Angry Anonymous Commenters Force Limits on Community Bulletin Board
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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I'll be the first one to admit that moderating the anonymous comments on Scarsdale10583.com has been a challenge. It's difficult to make clean and fast rules about what is permissible or appropriate vs. what statements cross the line and are damaging, insulting or worse. Over and over again I have asked readers to use their real names, but to no avail. I asked people to limit their comments to words they would feel comfortable using in person, but that fell on deaf ears as well. As I always include my name with my opinions, I have been puzzled about why others were not willing to do the same.
The most amusing are the commenters who use anonymous names, like "Double Standard," and then name me in their comments and throw in a few insults to boot:
Here's just one of hundreds that I received in the past few months:
AmCurious ( IP: 70.214.115.3 ) — 2018-01-08 08:18
I am curious, too. How much time and money you wasted with your loud cries about wanting a new Greenacres School? And your attacks of Mayra are laughable. You cannot hold a candle next to her. You are a selfish and self-centered, hypocritical hack. She stood up to the incompetence and cronyism at Village Hall. What have you achieved ever? Did you even ever have a career. Profitting (sp) off other people's woes does not count.
Or the person who calls themselves, "Beating up Bob Berg" and then writes, "Ah yes, you are back (to) your favorite past time of beating up Bob Berg. You are SUCH a coward. Make this person state his/her name. Or did you write it?"
You get the idea – the same people who refrain from using their names, feel very comfortable throwing every name in the book at me.
And it's not just me they go after – these same posters are comfortable hurling insults at the mayor, the Village trustees, a judge, the Village attorney candidates for office and some of our most committed village volunteers.
Here's one of many that were sent after a judge issued a decision on the Article 78 contesting the revaluation:
# A Real Lawyer ( IP: 100.2.238.64 ) — 2018-01-05 23:04
Ah, the great New York State Court System -- where patronage and mediocrity, if not outright incompetence, cronyism, and ineptitude reign supreme.
Or this anonymous comment to the chair of the School Board Nominating Committee:
Dear Ms. Guggenheimer, Please make sure that your group vets candidates well. Please do not let the SBNC become the badly run, cesspool filled with backstabbers that the CNC has become. The CNC is filled with quite a number of Forum members who were just appointed in the summer. They have contributed nothing to the Forum nor to the CNC. All they want to do is get their unqualified candidates in. Sad.
Believe me, if you've done anything that mattered in Scarsdale, you're fair game. I will not reprint more of these comments here, for the same reasons I didn't post them when they came in.
Over the years I've developed a thick skin. I sometimes even laugh at their characterizations of me – especially when they call me lazy, heartless, a bored housewife and a hack. The site is putrid, garbage and a cesspool. Here a just a few recent comments:
"Unfortunately, Joanne is the nastiest person in Scarsdale. Thanks to her, people outside of Scarsdale hear about all the problems here."
"How sad that this middle aged mediocre woman has nothing better to do than write crappy articles."
But these past few months have been rougher than usual. I found that in addition to the anonymous posters on my site, a few angry residents started insulting me on other websites and making false claims about me. What to do? I waited and hoped that their words would move down the page and out of view.
It didn't let up. Faced with an onslaught of comments from anonymous posters with accusations against me and everyone in town, it became too difficult to moderate their publication. Though anonymous posters complain about "internet trolls" they themselves appeared to be the internet trolls.
So last week I asked again for people to use their names and street addresses, and have not published any more anonymous comments, no matter how innocuous. Since then, the number of comments has dropped to almost nil. A few people, who know that their comments will not be published, continue to send in nasty missives, but I guess they are intended for my eyes only.
About the new policy, one reader complained, "For professional reasons I will never include my name and address regardless of the topic or my comment. Not allowing me and people like me to have a voice is unfortunate."
Unfortunate it is, but for now there will be no more anonymous comments on Scarsdale10583.com. It appears that a few very angry offenders have forced this decision on the community. For me, it simply means less work. I no longer have to sift through comments and decide what is permissible. Without a verifiable name, I simply won't post the comment. The haters have made their bed and now I can lie down in mine. Hey, maybe I will get to be the bored, lazy housewife they call me, after all.
Have a comment ... please use your real name. Or better yet, send us a letter to the editor at [email protected].
