Dee Richard proved she has no ability to objectively view either hardworking teachers nor our imperial mayor in her March 10-16 column “Union members show mayor disrespect at St. Pat’s parade.”
First, while Richard and the mayor believe his royal highness is above questioning, we commoners still have the First Amendment and facts on our side. As the Rockaway Wave reported, the criticism of the mayor was for his detachment from the reality of us non-millionaire New Yorkers. Parade participants called the mayor to account for his inept response to the blizzard, useless bike lanes and, yes, his lies concerning the education of our children.
And if the parade was non-political, as Richard wrote, then the mayor — who grossly insulted all Irish Americans recently, then arrogantly expected those of us who share his faith to back him up — had no business being there. He made it a political event with his presence and had to expect the reaction he received.
Second, I believe it is a patriotic duty for parents and teachers to show children that this is a democracy, where even a billionaire mayor who deceitfully purchased a third term in spite of term limits imposed by the voters can be held to answer for his actions.
Third, it is Richard and King Mike who fail to see that all must give in these times — including his wealthy buddies who recently were given an unearned tax cut by congressional Republicans. By extending the millionaire’s tax of a couple percent, we would prevent cuts to senior centers as well as keep class sizes from going through the roof.
As a proud public school parent and teacher, I know times are tough. But letting King Mike lie about layoffs being needed when Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said there is no need for even one teacher to be let go would be irresponsible. The city has a $3.1 billion surplus. In addition, class sizes are already as large as they were in 1978, when we were just coming out of the 1970s fiscal crisis. Neither Richard, Mike nor city Schools Chancellor Cathie Black would last five minutes alone in front of a classroom with today’s class sizes. None of them would last five seconds in a class of 40 or 50, which would be the reality my son would face if Richard and the mayor get their way.
Next, as a parent I would object if teachers were replaced by TVs. Richard, if TVs are so good and class size does not matter, why did our uniquely unqualified chancellor and Mayor Mike both send their kids to posh private schools with teachers and small class sizes.
And how is a TV supposed to keep a kid safe in a shop class at my son’s school? How is that TV supposed to keep a kid from drowning in a school pool?
Mayor Mike lied about helping schools like Beach Channel High School. His minions cut funding to Beach Channel, then denied the people of the Rockaways legal notice of meetings concerning the future of their children. Instead, he and Black have done everything to deny the children of the Rockaways a guaranteed seat on the Peninsula.
Richard, here is your steaming dish of humble pie with a side order of facts. Hope you find it tasty — after you give the teachers and citizens of the Rockaways their well-deserved apology.
David S. Pecoraro
Rockaway Beach
