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At a Rochester City School Board of Education meeting this week, Commissioner Isaiah Santiago gave an official apology to a fellow board member for a highly publicized argument that occurred early this year.
In February, a shouting match occurred between Santiago and James Patterson at the end of a board meeting. Patterson claimed a racial slur was used against him during the argument, which Santiago has continually denied.
At the time, Santiago claimed Patterson’s behavior followed part of a pattern of continued intimidation against him. Santiago, 20, is the youngest person ever elected to the school board.
His apology this week focused primarily on the distraction the argument caused, even in his description of the event itself.
“In the heat of the disagreement, my colleague believed that I used an iteration of a word I didn’t say,” Santiago said in his apology. “But the heat of a disagreement or a split-second reaction does not excuse any behavior that pulls focus away from the children we are here to serve.
“To all members of this community, I want to clearly and sincerely say that I apologize that the situation has continued to serve as a distraction from the heart of our mission: our students,” he added. “I want to publicly apologize to Mr. Patterson and my fellow board members for the distraction caused by my role in the disagreement between us. I am sorry that this incident happened for the distraction and confusion that it has caused and I take responsibility for my part in how this distraction began.”
In March, Patterson submitted a request for Santiago’s removal from the board. Following that request, the board voted to pay for Santiago’s legal fees in the matter.
If there is no change, a hearing on Patterson’s request is set to occur this month.
“This experience has taught me important truths about how to serve our constituents and the community as a professional while still maintaining the openness and honesty that I value in my communication,” said Santiago. “As a young leader, I am still growing. Moments like this challenge me, they humble me, and they push me to become better. Better for our students, better for our families, better for the Rochester community that trusts me with this responsibility.”
Santiago also stressed the need for unity over division and expressed a hope that the board could come together for RCSD students.
“While faith teaches us grace and forgiveness, this district is equally committed to restorative practices which demand accountability, responsibility for one’s conduct, and consequences,” Patterson said. “In light of the eleventh-hour nature of Commissioner Santiago’s apology, I am not prepared to respond at this time and would like to reflect on what was communicated.”
Patterson indicated he would make a formal statement at the upcoming board business meeting on Dec. 18. However, the timing of the apology and Patterson’s emphasis on “consequences” suggest he will continue his complaint against Santiago.
The hearing could be among Patterson’s last acts as an RCSD commissioner. This election cycle, the Monroe County Board of Elections rejected his paperwork for the June primary, citing a lack of valid signatures.
Although he initially expressed frustration and a desire to make an independent run for commissioner, Patterson eventually indicated he would officially leave office at the end of this year.
Jacob Schermerhorn is a Rochester Beacon contributing writer and data journalist.
The Beacon welcomes comments and letters from readers who adhere to our comment policy including use of their full, real name. See “Leave a Reply” below to discuss on this post. Comments of a general nature may be submitted to the Letters page by emailing [email protected]
“WISDOM and KNOWLEDGE Shall the STABILITY of Thy TIMES” (Isaiah 33.6)
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Again, we can find simple ADVICE for students, parents, teachers, etc, that can help to turn
things around. “EXPERIENCE is the name everyone gives to their MISTAKES” (Wilde)
Let’s not let PRIDE take us for an endless RIDE
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We have computers and we have ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE to sustain interest in learning.
So, let’s try to move on, one step at a time… ( http://www.SavingSchools.org ) Happy New Year !
NOW, FOR THE REST OF THE STORY: First and foremost, it’s NOT difficult for anyone who has been paying attention, and who is grounded in practical thought – to figure out that the so-called “apology” is just simply NOT sincere. The mere fact that it took more than 10 months for the so-called “apology” to be issued – is the first clue. The “N” word incident, which was reportedly witnessed by numerous individuals, including the New York State Monitor, Jaime Alicea, reportedly happened February 3, 2025 (more than 10 months ago). So, why is the apology coming now? Well, if you listen to the full content of the statement that Mr. Santiago made – he gave the reason why, i.e., he noted that Commissioner James Patterson “filed a Petition to remove [him] from Office, and the Petition is now moving towards a Hearing in December of 2025.” The real shame in all of this is that, in march 2025, Commissioner Patterson had expressed willingness to drop the Petition, if Mr. Santiago would have apologized for the dastardly-derogatory name-calling (see a link below). Mr. Santiago claimed (via his full statement), at the following link – https://youtu.be/AVQpc7eWx94?t=10723 – that “this experience has taught [him] important truths” – apparently it has NOT taught him one of the most important – THOU SHALT NOT LIE.
