About Me

My photo
Nazareth, Pa., United States

Wednesday, August 05, 2020

Hasshan Batts and Broken Promises Neighborhoods

Ex-con Hasshan "Fuck the Police" Batts has parlayed his past felony convictions into quite a few gigs. In addition to his role as Promise Neighborhoods' Executive Director, he's supposedly a "consultant" at Catalyst IpF, The TEA GROUP, Bonafide Life Enhancement Services and Practitioners Research and Scholarship Institute. He also lists himself as a social worker at Lehigh Valley's Neighborhood Health Centers, although his social worker licenses lapsed a few years ago.* I could and perhaps should take a closer look at all his boasts. This story, however, is about Batts and his unlikely connection to Promise Neighborhoods. With him at the helm, it should be called Broken Promises.

Promise Neighborhoods Was Supposed to Be Valley-wide Educational Program

Promise Neighborhoods is actually a U.S. Department of Education initiative authorized under the Every Student Succeeds Act. Its noble, if somewhat overambitious, goal is neighborhood-level education reform, from cradle to college.

Here in the Lehigh Valley, Promise Neighborhoods was originally part of the United Way, but became independent in 2015. Its first Executive Director, Dr. Yamil Sanchez Rivera, was an educator. He conducted door-to-door surveys and town halls in the Lehigh Valley's three cities, and set up community-specific programs in each. He also conducted annual block parties in each of the three cities. He established nine promises, which might more appropriately be called goals: (1) get children ready for kindergarten; (2) keep the kids and their families healthy; (3) keep kids safe and in stable communities; (4) support their learning experience; (5) give them access to 21st century learning tools; (6) help them transition from middle to high school; (7) make sure they become proficient in core subjects; (8) help them graduate from high school; (9) prepared for college or a career.

Dr. Rivera even established a "report card" from which, at least initially, you could monitor how well things were going.

Unfortunately, Dr. Rivera left Promise Neighborhoods in late 2016 and is currently the Chief Administrative Officer at Reading School District.

Why An Educator Was Replaced by an Ex-Con

Given the goals of Promise Neighborhoods, you'd think Dr. Rivera would be replaced by an another educator. Instead, ex-con Hasshan Batts ended up at the helm, even though he has no training as an educator. How the hell did this happen?

This is when it's helpful to look at 990s. Those are the financial returns that nonprofits are required to file annually with the IRS. At Guidestar, I was able to examine the 990s for 2016-2018. The 2018 return was for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, and was due on November 15, 2018. It was filed late on May 15, 2019. Its returns for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2019 and June 30, 2020, are still unfiled.  But the limited information I have is very informative.

During the period between 2016 and present, there's been one constant. Rev. Gregory Edwards, Pastor of Resurrected Life Community Church and former Congressional candidate, was a board member and eventually became Chairman. It's a position he currently holds.

In February 2017, Batts was enlisted at Promise Neighborhoods.

Batts was supposedly a reformed criminal who had turned his life around. In 2007, he was the Director of Children's Services at Northwestern Human Services in Allentown. He was actually a drug kingpin. A raid at his home revealed 5 kilograms of cocaine in a safe in the basement. There were two bales of marijuana in the family room. Six loaded guns, including an assault rifle and shotgun, were strategically placed. And there was $50,000.

After five years in the can and a few more degrees, Batts claims he's reformed again.

Honest!

And those cops are really bad.

Fuck the police!

He's no Jean Valjean

Interestingly, Batts just happens to be a Board member at Resurrected Community Development Corp. (RCDC) Can you guess who the President and CEO is? If you thought it just might be Greg Edwards, you get a pop tart and are a bottom-feeding-blogger-in-training.

So Edwards is Chair of the Board that Batts serves, while Batts is on the Board that Edwards serves.

Can you say conflict of interest?

This musical chair arrangement should send up a few red flags.

RCDC is actually the umbrella for two educational programs, Resurrected Life Children's Academy and The James Lawson Freedom School. On the surface, these seem to be consistent with the nine promises of Promise Neighborhoods. But a third movement, Campaign for Change, is premised on the contention that Allentown School District is a failure. This is inconsistent with the goals of Promise Neighborhoods.

Under Batts, Promise Neighborhoods Has Failed to Keep Its Nine Promises

How much Batts is paid as Executive Director at Promise Neighborhoods is unclear. The 990 only requires that compensation be listed if it exceeds $100,000. So as of June 30, 2018, Batts was making less than that sum. Whether it's been increased will be seen when more recent returns become public. What is clear, however, is that Batts has failed to achieve any of the nine promises.

He's abandoned Bethlehem and Easton, for one thing. Promise Neighborhoods now only operates in Allentown.

