to protect such

organizations from these actions.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

(Unknown)

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the state.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

This act shall take effect immediately.

St. Sen. Rev. Ruben Diaz tells us what we should know

Diaz loves Jesus.

St. Sen. Rev. Ruben Diaz has come out with another "What You Should Know" column, this one about the city preventing worship services in public buildings, such as schools and housing developments.

Diaz mentions an upcoming rally, in which a group of local religious and elected leaders, led by City Councilman Fernando Cabrera, will demonstrate against Mayor Bloomberg. The rally will be held on Thursday, Jan. 12, when the Mayor will present his State of the City Address.

Here is the full statement. The bold is Diaz's:

The Mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg, has decided to prohibit churches and religious groups from using auditoriums in public schools for worship services to our God.

You should know that this is not the first time that Mayor Bloomberg has demonstrated his rejection of everything that has to do with religion.

During the commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers- where more than three thousand people died- Bloomberg forbid formal prayers and the participation of religious leaders, including the Catholic church’s Archbishop Timothy Dolan.

To counter this new decision of Mayor Bloomberg against churches, a group of religious leaders, led by Councilman Fernando Cabrera, has organized a demonstration against Mayor Bloomberg to be held on the day when the Mayor will present his State of the City Address.

This demonstration will take place this Thursday, January 12 at 12:00 noon in the atrium of Morris High School, located at 1100 Boston Road, on the corner of East  167^th  Street in the Bronx.

As a State Senator representing constituents who attend worship services in public high schools and as the President of the New York Hispanic Clergy Organization and through this column I invite all Ministers and members of the community to join us in our protest against having many of our churches and Ministers thrown into the street without a place to worship  God.

I ask all members of the New York Hispanic Clergy Organization that when you attend our weekly meeting this Thursday, please wear your White Jacket, as we will be attending this demonstration after our meeting.

I expect that all organizations, singers, evangelists, leaders and members of the Christian community will support the leaders who are coordinating this demonstration in the same way that we like others to support us when we have our meetings or events.

This Thursday, January 12^th  at 12:00 noon at Morris High School, located on Boston Road and  E. 167^th Street, as members of the rank and file, and not as leaders; we will be there to participate and support such a noble cause.

I am Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz, and this is what you should know.

Cabrera arrested Thursday morning (UPDATED thrice w/photos)

Cabrera and city pastors pray in front of the law department's building.

City Council Member Fernando Cabrera and a group of around six Pastors from across the city were arrested when participating in a peaceful protest against the New York City Law Department’s stance to evict Houses of Worship from city owned or operated space today.

A spokesperson for Cabrera said they began protesting at 8 a.m., and around 9 a.m. the group was arrested for blocking the entrance.

The Prayer Protest was organized by Pastor Dimas Salaberrios of Infinity New York, which met at the NYCHA Bronx River Houses. The purpose of the rally was to protest the eviction of the Infinity New York Church from the NYCHA Bronx River Houses.

One of Cabrera's New Year's resolutions is to pass legislation that will prevent the eviction of religious groups from public spaces.

After the Supreme Court declined to hear Bronx Household of Faith vs. New York City Department of Education on Dec. 5, 2011, the New York City Department of Education announced it would ban religious worship inside public schools, as permitted by the June 2011 decision of the U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals. Subsequently, religious groups have begun to be evicted from other public spaces, including Bronx Bible Church from Justice Sonia Sotomayor Houses, and Infinity New York Church from Bronx River Houses.

New York City is the only municipality in the nation that bans Houses of Worship from meeting in public spaces.

“Today we are seeing the first indication that the churches in New York City, and nationally, are awakening,” Cabrera said in a statement. “Together, we will fight these restrictive laws that discriminate against hundreds of thousands of Church-goers.” 

The law department is at 100 Church St., Manhattan. 

UPDATES:

A Cabrera spokesperson told us, "It began as a “prayer protest,” and then became an act of Civil Disobedience as several pastors and congregants knelt in prayer. There was significant police presence, as Infinity NY Church had a permit to be there."

