Escaped Parolee a Game-Changer for Saint Ann's Stance
Channel 9’s Ti-Hua Chang reports from the streets of Brooklyn Heights about the latest chapter in the controversy surrounding the U.S. Attorney’s decision to located a Federal parolee center steps away from the campus of the Saint Ann’s School. When news broke about the issue in July, the school administration tried to take an enlightened…
Channel 9’s Ti-Hua Chang reports from the streets of Brooklyn Heights about the latest chapter in the controversy surrounding the U.S. Attorney’s decision to located a Federal parolee center steps away from the campus of the Saint Ann’s School. When news broke about the issue in July, the school administration tried to take an enlightened approach to the matter. “We believe that as long as the school and its neighbors are doing everything they can to ensure student safety, there is a limit to the extent to which the school can or should appropriately try to influence, block or change the environment and facilities in which Saint Ann’s has always chosen to locate itself,” wrote the headmaster and board president at the time. Just two weeks into the school year, however, a 32-year-old parolee who’d already done 12 years in jail on drug-related charges, bolted from an interrogation room at 147 Pierrepont Street at 2:50 in the afternoon, ten minutes before school let out. Two armed officers pursued him on the street, where one parent reported seeing one of the officers reach for his gun before thinking better of it. On top of that, it’s come to light that 53 sex offenders (six of whom are pedophiles) have been visiting the parole office, contrary to assurances initially given the school administration. Needless to say, the school administration has now changed its tune and will be asking a Federal judge to relocate the probation office to the courts.
Video: Next-Door Parolees Worry Parents [my9tv]
Yassky Weighs in on Saint Ann’s Probation Office Affair [Brownstoner]
Saint Ann’s To Make the Best of Probation Office Move [Brownstoner]
Federal Probation Officer Defends Proximity to St. Ann’s [Brownstoner]
Parole Facility Planned Next Door to St. Ann’s School [Brownstoner]
Not long ago this post would have easily drawn 100+ comments right out of the gate.
What happened? Where did everyone go?
Inigo, let’s get real. Of course there are kids throughout Brooklyn. But to locate a facility like this right next to an established elementary school? C’mon. it’s illegal to serve liquor within 200 feet of a school — why should it be okay to put a federal probation facility cheek by jowl? furthermore, if anything i think the parents and administration at St. Ann’s have created LESS of an uproar and received LESS attention than if this had been a public elementary school. This is not about rich Brooklyn Heights families — not the sole source of the St. Ann’s school body by the way — (lots of rich Tribeca families too! And others less gifted financially who sacrifice for their kids to get an education here) — in the end, this is about the safety of children. If this were a public elementary school i strongly doubt this kind of mistake would have been made. the cost / benefit analysis doesn’t support this juxtoposition.
Inigo, let’s get real. Of course there are kids throughout Brooklyn. But to locate a facility like this right next to an established elementary school? C’mon. it’s illegal to serve liquor within 200 feet of a school — why should it be okay to put a federal probation facility cheek by jowl? furthermore, if anything i think the parents and administration at St. Ann’s have created LESS of an uproar and received LESS attention than if this had been a public elementary school. This is not about rich Brooklyn Heights families — not the sole source of the St. Ann’s school body by the way — (lots of rich Tribeca families too! And others less gifted financially who sacrifice for their kids to get an education here) — in the end, this is about the safety of children. If this were a public elementary school i strongly doubt this kind of mistake would have been made. the cost / benefit analysis doesn’t support this juxtoposition.
Inigo, let’s get real. Of course there are kids throughout Brooklyn. But to locate a facility like this right next to an established elementary school? C’mon. it’s illegal to serve liquor within 200 feet of a school — why should it be okay to put a federal probation facility cheek by jowl? furthermore, if anything i think the parents and administration at St. Ann’s have created LESS of an uproar and received LESS attention than if this had been a public elementary school. This is not about rich Brooklyn Heights families — not the sole source of the St. Ann’s school body by the way — (lots of rich Tribeca families too! And others less gifted financially who sacrifice for their kids to get an education here) — in the end, this is about the safety of children. If this were a public elementary school i strongly doubt this kind of mistake would have been made. the cost / benefit analysis doesn’t support this juxtoposition.
Pastaman:
you need to take your medication.
I think time has passed you by.
Inigo
Where does it go? Where are there not kids in NYC? Where? The docks? Are the people going to the this new location allowed to travel through Brooklyn Heights to get there? Or do they take the train to a non-kid area and then walk along the water front? Can they go near Ikea on the way? Is that allowed?
Can they be in Red hook? I’ve seen kids in Red Hook.
What is your plan? They go anywhere, just away from you?
Why can’t St Anns go? Why not? It’s downtown brooklyn by the courts.
time will tell. sometimes politics and reputation actually trump real estate leases. the office will move, or at least move the interviewing of hardend criminals and sex offenders out. they had already promised the headmaster to move certain functions out during school hours, but surprise, they lied. if they are caught in a lie again, the consequences will escalate and the court could have to deal with a real public relations disaster. the parents should press hard and i believe they will prevail. youth can prevail over the old guard who may insist that this is the status quo, the way it has always been, and the way it shall remain. but nothing in brooklyn is what it was except for a diminishing number of longtime residents who refuse to keep up with the times.
sam-i-am, I’d be happy to provide you with enough facts so you could certify for yourself that I actually am privy to more information on this topic than most people, but then I might as well post over my real name. Sagacity? I was modest enough to write “Time will tell,” and indeed it will. I agree with several of the statements that Inigo makes above, including “the placement of the facility was a mistake” and “I’m sure no one in the federal courts system wants a repeat of what happened Thursday or worse.” But I still don’t think those sentiments are going to manifest in the probation office moving, short of someone proving that the feds did something illegal or improper. But time will tell, time will tell, time will tell.
There are those who would put the welfare of criminals over that of chidren and who would like to see young families move to the suburbs. But in reality the suburbs have moved to Brooklyn and the old misanthropic class is being steadily outnumbered by, well, normal people.
A parole office should not be located next to a school, even in the “tough, mean” city (Brooklyn Heights?). the placement of the facility was a mistake. DGS will need to figure out who to move out and what to move in so as to rectify the situation, I’m sure no one in the federal courts system wants a repeat of what happened Thursday or worse. The sane need to prevail over the likes of pastaman and statestreeter.