BORED of EDUCATION or BOARD of EDUCATION ? (Use YouTube videos like ALT MATH?)
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Let me just add a suggestion, that the biggest problem in school systems may be BOREDOM.
Repetition and basics may seem very boring and childish, but there are ways to add interest.
For example, the YouTube video, “Alternative Math” (9min) might be shown in schools and
at Board Meetings, along with other funny videos, to suggest ways to add interest.
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ALT MATH suggests to me,
a focus on MISTAKES in learning. We can use humor to reduce
the embarrassment. “Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes” (Wilde)
How can RCSD spend so much money, each year, without focusing on correcting mistakes?
Here is a link to ALT MATH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh3Yz3PiXZw&t=132s
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Thank you, RBeacon for focusing on RCSD, again ! http://www.SavingSchools.org (my page)
MAD reversed is DAM
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When we get MAD, we create a DAM with ourselves and with others.
This School Board MADNESS might be a great lesson that can help us advance EDUCATION.
We all get MAD and frustrated, in education. Learning is hit or miss. Every student, every teacher and every parent has to deal with challenges.
ANGER Management, might help. But if we all try to pitch in, and help with ADVICE and ENCOURAGEMENT, we might make some immediate progress. Again, we can use the web.
Again, I created a crude web page: SavingSchools.org , where I put up helpful ADVICE.
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Yes, ADVICE can help, but it can also ADD VICE.
We need ADVICE for ADVICE. The advice can be taken wrong. We can depend too much on the advice of one person, or group. But without ADVICE, we are stuck.
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(Hopefully, some people at RCSD, understand this and they can WAKE others up, NOW. TNX
CATCHWORDS – CATCHWORDS – CATCHWORDS to advance Education, now?
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MAD and DAM might be helpful catchwords in these education debates, but I humbly suggest that schools encourage such WORD PLAY, to focus and resolve confusions, over and over, again.
“Man is a creature who lives not upon bread alone but principally by catchwords.”?
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So, wrote Robert Louis Stevenson, in 1881. Why not come up with simple CATCHWORDS, to focus LEARNING and DEBATING, more? It is back to BASICS, as it was when we first learned to read. It may seem boring and disrespectful to be so BASIC and to keep REPEATING, over and over, but it just might WAKE people us to possibilities.
(POST CATCHWORDS online, and put on posters, to show at meetings, and in schools.)
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(Think of what TRUMP does, to get attention: CATCHWORDS, CATCHWORDS)
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“All’s Well that Ends Well” (Shakespeare) http://www.SavingSchoos.org
What do your comments have to do with the FACT that Isaiah Santiago called Commissioner James Patterson the N-word PUBLICLY, and REPEATEDLY???!!!
I think the real DEBATE concerns the FUTURE of EDUCATION, at Rochester Schools, not saving face on the School Board. Thousands of student lives are at stake, not the EGOS of two School Board members.
I tried to suggest to some School Board members that they consider having ADVICE for students, teachers, and parents, online. I mentioned my own primitive web page:
http://www.SavingSchools.org . So, far, no one on the Board has expressed any interest in the idea
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How much time and money must we spend on TRIVIAL PURSUITS in EDUCATION?
This is NOT about so-called “EGOS of two School Board members.” Instead, it’s about one school board member publicly calling another school board member one of the most dastardly-derogatory names that one Black man, much less elected officials, can possibly say to another!!! So, don’t cloud or distort the ISSUE.
As a retired employee of the RCSD, I continue to be disheartened by the constant discord within the School Board. Many years ago, Board members focused on governing and policy-making to make a difference in the lives of children they served. Not now.
Before being elected, each candidate should have a test to see if they can play nice in the sandbox with each other.
I too am a retired RCSD teacher, and I have CLOSELY observed RCSD Board of Education politics for more that 45 consecutive years. I NEVER recall a time during those years in which “Board members [effectively] focused on governing and policy-making to [the extent that they made a significant] difference in the lives of [MOST of the] children they [so-called] served.” THE DEEPING CRISIS IS AT LEAST 45 YEARS OLD, OR OLDER.