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TERRY COOMESF R O M T H E P U B L I S H E R

C O M M E N T A R Y

� ousands mark ‘Bloody Sunday’

By JAY REEVES and DARLENE SUPERVILLE

Associated Press

SELMA, Ala. ◆ America’s racial history “still casts its long shadow upon us,” Presi-dent Barack Obama said Sat-urday as he stood in solidarity and remembrance with civil rights activists whose beat-ings by police a half-century ago galvanized much of the nation against racial oppres-sion and hastened passage of historic voting rights for mi-

norities. Tens of thousands of people joined to commem-orate the “Bloody Sunday” march of 1965 and take stock of the struggle for equality.

Under a broiling sun, the fi rst black U.S. president praised the fi gures of a civil rights era that he was too young to know but that helped him break the ultimate racial barrier in polit-ical history with his ascension to the highest o� ce. He called them “warriors of justice” who pushed America closer to a more perfect union.

“So much of our turbulent history — the stain of slav-ery and anguish of civil war, the yoke of segregation and

Charter schools rival unions

By DAVID KLEPPERAssociated Press

ALBANY ◆ For decades, teachers unions wielded un-paralleled infl uence over ed-ucation policy, using politi-cal muscle and deep pockets to support elected allies and punish opponents.

But as thousands of charter students, parents and teachers showed last week by gathering on the Capitol lawn in Albany, those days are over. The char-ter movement has emerged as a potent rival here and across the nation, using donations from well-heeled donors to mount increasingly sophisticated campaigns to boost charter schools, which are publicly funded but privately run.

In New York state, char-ter supporters have eclipsed the unions when it comes to money spent on lobbying ef-forts. They’ve also given gener-ously to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat who has vowed to bust up the “monopoly” of public education.

On Wednesday, they orga-nized a massive rally on the Capitol lawn that featured speeches by Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Republican Sen-ate Leader Dean Skelos, both charter supporters, and a per-formance by singer Ashanti. Thousands of children — all dressed in red T-shirts — were bused to the event from schools, mostly in New York City. Lunch was provided.

Organizers estimated atten-dance at 13,000, a number they said was based on how many buses arrived. They declined to say how much the event cost, or whether Ashanti was paid for her participation.

This year, Cuomo has pro-posed raising the number of

BILL FRAKES—ASSOCIATED PRESS

President Barack Obama speaks Saturday near the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. This weekend marks the 50th anniversary of ‘Bloody Sunday,’ a civil rights march in which protesters were beaten, trampled and tear-gassed by police at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma.

SHAWN LACHAPELLE—SPECIAL TO THE POST-STAR

The disc jockey booth is seen Saturday as students crowd the dance � oor during the 38th annual South High Marathon Dance at South Glens Falls High School in South Glens Falls. The Marathon Dance raised $621,680.

Break dancingBy CHRISTINA SCANLONcscanlon@poststar.com

SOUTH GLENS FALLS ◆ Natalie Langschultz, 3, sat pa-tiently in a chair Saturday af-ternoon as activity swarmed around her.

When a butterfl y was com-pleted with face paint on her cheek, she bounced o� the seat and went on her way, among thousands of people in atten-dance at the 38th annual South High Marathon Dance.

The butterfl y, said Natalie’s mother, Carrie, was in mem-ory of Natalie’s younger sis-ter, Abigail, who passed away Dec. 22.

Abigail was just 10 months old when she died from epi-

dermolysis bullosa, a rare ge-netic connective tissue disor-der that causes skin to blister and tear from minor friction or trauma.

Children with EB are known as butterfl y children because their skin is as fragile as the wings of a butterfly, Carrie said.

Epidermolysis Bullosa Re-search Partnership, an organi-zation that works to treat and cure EB, is one of 44 recipients

of the funds raised at the dance this year.

“It’s very surreal to be on this side of this,” Carrie said. As a 1997 South High graduate, she participated in the dance as a teen.

When Carrie was a senior, the school raised $52,800. The amount has continued to rise every year, with a record of $538,015.44 raised in 2014.

3 8 T H A N N U A L S O U T H H I G H M A R A T H O N D A N C E

By BILL TOSCANObtoscano@poststar.com

SOUTH GLENS FALLS ◆ The marathon is over, but the dancing isn’t.

For a dozen dance alumni, the 38th an-nual South Glens Falls High School Marathon Dance, which wrapped up Saturday, is only one of two major dances this month.

For the ninth year,

Marathon Dance alumni will attend another big-ticket marathon dance, traveling to Glen Allen, Virginia, for the ninth annual Deep Run (High School) Marathon Dance on March 20 to 21.

Last year, Deep Run raised a school record $254,220.92 for 12 lo-cal organizations. About 565 students took part, according to school o� cials.

The reason for the connection between the two dances is South High alumna Kathleen

Schools catch dance feverAnnual event raises

more than $621K

Teachers have less of a say as in� uence shi� s to movement

The South High Marathon Dance has raised more than $4.8 million in its 38 years. Here are a look at totals since 2010:

2015 $621,680

2014 $583,0152013 $489,7162012 $395,3522011 $326,2132010 $283,407

— shmd.org

F U N D R A I S I N G T O TA L S

Civil rights march of 1965 is remembered in Selma, Alabama

See SOUTH, Page A5

See ALL-TIME, Page A5 See CUOMO, Back Page

See COOMES, Page A5 See OBAMA, Page A3

Secret to success is shared across the United States

Today: Mostly cloudy with a chance of snow showers. High 35, low 16. Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy with a chance of snow showers. High 33, low 17. Details, Page A6, or www.poststar.com/weather.

Correction

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Did you remember to set your clocks ahead one hour?

2009 Pulitzer Prize winner

LACK OF CIVILITY

Some question if respect for others has disappeared

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