PolitickerNY reports that Cabrera was released from jail and had a brief phone interview with him:

According to Sheila Stainback, a spokeswoman for NYCHA, none of the churches who have used their facilities have lease agreements, so “we have not evicted anyone. That language would be incorrect.”
Instead, she said the churches have operated for years in the common spaces –which during the rest of the week residents sign up to hold birthday parties or block association meetings or the like–and that NYCHA is attempting to systematize how those common spaces get used.
Mr. Cabrera, newly sprung from jail, said in a brief phone interview that he didn’t buy it, that instead all the Bloomberg administration and NYCHA were instead using Supreme Court’s actions as a pretext.
“This particular church has been there for six years. They have been a complete positive impact on the community. Why is this happening now,” he said.

“We are getting the perception that we have an anti-religion mayor. I have never been arrested for anything. I don’t even drink beer. This is how desperate I am.” 

City Councilman Jumaane Williams has these photos posted on his Twitter account:

 

The Twitter account reads:

"@FCabreraNYCC performed his #civildisobedience outside 100 Church Street, #protesting for #NYC's #housesofworship."

Dinowitz feeds the needy then fights Verizon

A pair of photos popped into my inbox yesterday. Looks like Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz has been busy fighting the injustice in the world.

Dinowitz collected donations from P.S. 81 students for the purchase of Thanksgiving turkeys for needy families. Here, he is pictured with members of the P.S. 81 Student Government and Student Government Advisors Steve Ozer and Shari Galligan after collecting their donations.

Also, Dinowitz joined with Verizon workers today in their ongoing contract battle against Verizon's efforts to reduce their health and pension benefits.

(L-R) State Senator Gustavo Rivera, Dinowitz,
Council Member Fernando Cabrera, and Assemblyman Michael Benedetto.

Bronx elected officials searching for a way to stop gun violence

After more senseless shooting in the Bronx, elected leaders and community activists are again trying to figure out how to stop it from happening. 

City Councilman Fernando Cabrera, Council Speaker Christine Quinn and community activists got together earlier this week in an effort to find ways to fight and prevent gang and gun violence. The meeting was held in response to the shooting Tuesday night that left 4-year-old Cincer Balthazar fighting for his life and another shooting in Bronx Lebanon Hospital.

Jump below for statements from Cabrera, state Sen. Gustavo Rivera and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

Cabrera has his own 999 plan

GOP presidential hopeful Herman Cain rose to the top of the polls on his 9-9-9 tax plan, but in New York City, the trio of nines stand for something different.

Resolution 999, which passed in the City Council last week, will allow the City to donate city-owned computers, computer software and computer equipment to public and private institutions for secular educational use and to not-for-profit institutions for use by individuals with disabilities, senior citizens, or low income individuals.

The resolution came from Bronx City Councilman Fernando Cabrera and passed through his technology committee before the full Council.

“There has been much discussion about 9-9-9 plans as of late,” Cabrera said. “Turns out, the City Council has a 9-9-9 plan of its own as well,” he continued.

 

“More seriously, in this day and age, technology is no longer a luxury, it is a necessity,” he said. “And when it comes to serving some of the most vulnerable members of our society; our seniors, the disabled, and low income individuals; we cannot afford to leave them behind. Resolution 999 empowers the city to put technology where it needs to be, in the hands of the disadvantaged.”

 

Cabrera’s bill authorizes the Department of Citywide Administrative Services to donate surplus city-owned computers, computer software and computer equipment to public and private institutions for secular educational use and to not-for-profit institutions for use by individuals with disabilities, senior citizens or low income individuals.

 

These donations would be required to be based on a public notification process and competitive proposals from eligible organizations, through which the institutions requesting donations must demonstrate need and specific plans for the use of such equipment.

 

“At a time where funding for the service community is at all-time lows, any resources that the City can provide will go a long way,” Cabrera added.

Cabrera introduces a bill requiring NYPD to report neighborhood crime stats

City Councilman Fernando Cabrera introduced a bill yesterday requiring the NYPD to report crime statistics by sector in addition to the currently provided precinct-wide stats.

 
This comes after months of editorials from local newspapers in the mid and south Bronx, and would require the Mayor’s Office of Operations to report crime statistics by New York City Police Department sector (the neighborhood demarcations of a precinct). The NYPD would be required to make Sector Stats available on their website and to deliver these statistics to community boards within 10 days of making it public.

"When people hear that there is an increase or decrease in crime, they want to know what that means in their neighborhood," Cabrera said. "They want to know what that means for their family, their corner and their block. And while the NYPD has been aggressive in fighting crime throughout the precincts, our communities can benefit from knowing what’s going on closer to home.

