- Politics

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A hearing is scheduled in the Village of Saranac Lake to discuss a local law which would temporarily restrict the housing of livestock until the board can formalize a policy which falls in line with the comprehensive plan.

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Saranac Lake Village Trustee Barb Rice announces her intention to run for the seat vacated by outgoing Legislator Tim Burpoe.

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Joanne Caswell is Executive Director of Families First…  She tells the Essex County Board of Supervisors May is National Mental Health Awareness Month. At a recent Essex County Meeting, Caswell says  21% of children age 9 to 17 have a diagnosable mental health or addictive disorder.. and she says “Unfortunately 79% of those don’t receive any services so the stigma associated with mental health is still here with parents and their kids”

A coalition of lawmakers from the Assembly are proposing to cut Hollywood tax credits by $90 million and use the savings to restore cuts from not-for-profits supported by the Office of People With Developmental Disabilities..  Assemblyman Dan Stec is part of the coalition..

A group of parents, teachers and school administrators are presenting A groundbreaking documentary on education tonight called “Race to Nowhere” – This film is one of the first to identify and challenge a one-size-fits-all achievement culture in American schools, and to document its impact on students..

The Saranac Lake Parent Faculty Education Alliance is sponsoring the screening of the documentary and plans to lead a discussion Afterwards…  Zoe Smith is a leading organizer of the Alliance..

Smith says The Parent Faculty Alliance is dedicated to improving education in their schools, and they’ve joined together because of a deep concern for the growing impacts of high-stakes standardized testing on our children. The Screening begins at 6:30pm this evening (Thursday, April 18th) in the Petrova School Auditorium.

Race to Nowhere is a film that the group says has sparked a national conversation and is an opportunity for parents, faculty, and community members to join together to discuss the current system of education.

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Called a “must-see movie” by The New York Times and “compelling” by Diane Ravitch, former Assistant Secretary of Education, the film has succeeded in exposing how excessive homework, high-stakes testing, and a cyclical trap of busyness and competition have led to an epidemic of anxious, overworked, and unhealthy young people.  The film has been screened in more than 6,000 public and community settings in all 50 states and more than 30 countries since its release in 2010.

“The “Race to Nowhere” is another inconvenient truth. It’s a wake-up call to all of us who care about children, the purpose of schools, and how we define success in American education. And, importantly, it provides viewers with excellent, actionable suggestions of how to begin to address change locally in our schools.” – George Lucas Education Foundation

The film is being sponsored by the SLPFEA, the Saranac Lake Teachers’ Association, and the North Country Community College Massage Club.

To learn more about Saranac Lake Parent Faculty Education Alliance, like them on Facebook.  For more information about the film, www.RacetoNowhere.com