He's actively worked against keeping kids safe and in stable communities. Instead of doing that, he has led chants of  "Fuck the Police" on his bullhorn and has done his best to undermine public confidence in public safety.  This former drug dealer, who has already ruined a number of black lives, was just this weekend soliciting volunteers for arrest.  He has sent gang members out to deliver diapers to expectant mothers, but has done nothing to help school-aged children actually learn. As a result, Allentown School District continues to suffer. In 2020, the graduation rate at William Allen was just 69%. Only 41% of the students were proficient readers, and just 31% grasped math.

Promise Neighborhoods needed an educator. It got a troublemaker.

Batts' failure is evident in the funds he has garnered. In the 990 for June 30, 2018, he reports revenue of $294,577. That's less than half what this nonprofit received the previous year. After expenses that included $163,393 in salaries for five employees, he had just $3,888 left.

In September 2019, he got a $150,000 grant to help stop youth violence, but has instead done everything he can to pit Allentown's youth against police. That grant should be pulled.

What Batts is really doing is what CACLV Executive Director Alan Jennings does to banks. It's a shakedown. Jennings threatens banks and the wealthy until they give him money and then becomes their cheerleader. Batts is pretty much doing the same thing. But he wants the money taken, not from banks, but the City's public safety budget.

33 comments:

Anonymous said...

You’re a best journalist covering Allentown.

Bernie O'Hare said...

More like beast journalist lol.

Anonymous said...

You are no journalist!

Anonymous said...

The amount of fraud and abuse within the ‘non-profit charity industry’ would probably shock most Americans. Some of these groups, like the famous Clinton Foundation with Haiti Relief, being used for money-laundering by political operatives. More scam than charity. Most likely hundreds of similar operations, including Black Lives Matter and, I suspect, Promise Neighborhoods. Also see the creative works of Al Sharpton, or various television Evangelists.

Another big scam can involve huge, upfront book publishing advances to politicians and others who mostly depend on ghost writers to do all the work. Of course, let’s not forget ridiculous fees paid to give a speech somewhere. Breaking recently, accounts of Insider Trading by Washington politicians.

Seems everything is ALWAYS about the money, doesn’t it?

Anonymous said...

"He's no Jean Valjean "

of course not. i am.

Anonymous said...

Some of your best work. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

So sad, where are our journalists, our investigations by the press? We get a lot of bull crap from the two local news. Looks like a lot of "normal" Allentown folks are just hunkered down trying to survive and the crazies and the "non profit" thieves are having a field day on our dime.

Anonymous said...

They should loose their Non profit status,This is excellent reporting and I laughed when you made reference to Jennings.It is sad because those monies should go to programs for kids.Gordon and Batts are crooks and the motive is Greed.

They are fools and should be reported to the State and Feds

Anonymous said...

What is the Pool Trust involvement in Promise Neighborhoods? How much money have they given Batts and company?

Anonymous said...

Schlossberg is an absolute moron.

Anonymous said...

Thank God there are (well, were) fine non profits like the Trump Foundation. Keep trying to hide those tax returns Donald!

Anonymous said...

Bernie is 100% on the money ... The organization should be investigated, and all funding should be pulled. This is nothing more than a cash revenue for convict batts and his associates ... Please list one thing that this organization has done for the betterment of Allentown !!!!

Anonymous said...

Lehigh valley and it's non profit organizations have a criminal mentation described in the DSM as a mental illness. The criminally insane are now warehoused in Norristown State Hospital.

Anonymous said...

Bernie, I can't comment on most of the details because I just don't know enough. But geez, aren't you an ex-con too? Is there no redemption? You seemed to have redeemed yourself - my goodness, why can't you extend that to others? My understanding is that Batts has done an excellent job organizing a covid info plan for neighborhoods in Allentown that had the highest rates of infection and death. Regardless, when you get on someone, you are brutal.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I am not an ex-con, but am a suspended attorney, and am reminded of it all the time,, including now. What bothers me about Batts is that he had gone to jail and was educated there, and claimed that he was empowered. But when he got out, he reverted to doing exactly what he had been doing. Now he claims he's reformed again. He still displays the thuggish attitude of a gang banger, as in "Fuck the police." He's a phony with a monumental ego who deserves a lot more, not less, scrutiny.

Unknown said...

So this reporter is better then the 1s that get paid. Bernie O'Hate what is thuggish attitude of a gang banger. Dr Batts was never a gang banger, but u would know that cause u are so informed,right? And he only did 4 years. It seems the only part of ur article or ur childish rant , was the part about how much he was caught with, which is used to make him look bad , but its cool the folks who love Dr Hasshan Batts understand hiccups in life and also that the deck of cards aren't ours. Keep on with ur "investigative" journalism into my brother and friend, it calls for great laughs and conversation at the board meetings

Anonymous said...

5:12
“...Covid info into neighborhoods.”
You’re delusional.
Send a big check off to Batts.

Bernie O'Hare said...

7:16, I certainly have every intention of digging.

Unknown said...

