A Cobble Hill mother and former PTA Treasurer who is accused of embezzling $82,000 from the organization will avoid jail time if she pays back the money, plus interest. Providence Hogan, who owns Providence Day Spa, allegedly used the money for fertility treatments, rent, and to "keep her family living in the lifestyle they were accustomed to." Her appearance in court today was accompanied by concerned parents from PS 29, including the PTA's co-treasurer, who told the Daily News that they "had serious budget cuts this year and the money is sorely needed." Forget the budget: PS 29 also had its playground incinerated and the Pledge of Allegiance nixed. If David Simon's looking for a (watchable) follow-up to The Wire he should look no farther than Cobble Hill. more ›

One might reasonably assume that any parent who gets involved with the PTA is doing so for altruistic reasons, or because they want to ensure that their kid will get into that exclusive AP Biology class, or worst case scenario, because they really want to bang a 13-year-old. But then, you'd be ignoring the fact that the PTA is a really just a cash cow grazing idly, waiting to be milked by someone. And one Brooklyn Brownstone farm hand is accused of milking that cow for all she could. more ›

The Education Department is investigating an employee who was allegedly caught on tape repeatedly using the word "nigger" during a PTA meeting in Queens on May 27th. Ron Barfield, who makes $50K working as a "family district advocate" to assist parents, was recorded during the organizational meeting saying, "Keep the niggers out. All them niggers are going to be voting and getting y’all to debate and dividing up the board." more ›

In December, a 44-year-old Long Island woman was found in the backseat of a SUV with a 13-year-old boy—police said both were "unclothed" from the waist down in the vehicle, which was parked outside the Baldwin Middle School where the boy attends and the woman is VP of the PTA. Now Newsday reports the Nassau County DA wants Joan Tuckruskye's DNA, "after they found a woman's saliva on the body and clothing of" the boy. However, Tuckruskye's lawyer Brian Griffin is trying to block the demand, "We have a legal process. She has rights. The government cannot invade people's privacy without meeting a legal standard," and points out the boy denies that there was sexual contact. Tuckruskye had been charged of endangering the welfare of a child, which as a maximum of a year in jail, but the charges could be upgraded to a felony if she did have sex with him. more ›

Yesterday was a crazy day at P.S. 108 in Cypress Hills: An man suspected of robbery ran into the school, while waving a loaded gun. About one thousand students (the school is kindergarten through fifth grade) were ultimately evacuated, many in tears. more ›