SHS Raiders Varsity Teams Celebrate Seniors by Sweeping the Competition
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- Written by Jordy Love
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The Raiders Boys Varsity basketball team went on a 3 game winning streak under Coach Justin Washington. On February 6th, the boys played White Plains in their Senior game. Before the game, Seniors were joined by their parents on the court and presented their mothers with roses. The Raiders came from behind to beat White Plains 65-60. Fans packed the stands on Tuesday evening to show their support for the mostly Senior Varsity squad. On Thursday, February 8th the boys played Mt. Vernon on the road and managed an epic upset over the number one ranked team. It was Scarsdale's first win over Mt. Vernon in 21 years. Co-Captain Nash Goldman had 34 points. To cap off their week the boys then beat Tappan Zee 47-44 in a nail-biter during the championship game of the Kari Pizzitola tournament. 
The Raiders Girls Varsity Basketball team played their Senior game on February 10th against Fox Lane during the consolation game of the Kari Pizzitola tournament at SHS. The Senior Ceremony took place before the start of the game where parents joined the girls on the court and Coach Mike Blanco spoke about each of his Seniors. After being down at the half, Tappan Zee managed to close the gap and take the lead. After a
couple of key 3 point baskets by Kayla Maroney the Raiders were able to pull off the win, increasing their winning streak to 4.
The Boys Varsity Hockey Team celebrated Senior Night versus New Rochelle. Seniors joined their parents on the ice immediately before the game and underclass teammates read words written by the Seniors about their Scarsdale hockey experience. Raiders went into the 3rd period with a 2-1 lead over New Rochelle but the Huguenots were able to tie it up and send the game into overtime. Freshman Josh Bock scored the winning goal in OT to give the Raiders a 3-2 victory
over New Rochelle.
In other Raiders news, more Seniors commit to continuing to play at the college level in football and basketball. Varsity Football Captains Max Bunzel and Noah Glantz announced their intention to play football at the college level this Fall. Bunzel committed to play at Bucknell University next year as a Linebacker. Bucknell has a Division I program that competes in the Patriot League.
Glantz will be playing at Trinity College in the Fall as a Defensive End. Trinity is a Division III football program that 
competes in the NESCAC conference.
Senior Audrey Shaev will be playing at Connecticut College after graduation. The Girls' Varsity Basketball Co-Captain said "I'm extremely excited to play at Conn and in college because I've been working towards it for as long as I can remember and to see it actually in the near future and in reality is just amazing and crazy." Connecticut College also competes in the NESCAC Conference.
Boys' Varsity Co-Captain and Senior Nash Goldman has committed to play for Middlebury College next year. Goldman will join former SHS teammate Max Bosco in Middlebury's Division 3 basketball program.
Brews to Chase Away the Blues at Winterfest
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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The Scarsdale Forum hosts its tenth annual membership party, Winterfest 2018, on Saturday, February 3rd at the historic Scarsdale Woman's Club, 37 Drake Road from
7 to 11 PM. (Snow date: Sunday, February 4th from 4 to 7 PM)
Kicking off Winterfest 2018 during the cocktail hour is pianist Angelo Di Loreto where the home brewed beers of Bruce Wells and the hot dog station reign. Diners will enjoy a delicious buffet dinner prepared by Plates in the beautifully appointed music room of the club. Forum members will take to the keys during the dinner hour. Door prizes donated by generous local vendors will be awarded throughout the evening. Desserts baked by Forum members and friends will be served in the large dining room. In the adjacent library, the a cappella group Counterpoint will top off the evening's entertainment. This festive event promises food, drink, music and lively conversations, perfect for chasing away the shivery winter blues.
The Scarsdale Forum is a charitable organization dedicated to improving life in Scarsdale. The Forum studies many issues affecting the Village and frequently provides input to governing bodies and elected officials on the local, county and state level via reports and statements prepared by its committees. Village of Scarsdale residents are encouraged to join the Forum and attend to the best block party in town! All profits from the event support the public programs offered by the Forum throughout the year.
Admission is $40 per person and limited to members and their guests. Due to the popularity of this event, advance reservations are encouraged.
