{ title: 'The observer. (Northport, Huntington TWP., N.Y.) 1962-current, September 27, 1979, Page 1, Image 1', download_links: [ { link: 'http://www.loc.gov/rss/ndnp/ndnp.xml', label: 'application/rss+xml', meta: 'News about NYS Historic Newspapers - RSS Feed', }, { link: '/lccn/sn84031205/1979-09-27/ed-1/seq-1/png/', label: 'image/png', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn84031205/1979-09-27/ed-1/seq-1.pdf', label: 'application/pdf', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn84031205/1979-09-27/ed-1/seq-1/ocr.xml', label: 'application/xml', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn84031205/1979-09-27/ed-1/seq-1/ocr.txt', label: 'text/plain', meta: '', }, ] }
Image provided by: Suffolk Cooperative Library System
crn annem well nol -. an ~ . \L . - ~, - ' o Aman commemedin ame main ahs hemd macs in cani he co menmmes ans a riflemen cts, -* mnumainm® ot, ap gand c a nes unl <n - * ~ > seee me etm cnm withe onn n , a \“ 1 OCT moar cen » memege ne ener tf op te n Toce y C ayy a t Z2 O 0 un 0 +- ¢ 5 {Ps & 6 & t 2, as fz~3uatxf§zz bowes m 4 5 ~ 6 no 8 ( =I ~ F EMBER 27, ‘ \* ce M L uy menores $ By Jim Murphy The Northport-East- ] School Board won the opening round of its court battle with the State Educa- tion Department Fnday afternoon, when a Supreme Court judge granted a preliminary injunction, preventing the Northport department from taking action against the board for allegedly : ille- gally awardingdiplomas to two handi- capped students. \I'm extremely pleased, in fact I was really flying when I heard the news,\ said school district attorney John Gross, who argued the district's position before the State Supreme Court in Albany. \We still have a way to go, but the entire dlSti‘lCt is elated with this initial success.\ Last June, the board voted to award high school displomas to two handi- capped students who failed to pass the State Basic Competency Tests, a newly established prerequisite for graduation. Within three weeks, it received an edict from Deputy,Com- missioner of Education Robert Spil- lane to release the names of the students, for notification that their diplomas would be invalidated. In accordance with mandated guidelines rubble is all that remains: of an a fire, - branded as arson, began early Monday 4 \ J > * pB - a 28 \w ®. _. - f 9 fs . #0. . - -* se coo ae x ( . jy 52 \ & bos ° HMR . \and the be occupied.\ : The : complex is made up of 12 units, four of ' which were damaged inthe blaze. Wayne Hxlton photo on Pupils with Speclal Educational Needs, their names have been with- held from public disclosure. - The board declined to disclose the student's names to the Department, claiming that the tests were not an accurate measuring device 'of the specialized skills possessed by the. handicapped Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph Grimes had con- ferred with the parents of both stu- dents, who agreed that they should receive diplomas, rather than Just certificates of attendance. When the State Education Depart- ment thréatened punitive measures against the board, it decided to file papers for the injunction. The Board of Regents does have the Authority to both withhold state aid from a school district, or remove the entire school board from their positions, if necessa- ry. \I think the decision was especially significant, because the State Educa- tion Department raised a series of . motions to dismiss the case, and the judge threw all of them out,\ said Mr. Gross, According to the attorney, the State now has 20 days to file an answer to the sehool district's petition, after ‘fcrmmsm ; was the second fire at a community , center within the last three years, In §§ January 1977., a hostel for themental- gH ly retarded was torched, apparently . an act of arson, one day before resi- ' dent would, haVe moved i in. By Jeif Cahn An early morning fire last Monday gutted one-third of a .comple at the | Paumanack Village -Senior - citizen housing. complex in Greenlawn. Suf- folk County Arson Squad detectives 7 are mvestngatmg the cause of the - Dlaze. The cor plex, whichhas. come under m residents in the area Agtmgton Town Super'isor Ken- y\ he explamed Greenlawn Fire Department First _ Assistant Chief Jerry Niemozyk indi- cated that because the buildings were totally unoccupied at the time of the blaze, the Arson Detectives were called in. which the judge will either make a decision, or allow the case to goto trial, where further evidence could be pre- sented. \I'm elated with the decision,\ said school board President Joseph Beat- tie. \'The court has agreed to hear the case on its merits, and. obviously the Judge is very much interested in the case.\ Both Dr. Grimes and the board members have received numerous votes of support from fellow educa- tors, and Mr. - Gross has réceéived inquiries from interested parties ac- ross the country. \'This is the first case I've been able to find dealingwith the Basic Competency Tests and the handlcapped so there's a good chance it will- establish a precedent,\ said the atterney. Earlier this year in Florida, courts ruled that state's Basic Competency Tests were unfair to minorities. Ac- cording to Mr. Gross, the Puerto Rican Legal Defense fund is planning a similar attack in New York, making the saimé claim of discrimination against minorities. \The decision gave all of us involved Buttetrileld who - viewed the -- moan n> - cc rroman nn nemen oor e ~ nomena n erma cue ew '\Someone definitely used an accel- erant to start this fire,\ he said. \Either by trailing gasoline or keros- sene down from the second floor to the first and then lightingit.*\ Arson Squad detectives could not be reached for The 289 units at the complex have come under sharp fire from residents since it was first proposed in 1972. The Town was taken to court over the . rezoning of the land and was engaged in legal technicalities until 1975, when the last of the resident appeals were exhausted. - The project was ongmally supposed to be federally funded but; whenthe lxtxgatlon \was resolved, Mr, Butter- ~ field discovered that those: funds were ._ no longer available, | . . es Financial backing for the prOJect .\ wagthentstgugtured hy Duncan:Elder, Senior Citizen's Hous- img Committee. Working. with the Town. Board and the : Community Devaopmentwncy, Mr. Eiderdeve- loped programs to take advantage of avallable federal housing projects. ~ Funding was finally completed after the Town applied for three federal programs and quahfied for two. The structure was designed to be built in two sections, the first consisting of 164 units, the second 125. The second section is totally financed by federal funding in addition to being rent sub- gidized 1ed In Board Case in the case a positive feeling,\ said Mr. Gross. ''Now we know we at least have a shot at winning.\ The Observer & + . Tax. Hike Seen... a oe a e a b soe i k e sos eos sz House Needs Home ... .... e Page 2 Court Date. Set. ......... . .............. ..Pm3 Clammers Hit Board. .... # e w 4 e 6 e a i ov % Relaxing Their Business . . . ooooooooo en 69 mem ”weave-WT-» nemen ten > t , to lime Z n - .- < \or aa ae ias wake. an « t 'age }
