Supporters rally for Amy Velez after her dismissal from the Board of Education, claiming the only vo
Title
Supporters rally for Amy Velez after her dismissal from the Board of Education, claiming the only vo
Vtmbh article article file
v13n3.doc
Vtmbh article article order
3
Vtmbh article author
Ricardo Leon Pena-Villa
Vtmbh article blurb
Manhattans Community School Board District 1 continues to seethe after the dismissal of School Board Member Amy Velez over allegations she performed voodoo against the superintendent.
Vtmbh article body
Manhattans Community School Board District 1 continues to seethe after the dismissal of School Board Member Amy Velez.
Velez, the elected parent representative, was recently dismissed after being accused of practicing voodoo against the School District Superintendent Helen Santiago.
Yesterday, on the front steps of City Hall, organizations including the Puerto Rican Legal Defense Fund, District 1 Parents United, the American Civil Liberties Union of New York, and many officials, including Rep. Nydia Velasquez (D-NY) and City Councilwoman Margarita Lopez, voiced their support of Velez.
I want to send a clear message to the Chancellor and to the special investigators that this public official was elected by parents and voters of the school district, and her rights and those of the voters were violated, Velasquez said. It is a shame. It is just incredible, and to me it is a joke. This woman does not need to use dirty tricks like voodoo powder. What she does is what she has done since she was elected, which is represent her constituency in political and public decisions.
If it becomes necessary, Velasquez will seek a Department of Justice investigation, she said, because the situation is not about Velez, but about the community.
The one issue here is Chancellor Levy destroying the balance of power on the School Board, Lopez said. It is not about voodoo or religion in particular. Chancellor Levy, you need to understand that the School Board has had to fight the last 25 years, and in our district, people of color vote and they have rights to the school they want.
Regarding the decision, Velez said, the Chancellor decided this. It is unfortunate that a person in a position of power would use it in such a lowly manner. This is the most nefarious thing Ive ever heard in my life.
Schools Chancellor Harold Levy said, Amy Velez was accused of violating the rules. There are witnesses who say she brought voodoo powder. There are witnesses, and it is inappropriate for her to be on the Board. It saddens me. If she did what the witnesses say, she is embarrassing the community. She did not respect the Board or the education process, and this upsets me. I do not know why they support her or why they dont, I will not look at that. What is important is that people behave respectfully.
We tried to locate Nancy Ortiz from School Board 1, who is said to have witnessed Velezs actions, but her assistant, Elizabeth Dillon, said she was unavailable.
<i>El Diario/La Prensa is a Spanish-language daily covering local, national and international news in Manhattan.</i>
Velez, the elected parent representative, was recently dismissed after being accused of practicing voodoo against the School District Superintendent Helen Santiago.
Yesterday, on the front steps of City Hall, organizations including the Puerto Rican Legal Defense Fund, District 1 Parents United, the American Civil Liberties Union of New York, and many officials, including Rep. Nydia Velasquez (D-NY) and City Councilwoman Margarita Lopez, voiced their support of Velez.
I want to send a clear message to the Chancellor and to the special investigators that this public official was elected by parents and voters of the school district, and her rights and those of the voters were violated, Velasquez said. It is a shame. It is just incredible, and to me it is a joke. This woman does not need to use dirty tricks like voodoo powder. What she does is what she has done since she was elected, which is represent her constituency in political and public decisions.
If it becomes necessary, Velasquez will seek a Department of Justice investigation, she said, because the situation is not about Velez, but about the community.
The one issue here is Chancellor Levy destroying the balance of power on the School Board, Lopez said. It is not about voodoo or religion in particular. Chancellor Levy, you need to understand that the School Board has had to fight the last 25 years, and in our district, people of color vote and they have rights to the school they want.
Regarding the decision, Velez said, the Chancellor decided this. It is unfortunate that a person in a position of power would use it in such a lowly manner. This is the most nefarious thing Ive ever heard in my life.
Schools Chancellor Harold Levy said, Amy Velez was accused of violating the rules. There are witnesses who say she brought voodoo powder. There are witnesses, and it is inappropriate for her to be on the Board. It saddens me. If she did what the witnesses say, she is embarrassing the community. She did not respect the Board or the education process, and this upsets me. I do not know why they support her or why they dont, I will not look at that. What is important is that people behave respectfully.
We tried to locate Nancy Ortiz from School Board 1, who is said to have witnessed Velezs actions, but her assistant, Elizabeth Dillon, said she was unavailable.
<i>El Diario/La Prensa is a Spanish-language daily covering local, national and international news in Manhattan.</i>
Vtmbh article date
2002-03-26
Vtmbh article edition
13
Vtmbh article hit count
138
Vtmbh article keywords
Vtmbh article line breaks
1
Vtmbh article original language
Spanish
Vtmbh article publication
El Diario / La Prensa
Vtmbh article section
news
Vtmbh article thumb
Vtmbh article title
Supporters rally for Amy Velez after her dismissal from the Board of Education, claiming the only voodoo is this investigation,
Vtmbh article translator
Telesh Lopez
Source
born-digital
Media Type
article
Original Name
Manhattans Community School Board District 1 continues to seethe after the dismissal of School Board
Created by Author
yes
Described by Author
no
Date Entered
2002-03-26
Collection
Citation
“Supporters rally for Amy Velez after her dismissal from the Board of Education, claiming the only vo,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed October 1, 2026, https://911.dev.chnm.gmu.edu/items/1515/.