Advanced reservations, membership renewal and joining the Forum for the first time can be done online at: www.scarsdaleforum.com or by mailing a check to Scarsdale Forum Inc., P.O. Box 86, Scarsdale, NY 10583. For additional information regarding the event, please contact the Forum office by phone at 914-723-2829 or by email at: [email protected].
Scarsdale Foundation Offers Scholarship Aid
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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College students who have graduated from Scarsdale High School or lived in Scarsdale during high school and have completed their first, second, or third years of college are invited to apply to the Scarsdale Foundation for tuition assistance. For the 2017-2018 academic year, the Foundation awarded a total of $120,500 in need-based grants to students attending private and state-supported colleges and universities.
Applications should be submitted online to the Scarsdale Foundation's website: www.scarsdalefoundation.org (click on the College Scholarships link). Completed applications must be submitted by Monday, June 4, 2018. Please contact Scholarship Committee Chairs BK Munguia ([email protected]) and/or Anne Lyons ([email protected]) with any questions. Please note "Scholarship Inquiry" in the subject of your email.
The Foundation relies on contributions from the community to carry on its tradition of helping our students in need pursue a college education. Donations may be made online by visiting the Foundation's website or mailed to the Scarsdale Foundation, P.O. Box 542, Scarsdale, NY 10583. Please earmark your donation "Scholarship Fund."
For more information regarding the work of the Foundation, please visit their website:
League of Women Voters of Scarsdale Opposes $64.9 Million Bond Proposal for Scarsdale Schools
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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After months of study, the League of Women Voters of Scarsdale issued a surprising statement to the Scarsdale School administration and the Board of Education at their January 22, 2018 meeting. For the first time anyone can remember, the League came out against a school bond, saying, "We support a bond ... but not this bond." Though the League supports investment in the Scarsdale Schools, they "disagree with this proposal for substantive reasons and for the way in which it was conceived and presented to the community." Reviewing the development of the proposed $64.9 million 2018 bond, the statement, says,"the process for the development of this Bond was flawed and thus undermined the League's confidence in the result."
Furthermore, the consensus was that the community was not provided opportunities to give input on issues such as school cafeterias, air conditioning and sustainability or to vet options to renovate the Greenacres School vs. building a new school. They also questioned the Board's decision to limit the discussion to tax neutral solutions.
The statement concludes with a list of recommendations on how the Board can reach out to the community in the future, develop goals and a vision and build consensus.
The statement reflects the consensus of the membership of the League of Women Voters of Scarsdale and was read by Mary Beth Evans, who chaired the bond study committee, Linda Doucette-Ashman, co-President of the League and League Board member Amy Cooper.
Read the entire statement below.
Acknowledgements
The League of Women Voters of Scarsdale (the "League") thanks members of the Board of Education (the "Board") and District Administration (the "Administration") for their presentation and responses to League questions on the Proposed 2018 School Facilities Bond (the "Bond") at the League's General Membership Meeting held January 10, 2018.
The League acknowledges that much time and effort have gone into developing the Bond and we thank the Administration and the Board for their additional effort spent in preparing for our meeting and for providing the audience with informational handout materials on the Bond. The League also appreciates that members of the Board and Administration allowed additional time to respond to numerous audience member questions that extended the public information session past the scheduled time.
The League appreciates the opportunity to comment on the Bond. This statement reflects the consensus of League members at a meeting held immediately following the public information session on January 10, 2018.
Position
The League does not support the 2018 School Facilities Bond. To be clear, the League struggled with this statement because we do support investment in Scarsdale school facilities in order to maintain and enhance Scarsdale educational excellence and to ensure the health, safety and security of our students and staff. Moreover, we support a bond as a means of funding projects that address major facilities needs. We disagree with this proposal for substantive reasons and for the way in which it was conceived and presented to the community. Should the Bond be voted down, the League hopes that the Board and Administration will begin a new bond process without delay and with a more fully integrated long-range vision. In short, we support a bond but not this particular Bond.
Major Objections & Concerns
While we recognize that no bond process is perfect, the process for the development of this Bond was flawed and thus undermined the League's confidence in the result. The League notes that the process did not provide:
- Timely, structured and thorough outreach to identify broad community values and priorities early on;
- Timely, thorough and broad community input on such issues as elementary school cafeterias and kitchens, district-wide classroom air conditioning, and sustainability;
- An opportunity for the community to thoroughly explore and vet all cost/value options;
- A full cost/benefit analysis to justify the Administration's recommendation and Board's decision to renovate and expand versus building a new Greenacres School; or
- A clear and compelling explanation of the Board's decision that the scope of the bond should be "tax neutral" (i.e., resulting in no associated tax increase to homeowners), especially given the long list of identified work and current favorable borrowing climate.
