The budget impasse in Albany has forced a number of unhappy decisions. They include the possible closing of some senior centers, the cutting back on library hours and the closing of some state parks. None of these were popular decisions, but they appeared to distribute the pain.
That is not the case with the city’s decision to no longer pay for nurses at the city’s private schools. Last week, City Councilman Dan Halloran joined parents at Holy Trinity School, who were protesting the decision to make the private institutions pay the price to keep nurses on their staff.
The law requires parochial and other schools to keep a paid nurse on the staff whether they believe it necessary or not. The diocese has been struggling to keep the schools open while keeping tuitions affordable. If these schools close it will only increase the burden on the public school system.
Halloran noted that the diocese closed 27 schools in five years.
Many TimesLedger Newspapers readers will remember a time when the parochial schools did not have nurses and appeared to do “just fine.” But we disagree. Without nurses, what would schools do if a child is having an asthma attack, an allergic reaction or a diabetic attack? In such cases, nurses can save lives. They can also identify a child who may have a contagious disease.
If the city will pay for nurses at public schools — and it should — it should pay to keep nurses at all schools. Before the budget problem is resolved, some tough decisions will have to be made. Those decisions should be made fairly.
Way to Go, Betty
Last week, the corner of College Place and 12th Avenue in College Point was officially renamed in honor of Betty Pegen, a remarkable woman who came to be known as the “Gardening Angel of Poppenhusen Monument Park.”
Betty died two years ago at 95. She volunteered her time to clean and tend the garden in this park. Like Poppenhusen, Betty moved to this country from Germany. She noticed the little park was neglected and decided to take responsibility for it and nearby institutions, including the Poppenhusen Public Library.
She became a model of volunteerism and community spirit.
