Ithaca City School District: "We could have done more"

We could have done more to shield student, educator says
Testimony concludes in Kearney's case against ICSD

By Topher Sanders
Journal Staff

ITHACA — More could have been done to protect Amelia Kearney's daughter from racial harassment during the 2005-06 school year, current and former Ithaca City School District officials said on Thursday.

The testimony came during the second and final day of a New York State Division of Human Rights hearing in the case of Kearney vs. Ithaca City School District. There was more than 10 hours of testimony Thursday.

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The first to testify that more could have been done to shield Kearney's daughter from the harassment was Jamie Thomas, who was the associate principal of DeWitt Middle School during the 2005-06 school year and who called the bus Kearney's daughter rode that year a “hell hole.”

The day after Kearney's daughter was spit on and punched by two different DeWitt students, the school acted quickly and suspended the students, Thomas said.

But both of the boys rode the bus home with Kearney's daughter the day of their suspensions where they again harassed her with mention of a “gun with (her) name on it.”

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Amanda Kearney Speaks: First Day of Public Hearing

Girl speaks in first day of ICSD hearing
Teen felt ‘worthless' after repeated verbal abuse, threats on school bus

By Topher Sanders
Journal Staff

Ithaca, NY. It was an emotional first day at the human rights hearing that will decide whether the Ithaca City School District responded adequately to the racial discrimination charges of a middle-school mother during the 2005-06 school year.

The public and Administration Law Judge Christine Kellett heard the firsthand account of Amelia Kearney's daughter, the 14-year-old girl at the heart of the case. The hearing was held at the Tompkins County Public Library, and as many as 60 people were in attendance in the early hours.

Daughter speaks

Kearney's attorney Raymond Schlather asked the 14-year-old how she felt about being called a “bitch, slut, whore and n----.” The girl's answers came in low tones.

“I felt worthless and mad at myself that I couldn't do more to stop it,” Kearney's daughter, now in high school, said. “I felt ashamed of what happened to me. It was hard for me to talk about and still is.”

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Lucecita Benítez- Soy de una raza pura

When I was a kid I was in love with Lucecita.

Solo le pido a Dios

Solo le pido a Dios 

Que el dolor no me sea indiferente, 

Que la reseca 

Muerta no me encuentre 

Vacio y solo sin haber hecho lo suficiente. 


Solo le pido a Dios 

Que lo injusto no me sea indiferente, 

Que no me abofeteen la otra mejilla 

Despues que una garra me araño esta suerte. 


Solo le pido a Dios 

Que la guerra no me sea indiferente, 

Es un monstruo grande y pisa fuerte 
Toda la pobre inocencia de la gente.

Solo le pido a Dios 

Que el engaño no me sea indiferente 

Si un traidor puede mas que unos cuantos, 

Que esos cantos no lo olviden facilmente. 


Solo le pido a Dios 

Que el futuro no me sea indiferente, 

Desahuciado esta el que tiene que marchar 

A vivir una cultura diferente.

-- Mercedes Sosa

Promotion To Full Professor of Psychology

I've been promoted to full Professor of Psychology at Wells College, Aurora, New York. When I can think of some words, I'll post them here.

Juan Luis Guerra - El niagara en bicicleta

It's impossible to cross the Niagara on a bike. This is Juan Luis Guerra's metaphor for what's involved in getting health care.