Y isnt my email by my comment

Unknown said...

ur defaming a great man who has served his time for his crime. Now u are saying he reverted to doing exactly what he had been doing. U mean selling drugs ? Be more clear we the people want to understand y some1 who has served their time cant be an upstanding citizen as urself like when u came home. Or is it that a black man with an education, that I might add he did not get in yalls prison system , is a threat to a lighter shade people who can't stand for have nots to have and prosper.

Anonymous said...

That was an amazingly fact-free read. Regardless of one's opinion of Batts, this is much more of an op-ed than a journalistic piece. This not journalism and your lack of training shines through. It's not picked up by the news as it barely squeaks by as an opinion piece and would probably get them sued.

Unknown said...

Exactly Anonymous, u would think a suspended attorney who has some shadey dealings in his past profession would be a little more careful and have alot more fact checks.

Bernie O'Hare said...

What really bothers you is that Batts is receiving some well-deserved scrutiny. Like I said before, I am reminded of my past all the time and expect to be reminded. If I claimed to be reformed and was caught doing the same things that got me in trouble in the first place, I would correctly be called a hypocrite. Batts is a hypocrite.

LVCI said...

August 6, 2020 at 10:35 AM Anonymous said... That was an amazingly fact-free read.
Considering Bernie has embedded 16 links, exactly what facts are you disputing?

August 6, 2020 at 11:29 AM Unknown said... and have alot more fact checks.
Will you be so kind to provide us with those "fact checks" you speak of. Don't forget the links to your source material as Bernie has done.

When people make these accusations then get called out I yet to see a qualified follow up response.

Unknown said...

I wouldn't call what ur doing well deserved scrutiny. If u were getting paid for this I'd say it was a waste of money. Before I run down ur racist practicing of the law and the issues u have with men of color, please inform us of what it is Dr Batts is guilty of? Is it of being in a position to help others? Or the fact that he wasn't sentenced to jail 4eva? Or is it because he had a title even after his incarceration? Yes he is a Dr. In which he obtained after he was released from prison, not while in. Nother fact u stated that should have been checked.
The attention is BEAUTIFUL that u are showing the Dr. I enjoy it, it shows he is doing right.

Anonymous said...

While you have identified some facts, you have already decided where you want to take the facts. You are simply fitting them to your own narrative. In your very first piece, your disdain for Batts' was obvious. You were clearly NEVER going to give him (or anyone else as I don't think your approach has boundaries on this topic) any credibility since he has a felony record. In your mind, he can never get away from what got him into trouble. If you extend that belief out, then no one who has engaged in any kind of grievous wrongdoing should be accepted again by society. Your approach is that there is simply no redemption. Don't argue that his current actions prove your point because they don't. You are simply interpreting everything you see about Batts to fit the narrative. It's small and petty. You have done some good reporting, but you've also engaged in this negative, demeaning, bullying approach to what you believe is journalism. This latest topic fits into the latter category.

Unknown said...

Thank u anonymous 🙏🏿 I also wanna add that Dr Batts being a black man might also be an issue. 1 great thing about journalism is understanding ur subject.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Hey unknown, it would be racist if I gave Batts special consideration bc he is black, and you have now made clear that is what you really want. Ain't gonna' happen. Nor do I have any particular interest in what you think constitutes good journalism. Over the years, I have garnered numerous journalism awards. The ones I like best are for investigatory journalism, which I got last year.

The facts show Batts is a two-time loser who pretended he was reformed and got caught. The facts show him as a man with anger issues, as in "Fuck the Police." The facts show him as exercising poor judgment, as when he doxed the mayor with info provided by Josh Siegel. The facts show him as a narcissist who quotes himself so that idiots like you can bow. The facts show that he and Edwards play musical chairs on nonprofit boards, a shady practice that needs to stop. The facts show that his nonprofit has broken every single one of the nine promises it has given, and that it has failed to give itself its promised report card for several years. The facts show he was actually recruiting black lives for arrest, which is antithetical to his own nonprofit's mission.

Thanks for playing.

Anonymous said...

Dig deeper!!

Anonymous said...

https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/news/g66l-2019/01/5842c667855878/sixfigure-charitable-compensation-salaries-100k-and-over-at-lehigh-valley-nonprofits.html


why i don't support any lehigh valley "non-profits" follow the money

Anonymous said...

Have you actually sat down and talked with this person? It's not like it's a big town. Maybe you should actually interview the person you're attacking and see for yourself.

Anonymous said...

As with every malaprop in the two local counties, NorCo and Lehigh, their bad acts get rewarded by putting in undeserved, better, positions AND they don't go to jail. Case in point...Hasshan Batts, Susan Wild, and Michelle Varricchio...they each have done repeated acts that they should be in jail for, or disbarred, but haven't had that happen to them.
Instead they get cushy undeserved jobs.

Anonymous said...

Hassan is trash. There is nothing great about him.