"The NYPD has made these statistics available in the past. What this bill would do is make this information available not just sporadically, but every month so New Yorkers could be better informed and work together with the Department to help keep their communities safe."

Cabrera says he needs the stats to help with the placement of security cameras in The Bronx. The bill will most likely go through months of review and alterations before a vote can be taken.

Cabrera named co-chair of City Council task force to combat gun voilence

In case you've been living in a hole this past week (and we can't blame you), there's been a spike of gun violence in New York City. Living up to its stereotype, a good bad portion of that has been in the Bronx. The City Council has taken note and created the task force to figure out the best way to handle the situation and naming Bronx City Council Member Fernando Cabrera co-chair of the task force. 

The group will work with academic experts, law enforcement and community based groups across the five boroughs to examine the root causes of gun violence, locate resources to combat gun violence and develop additional ways of tackling the problem across the city. 

“Gun violence is a stain on our communities that disproportionately affects neighborhoods of color,”  Cabrera said. “This is an unfortunate reality that many of us have to live with and it is time that we examine this issue deeply and take comprehensive action towards workable solutions. This task force aims to do just that.”

Jump below for more.

Cabrera to deliver petitions to Bloomberg concerning prayer at 9/11 10th Anniversary Ceremony

They're praying to pray at the 9/11 ceremony.

At the steps of City Hall Wednesday, City Councilman Fernando Cabrera will join community leaders and clergy members in presenting Mayor Bloomberg a petition with over 60,000 names on it in hopes of allowing prayer at this year's 10th anniversary ceremony.

“During 9/11, the faith community served as pillars for many New Yorker’s coping with the tragedy. As a pastor during the tumultuous aftermath, I know firsthand that it was a time where people were searching for meaning and things bigger than themselves,” Cabrera said. “People’s Faith helped fill this void and continue to serve as spiritual and emotional support.”

“While many of the voices in this effort have divergent views on a wide-range of issues, I believe that we can put our differences aside to call for the uniting force of prayer,” said Councilman Cabrera. “I sincerely hope that the Mayor will allow prayer in this year’s ceremony as we remember and honor the victims of a tragedy that is still being felt today.”

Bloomberg has declined to have any religious representation at the ceremony. A mayoral spokesperson told CNN last week:

The ceremony was designed in coordination with 9/11 families with a mixture of readings that are spiritual, historical and personal in nature. It has been widely supported for the past 10 years and rather than have disagreements over which religious leaders participate we would like to keep the focus of our commemoration ceremony on the family members of those who died.

Fighting obesity at the armory

The youth market is open Fridays through October.

Bringing fresh produce to the streets, the Kingsbridge Heights Youth Market kicked off today.

In the shadow of the Kingsbridge Armory at Barnhill Square, Bronx Community Board 8 and GrowNYC launched the second youth market in Community Board 8. It operates Fridays from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. through October 28th.

The youth market is a program of the nonprofit GrowNYC, and is part of a network of urban farm stands operated by teen entrepreneurs bringing fresh produce into low-income communities. The neighborhoods they serve are usually disproportionately affected by diet-related health issues like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. The youth markets bring healthy foods such as fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables, all grown by New York area farms.

State Senator Gustavo Rivera and City Councilman Fernando Cabrera were both present for the opening. Rivera, who has spearheaded the Bronx CAN Health Initiative (more on that Monday), bought some of the fresh produce to bring to the Kingsbridge Heights Community Center that will be used for the healthy cooking demonstration they are doing at the Health Initiative Check-In on Saturday.

Schervier's Steve Kazanjian (right) speaks at the youth market Friday as State Senator Gustavo Rivera, his communication director Conchita Cruz and CB8 District Manager Nicole Stent listen.

Funding for both Kingsbridge Heights and Marble Hill youth market was provided by Bon Secours New York Health System/Schervier. The Kingsbridge Heights Community Center and Riverdale Neighborhood House will employ the students that operate the markets with guidance and training from GrowNYC. All students have been recruited from the neighborhoods surrounding the youth markets.

Steve Kazanjian, director of Mission for Schervier, said the local nursing home has $100,000 to spend annually on projects such as this.

Jump below for a few more pictures.