Furthermore, most conspicuously and significantly absent from the process that produced this Bond was a long-range vision for all of our schools. The process did not provide a coherent picture of what our buildings need in order to preserve and enhance a high quality Scarsdale education or a plan to address all facilities needs moving forward. The League believes that an opportunity was missed to develop a long-range master facilities plan and to present a framework for the future that could bring the community together in support of all of our school buildings.
The League acknowledges that ultimately:
• In late fall 2017, the Board did shift the bond vote date forward to include additional
meetings that involved open Board member deliberation and opportunity for public input
on key priorities and values;
• In October 2017, the Administration did articulate educational goals for the Greenacres
School project; and
• In late December 2017, the District did provide the public with new informational
materials that now present the Bond projects in a more digestible format and are readily accessible on the District website.
However, the League maintains that each of these positive actions were taken too late in the process. We therefore reiterate several concerns with the process expressed in various public statements at School Board meetings since July 2017 by the League School Bond Study Committee and League Board, including:
• The overwhelming volume of data presented at each public meeting;
• The constant shifts in narrative following real-time District decision-making;
• The absence of a clear statement of the Board's overall objective as it relates to the
quality of our schools and Scarsdale's educational values; and
• The insufficient opportunity for public input and insufficient Board deliberation to fully
inform the public in a manner that allowed the community more timely opportunity to engage, question, challenge and/or support the School Board's educational rationale and fiscal assumptions in deciding the key parameters of the Bond.
The League further concludes that the District's presentation of how the proposed Bond project would address Greenacres School's educational needs lacked specificity. In the end, we lacked a sufficiently detailed picture of how students would experience the proposed new addition and changes to the existing building, and how the project would connect to the District's larger educational vision not only for Greenacres but for all District schools. There was also no clear answer provided as to how long we could expect the $35 million investment to serve the community.
The League remains uncertain that the Bond's plan for Greenacres School represents the best investment of the community's resources. The League recognizes that the Bond's proposed project for Greenacres School would realize some long-awaited improvements and address some of the District's stated educational, health and safety goals for that building; however, the League has concerns that key spatial, health and safety needs are not being adequately addressed.
Recommendations
In order to produce a bond that maintains and enhances Scarsdale educational excellence in a fiscally responsible way that is in the best interests of the community, the League believes that the Board should implement an improved bond process that:
- Begins with more timely, effective and thorough outreach to identify broad community values and priorities;
- Articulates a clear vision as to the purpose of the bond;
- Presents to the community a coherent picture of what our buildings need in order to preserve and enhance a high quality Scarsdale education, including sharing with the community the District's benchmarking method and results;
- Develops the bond as part of a long-range facilities plan that provides a framework for the future of all of the schools; and
- Is collaborative and builds community consensus from the ground-up.
The League believes these process recommendations align with the Board's statements highlighting the importance of acting in partnership with the community. We agree that a successful bond process and proposal that makes sense for our community requires us to work together. To this end, a bond process must ensure that we all start from the same place and proceed forward together in a methodical manner, with a shared understanding of the basic underlying assumptions and overall District goals and educational values driving the process that a proposed facilities bond would address.
Conclusion
While the League does not support this Bond, we support investment in our school facilities and a collaborative bond process that builds community consensus from the ground-up and results in a shared long-range vision for maintaining and enhancing our excellent Scarsdale schools.
The Bond vote will take place on Thursday, February 8, 2018 from 7 am to 9 pm at the Scarsdale Middle School. Information on how to register to vote and/or to obtain an absentee ballot is available by clicking either the "New Bond Website" link on the homepage of the District website (www.scarsdaleschools.org) or the "Voter Information" tab on our League website (www.lwvs.org).
Respectfully submitted,
Mary Beth Evans, Chair, School Bond Study Committee Linda Doucette-Ashman and Janice Starr, Co-Presidents League of Women Voters of Scarsdale
