26 The QUEE NS Courier • APRIL 10, 2014 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com editorial letters Charter schools nurture excellence Most people do not realize that every convenience, every trustworthy service we use, every reliable product we buy is the result of millions of people participating in the free market and making choices from a plethora of possibilities. In every service we use, every product we buy, the free market separates the excellent from the mediocre. Unfortunately there is no free market in the public school system. Charter Schools may be the catalyst for a new paradigm in public education. When you bring your car to be repaired or purchase a cake, you are expressing satisfaction with the service and product provided. Businesses must employ competent individuals whose work and product will attract, satisfy and fulfill the needs of consumers who have many choices and options. Patrons of public schools have no options. It matters little if parents are pleased or students educated since all children are mandated to attend by compulsory education laws. Charter Schools nurture excellence by introducing choice and encouraging competition. Today’s teachers’ salaries are based on date of birth and not on productivity. If competition and choice were available, the parents and students would determine the value of the teachers and schools. Parents and students would select schools with the best reputation and results. Teachers would have to compete to provide the most effective learning environment to attract the most students. If a school and its teachers fail to educate, everyone would know and the free market would determine the fate of that institution. It would go the way of the Edsel. Public schools are like the Edsel … but are protected by tenure. Ed Konecnik Flushing Farewell, Mickey Rooney The passing of actor Mickey Rooney has forever ended the Golden Age of the MGM movie musicals. With a career spanning nearly 90 years, he graced the screen with his infamous portrayal of young Andy Hardy, always in love with the girl next door, Betsy Boothe, who was played by his frequent co-star and lifelong friend, Judy Garland. He went on to make many more films throughout his long and distinguished career. Farewell, Mickey! Now the entire Hardy family is together forever. John Amato Fresh Meadows Secretive state budget process We should not celebrate Governor Cuomo and the State Legislature passing a budget on time. This is what they get paid to do. This budget was negotiated behind closed doors by Governor Andrew Cuomo, State Senate Republican Majority leader Dean Skelos, State Senate Democratic Independent Caucus leader Jeffrey Klein and Democratic State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. Only they, their key aides and many of the infamous Albany State Street lobbyists were privy to the details. Democratic State Senate minority leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Republican State Assembly minority leader Brian Kolb, along with virtually all members of the State Senate and Assembly, were left out of the process. There should have been an open budget process agency by agency. The public, media and members of the legislature should have been afforded sufficient time to read the fine print line by line, page by page and conduct an open debate before adoption. Larry Penner Great Neck IDENTIFY THIS PLACE Go to www.queenscourier.com and search “Identify This Place” to find out where this is QUEEN LIBRARY BROUHAHA We have read with interest the stories about Tom Galante, the head of the Queens Public Library. While the allegations seem to tell a tawdry tale, we withhold our judgment on those matters until all the facts are revealed. But there are several things we do know about Tom and the library system. Tom has been a tireless worker on behalf of the people of Queens, building the number one library system in the United States, winning numerous awards for excellence and expanding offerings well beyond the normal lending of books. The trustees voted to keep Tom in place and we support their decision. It would be a shame to change course because of the clamor of the crowd, especially so early in the process. The Queens Courier is not against accountability; nay, we are all in favor of it. But we urge all on the board and all of the lawmakers offering legislation to heed one of the cardinal rules of oversight: Get the facts before you act. QUITTING QUEENS The Courier decries the move by state officials to yank funding away from Queens hospitals that were running an extremely successful tobacco cessation program. The program was wildly successful and Queens led the city in referrals to the New York State Smokers’ Quitline. But the Department of Health, offering only the vaguest of reasons, shifted the money to the Manhattan-based NYU Medical Center. Perhaps the prestige of a big-name, university-affiliated research hospital swayed the state. But such snobbery — especially in the face of evidence in favor of the success of the Queens program — would be inappropriate and possibly a threat to the health of Queens residents looking to kick the habit. LIME DISEASE The lime shortage is starting to have a serious effect on Queens businesses as limes become scarcer and, therefore, more expensive. We hope our readers will bear with their bartenders and chefs as they scramble to find alternatives. But let’s be clear (if a little tongue in cheek) — there should be no worry about a scurvy outbreak. Lemons, oranges and even Vitamin C tablets should ward off that unlikely threat. HOLIDAY GREETINGS It’s the spring holiday season and we kick it off with Passover, a commemoration of the deliverance of the Jews from Egypt. It’s a time for families to gather at the Seder and to recount the Exodus, the triumph of one people over their oppressors. We wish our friends and THE QUEENS Victoria Schneps-Yunis Joshua A. Schneps Bob Brennan William J. Gorta Amy Amato-Sanchez Nirmal Singh Graziella Zerilli Stephen Reina Ron Torina, Jennifer Decio, Cheryl Gallagher Liam La Guerre, Cristabelle Tumola Angy Altamirano, Katrina Medoff Cliff Kasden, Samantha Sohmer, Elizabeth Aloni Cristabelle Tumola Maria Romero Louise Cavaliere Celeste Alamin Maria Valencia Daphne Fortunate Victoria Schneps-Yunis Joshua A. Schneps readers Gut Pesach. Publisher & E ditor Co-Publisher Associate Publisher Editor-In-Chief VP, Events, Web & Social Media Art Director Assistant to Publisher Assistant Art Director Artists Staff Reporters Contributing Reporters Web Editor Events Manager Senior Acount Executive Classified Manager Controller Office Manager President & CEO Vice President Schneps Communications, 38-15 Bell Blvd., Bayside, NY 11361 718-224-5863 • Fax 718-224-5441 website: www.queenscourier.com e-mail:[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Entire Contents Copyright 2014 by The Queens Courier All letters sent to THE QUEENS COURIER should be brief and are subject to condensing. Writers should include a full address and home and office telephone numbers, where available, as well as affiliation, indicating special interest. Anonymous letters are not printed. Name withheld on request. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, AS WELL AS OP-ED PIECES IN NO WAY REFLECT THE PAPER’S POSITION. No such ad or any part thereof may be reproduced without prior permission of THE QUEENS COURIER. The publishers will not be responsible for any error in advertising beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. Errors must be reported to THE QUEENS COURIER within five days of publication. Ad position cannot be guaranteed unless paid prior to publication. Schneps Communications assumes no liability for the content or reply to any ads. The advertiser assumes all liability for the content of and all replies. The advertiser agrees to hold The Quens Courier and its employees harmless from all cost, expenses, liabilities, and damages resulting from or caused by the publication or recording placed by the advertiser or any reply to any such advertisement. WORLD’S FAIR SUBMISSIONS CALL Did you or someone you know attend the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park? If yes, The Queens Courier is asking you to share your memorabilia and/or memories with us to commemorate the event’s 50th anniversary this April. You could win a dinner for two. Please email your entries to [email protected] with the subject line “World’s Fair Anniversary” or mail your entries to Editorial, 38-15 Bell Blvd., Bayside, NY 11361. Note: All photos/items become property of The Queens Courier.
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