Your article “Bayside leaders fear influx of new HS students” (TimesLedger Newspapers, May 27-June 2) failed to include state Sen. Frank Padavan (R-Bellerose) among the “leaders” properly fearing this recent step in the destruction of quality education in our area. No wonder, as we have Padavan to thank for this travesty.
After years of telling us he sympathizes with parents and teachers protesting all the wrongs heaped upon our local schools during the past eight years, Padavan led the effort last year to give the mayor exactly what he wanted: absolute and unfettered control of the school system with no effective local input.
And do not let anyone tell you there have been meaningful changes in the law because there are none. The mayor got exactly the bill he paid for with his personal contributions to the Senate Republican campaign fund.
So let all the students, their parents and the alumni of Bayside High School join their counterparts at Cardozo and Francis Lewis high schools and say, “Thank you Sen. Padavan, for the legislation you promoted that lets the mayor close high schools instead of improve them.”
We are happy to handle the overflow. We love quadruple sessions. We are glad to start at 6:30 a.m. and go until 7 p.m. We love the portable trailers and look forward to more of them.
Sen. Padavan is as responsible for this as anyone. It is time for him to own up.
Melvyn Meer
Bayside
