To the editor,
The only time that teachers should be involved with guns in our public schools would be for a musical production of “Annie Get Your Gun.”
This has to be the most asinine suggestion ever made. Our recalcitrant students would be attempting to take the guns away with mayhem resulting. Teachers are there to teach and not be Marshall Dillon or Belle Starr.
For 19 years I taught in a public school where the fire alarms would be going off constantly. I still remember the school secretary, of blessed memory, saying over the pubic address system: “Please ignore the bells, please ignore the bells!” In today’s world that would be replaced by “Please ignore the shots.”
The problem is that no one wants to admit what the exact problem is because that would cost too much money. You don’t have to have a Ph.D. to see from early childhood which children will be causing problems as they go on in their school careers. These disruptive pupils are just ignored, and by June, they’re just pushed along. It’s the old up-and-out syndrome. Years ago when I complained to a supervisor about a disruptive student failing every subject, rated unsatisfactory in conduct by all his subject teachers and still being promoted, I was tersely told by my Assistant Principal: “Would you like to have him again next year?”
We refuse to do anything about disruptive students. Schools in this city went southward rapidly years ago when the 600-school concept for disruptive children was done away with. Therefore, severe problem students were placed in regular classrooms, with mayhem resulting. The public doesn’t realize that it is so much easier to blame the teacher for not motivating the recalcitrant. In addition, in our public schools a child can do just about anything, and if the parent refuses to sign for special education placement, the child remains in a regular classroom to continue to disrupt proceedings more. This has to stop along with our “brilliant” mayor’s idea of fewer suspensions and fewer metal detectors. This mayor must come from Mars and he has no business running our schools. Let educators run the education part and police officers and the military run the schools in matters concerning safety and discipline.
Ed Greenspan
Sheepshead Bay
Lanes bring pain
To the editor,
Again, Allan Rosen is correct when he states many of the state and city objectives to fund mass transit are to create situations that will cause traffic congestion. Special bus lanes, bike lanes, narrowing of streets and avenues in the name of traffic calming, pedestrian malls, CitiBike docking stations, construction permitted on every block, especially in Manhattan, without regard or coordination of street blockages and closures, and I could go on. Many of these measures are implemented to try to discourage driving. Sorry New York City, That ain’t happening. No mention, though, of regulating gigantic tour buses clogging narrow streets or for-hire cars — yellow, green, Uber, etc. — to help reduce congestion, just private cars. Now, wait until the geniuses at transportation “non”alternatives get their way, of course, and the protected bike lane on Fourth Avenue is installed. I am sure our trip down Fourth Avenue will even be more scenic as we cruise along at a top speed of maybe 10 mph. Fourth Avenue for the most part is one lane now, [with] double-parked trucks, cars, left-turning cars backing into traffic lanes. A real mess awaits, but this is what they want. I am sure Third Avenue will be their next target. Already for the most part one lane with never-ending, under-the-Gowanus construction. And by the way, the bicyclists will continue to ride in the traffic lanes, as they do everywhere else there are bike lanes, and of course with no legal consequences (i.e., a ticket).
Richard Hecht
Bay Ridge
Dog run daze
To the editor,
As a dog owner for decades, it is sad that the Democrats infesting City Hall continue to ignore the outer boroughs’ needs in favor of the millennial yuppies in the big city. They get wonderful places to walk their little pampered fluffy foofums. But when one looks at the state of our city over the past four years, everything from city housing to streets and subways are crumbling. No doubt with the gross amount of taxes we Brooklynites pay, we have no voice [about] our wants.
We dog owners have been “begging” for a clean and safe area in which to walk pets. Certain proposals to dump the walking area in the salt marsh — with disease-carrying ticks and fleas ruling the roost — are wholly unacceptable. The latest proposal costing $700,000 is a joke. A fence costs that much? Though, after seeing how the city got snookered into paying $6 million for a ramshackle park house in Marine Park, I guess some politician has to get a kickback from somewhere.
My daughter moved to Wisconsin, away from the stink of New York City, over five years ago and never looked back. I visited one of their dog runs in a park that floored me. Two ovals the size of the entire Marine Park were dedicated to pets. So when I take my floppy-eared basset hound “Prints” for a stroll in our park, I guess he — and maybe me — will be long gone before residents see a decent dog run serving residents of Marine Park.
Robert W. Lobenstein
Marine Park
Send activist home
To the editor,
I fully agree with Barbara Davis’ letter regarding Ravi Ragbir. In her letter, she correctly states: “Immigrants who break the law are a direct challenge to U.S. citizens who work hard every day and are forced to welcome and give sanctuary to immigrants who break the law.” Even Errol Louis’ recent article in [another] newspaper on Ravi Ragbir was right on target. Mr. Louis, who is a well respected political commentator, brought out all the pertinent facts about this convicted felon and thief. Ravi Ragbir has forfeited his right to remain in the United States. He preyed on innocent seniors who trusted him. Why is it that the progressive liberal politicians flock to support people like this, i.e., Mark Viverito’s support for an FALN terrorist and Congresswoman Yvette Clarke’s support of Ravi Ragbir? Are we governed by the Rule of Law or not? Immigrants who break the law forfeit their right to become citizens and live here. Ms. Clarke is quick to support this felon, but failed to support the award of the Purple Heart for Corporal Ernest James Hill, a 19 year old black Marine, who was killed serving his country when his cannon exploded while being engaged with the enemy in 1968. As Vietnam combat veteran, I wrote a letter published in the newspaper supporting this award for him. Where was Yvette Clarke’s letter? Where are her priorities? I applaud Ms. Davis and Mr. Louis in bringing out the truth.
Kenneth S. Katta
Dyker Heights
The debt knell
To the editor,
First it was the Democrats who doubled our national debt from $10 to $20 trillion over eight years under President Obama. Now it is the Republicans who will add $1.5 trillion more over the two years.
Will we ever learn from past mistakes and attempt to reduce both borrowing and long term debt instead of allowing them to grow yearly? The new $21.5 trillion federal debt is only going to continue growing by $1 trillion per year. This inheritance could bankrupt future generations.
Uncle Sam needs to do a better job with several trillion dollars in annual generated revenues already available, rather than pick the pockets of taxpayers for even more. It is time for a return to passing annual fiscal year budgets on time by Oct. 1, rather than a series of continuing resolutions to keep Washington open. Return to pay-as-you-go budgeting; means testing for all government assistance programs; real balanced budgets without smoke and mirrors. Stop hiding spending under so-called independent authorities whose budgets are off line with little or no oversight, along with actual surpluses and down payments to reduce long term debt for all levels of government. Everything needs to be on the table, including the infamous “third rails” of American politics — Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and military spending. How ironic that after winning the Cold War against the Evil Empire of Communism, it may be mismanagement of our economy that defeats us in the end. Unless we change our ways, America is on the road to losing our status as the world’s number one super power. Just like mighty ancient Rome before the collapse, we are going down the path to become the world’s super debtor.
Larry Penner
Great Neck
