THE NEW BLACK VIEW

Vol. 112 No. 40 | October 7, 2021 - October 13, 2021

©2021 The Amsterdam News | $1.00 New York City

A BRAND NEW ERA

(Ariama C. Long photo)

Barrons back Alleyne as replacement in State Assembly

By ARIAMA C. LONG

Report for America Corps Member, Amsterdam News Staff

The end of an era in East New York has finally come. The “unbought, unbossed, and undefeated” Councilmember Inez Barron, who has also represented State Assembly Districts 40 and 60, announced this past weekend that she is retiring from the assembly and has named community organizer Keron Alleyne, 31, as her successor.

The Barrons, Inez and her husband Assemblymember Charles Barron, are fixtures in the community and well-known for their tendency to run for city council and assembly in tandem…and win, much to the chagrin of political competitors.

“I’m pleased and honored to be here,” said I. Barron. “We have a candidate who understands what it is that we have been building and making happen here over the last 20 years.”

The power couple joined Alleyne, his family, and his early campaign crew in front of the Prince Joshua Avitto Community Center on Saturday, Oct. 2 to show their support for the young politico.

Alleyne ran for state senate in Senatorial District 19 in last year’s elections, but lost to Incumbent Senator

See BARRONS on page 6

Vaccine mandates bring out ‘firing squad’

By CYRIL JOSH BARKER

Amsterdam News Staff

One of the first impacts of the COVID-19 vaccine mandates was evident this week when New York State’s largest healthcare provider, Northwell Health, terminated 1,400 employees for refusing to get vaccinated.

The fallout is the result of one of several vaccine mandates causing people to lose their jobs for not getting the shot. Hospital and nursing home workers in the state, such as employees at Northwell Health, had until Sept. 27 to comply or face unemployment. Employees in non-hospital based clinics and Community Care Plus facilities in the city need proof of vaccination by Oct. 7.

“Northwell regrets losing any employee under such circumstances, but as healthcare professionals and

NYC unveils social justice busts

New York City’s Union Square Park is the temporary home for three grand busts of three images of the 2020 social justice movement.

The bronze busts represent: 2020 police brutality victim George Floyd, police brutality victim Breonna Taylor, and the late Congressman John Lewis.

However, just a few days after its unveiling, a caught-on-video vandal threw paint on the Floyd bust.

GEORGE FLOYD JOHN LEWIS

BREONNA TAYLOR

(Bill Moore photos) of our public employees and the contribution they make. I saw with my own eyes repeatedly, the reality of remote—at times, it did inhibit communication, it inhibited efficiency, effectiveness, collaboration.”

One group that remains in the balance over vaccine mandates is school staff. The city could see a large number of its workforce in schools exit if they don’t comply with a mandatory vaccine mandate that went into effect last Friday.

On Monday, DC 37 and the city’s Department of Education announced an agreement for nearly 20,000 DOE employees. DC 37 members who have not provided proof of at least one dose of the vaccine will have the option to resign or take a leave of absence. Employees had until Tuesday to apply for medical or religious exemptions.

“This fight has always been about the right of individuals to make their own medical decisions without fear of retribution in the workplace,” said DC 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido. “Very few of our members remain unvaccinated, but for those who do, we do not believe their jobs should be on the line. This deal strikes the balance between public safety and fairness.”

As of Sunday, Oct. 3, 93% of DC 37’s almost 20,000 DOE workers had provided proof of at least one dose of the COVID19 vaccine.

Reports indicate that the DOE needs 3,700 substitute teachers to fill the void of full-time teachers who will be off the job because of the vaccine mandate. In total, 5,500 teachers have refused to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

On Monday, several teachers filed for a temporary restraining order to stop the DOE vaccine mandate in the case Kane vs. De Blasio. The restraining order focuses on the exemption process carried out by city schools.

Those seeking a religious exemption must provide a letter from an “established religion” to certify one’s personally held religious beliefs are sincere. The restraining order points out “The Establishment Clause” in the First Amendment which states the government cannot establish a religion nor can they determine what religions are or are not “established religions.”

“It’s incredibly sad that neither Mayor de Blasio nor the largest school system in America has any clue what the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is,” said lead plaintiff Michael Kane.

The teacher’s attorney, Sujata Gibson, said the religious exemptions’ requirement violates teachers’ constitutional rights not to get the vaccine.

“These exemption policies are as blatantly unconstitutional as they are repulsive,” said Gibson. “This issue is long-settled and it shocks the conscience that this type of unconstitutional discrimination would be resurrected by the NYC DOE.”

De Blasio previously stated that a “very small” number of requests for medical or religious exemption by teachers have been made and hundreds have been approved so far.

“If they don’t get vaccinated, they consciously make the choice not to get vaccinated, they will be suspended without pay, but there is a process,” he said. “It’s all been delineated by the arbitrator of how to address that. If someone wants to come back, there’s a way to do that. If they don’t, then there are consequences.”