FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM NOVEMBER 29, 2018 • THE QUEENS COURIER 3
Senators secure $16M
for Pavilion repairs
New York’s senators have found $16 million to
continue the restoration of the New York State
Pavilion at Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten
Gillibrand said that the federal funds will be
used to repair and replace several electrical units
at the World’s Fair Park and other areas which
were severely damaged during Hurricane Sandy
in 2012.
Th e funds were allocated by the Federal
Emergency Management Agency to the New
York Offi ce of Management and Budget.
Th e iconic, space age structure was designed by
architect Philip Johnson for the 1964-65 World’s
Fair and aft erward was used as a concert venue, a
movie set and a roller skating rink before standing
vacant for decades falling into disrepair.
In 2014, offi cials at the city Parks Department
estimated it would cost $14 million to demolish
but Queens Borough President Melinda Katz
declared it would not be torn down but preserved,
saying it would “serve as an icon of
Queens that is recognized around the world,”
and allocating $1 million from the capital budget.
Most recently, in 2015, the New York
Structural Steel Painting Contractors Association
restored the crown of the pavilion to its original
“American cheese” yellow, a $3.25 million project
that was completed at no cost to the city, but
the three towers were left untouched.
Bill Parry
Caucus calls for longawaited
election
reform
Aft er voters in Queens and much of New York
City experienced problems at their polling places
on Election Day, one caucus of local lawmakers
is demanding action to improve the voting
process.
Th e Black, Latino and Asian Caucus (BLAC)
wants voting reforms and an overhaul of the
Board of Elections because of Election Day blunders,
which continue to primarily aff ect 3.5 million
voters of color across the city at poll sites.
Some of the dysfunction on Nov. 6 included
scanner failures, inaccessible poll sites and prolonged
wait times at voting booth.
“BOE’s inadequate preparation for the general
election disenfranchised an untold number
of voters, which demands a sweeping overhaul
at the agency,” said BLAC co-chair, City
Councilman I. Daneek Miller. “Only then will
we experience a greater and more diverse level
of participation at the polls; one motivated by
the measures we expect the Legislature to pass
next year.”
New York is one of 13 states that doesn’t permit
early voting and no-excuse absentee voting,
while states with a history of suppressing the vote
like Georgia have both, according to the National
Conference of State Legislatures. Th e U.S. Virgin
Islands, a United States territory, also has early
voting.
“In order to improve the numerous voting
issues in New York City, not only does the Board
of Elections need an administrative overhaul but
we must also reform the antiquated voting process,”
said Councilwoman Adrienne Adams.
“Our system is completely broken and desperately
in need of innovation.”
Naeisha Rose
Photo via Google Maps
Parents fume over bullying at Bayside Catholic school
BY JENNA BAGCAL
jbagcal@qns.com/ @jenna_bagcal
Some parents of children attending
a Bayside Catholic school have
accused students of bullying and said
that administrators have not done
enough in response to the incidents.
Alison Fernandez, the parent of
one former kindergarten student at
Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament
Catholic Academy, reached out to
QNS and the Times Ledger to share
her anger with how the school handled
the aft ermath of her son’s physical
assault.
Back in October, Fernandez said
that her son, whose name is being
withheld at the request of his parents,
was physically harmed by two thirdgrade
boys in the school’s bathroom.
“Two third-grade boys held him
down, slapped his penis, slapped his
butt and put paper towels down his
pants,” said Fernandez, who added
that no one from the school immediately
contacted her despite her son
telling the principal about the incident.
QNS reached out directly to OLBS
for comment but were instead
referred to the Diocese of Brooklyn
who handles all media for the Catholic
Academies.
Adriana Rodriguez, a spokesperson
for the Diocese of Brooklyn, acknowledged
that the diocese was made aware
of the situation and learned that “the
principal informed the NYPD, which
conducted an investigation and closed
the case without any further action.”
Additionally, the teachers spoke to
the kindergarten and third-grade students
who were involved and sent
home notes to parents to inform them
of the incident.
“At that time, the kindergarten student
did not say he was assaulted. It
was deemed to be a minor behavioral
incident of boys fooling around in
the bathroom. Th e students involved
did not appear injured or particularly
upset,” said Rodriguez.
Fernandez said that she and other
parents were told that the kindergarten
students were misbehaving in the
bathroom and no mention of bullying
was made. Her son told her that there
were other kindergarten students in
the bathroom and one of them was
picked up and forcibly put into a stall
by the older students.
During the investigation, Fernandez
said, that her son was interviewed
alongside the other children by
“undercover cops” at the Queens
Child Advocacy Center in Forest
Hills. Th e center, according to the
Queens District Attorney’s website,
was “established to coordinate and
expedite the investigation, prosecution,
and delivery of treatment services
in cases of child sexual abuse and
serious physical abuse, while ensuring
that victims receive eff ective and
immediate support.”
She noted that her son was the only
one who was not accompanied by his
parents during questioning.
“Th e other kids were interrogated
with their parents there and everyone
had the same story,” said Fernandez,
who believes that the other parents
may have collaborated beforehand.
Th e mother said that she wanted
the children to be expelled or disciplined,
but when the investigation
was over, the accused children were
still allowed to attend OLBS. She subsequently
pulled her son out of the
school for fear that he would continue
to be bullied.
“My son was bullied here and the
principal, the board of directors,
the superintendent of the dioceses
of Brooklyn did nothing!” wrote
Fernandez on her own Facebook page.
Aft er news of her son’s attack got
out, Fernandez received emails and
text messages from other parents who
said that their young children had
similar experiences. A parent who
wishes to remain anonymous claimed
that older students kicked and pushed
her kindergarten-aged son into the
bathroom wall. Fernandez said that
other parents told her that their child
was asked to “pull down his pants.”
But Rodriguez said that OLBS
took these allegations seriously and
changed the bathroom policy in
response to the initial investigation.
“Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament
Catholic Academy works every day
to ensure children are learning in a
safe and encouraging school environment.
It takes any allegation of bullying,
abuse or assault seriously. Since
this allegation was received, our policy
has been changed and now an adult
escorts the younger students to the
bathroom and stands outside,” said
Rodriguez.
In addition, the diocese spokesperson
said that the school has numerous
anti-bullying education programs
for their students. She added that the
school has received favorable reviews
from parents and students, and that
each school day begins with a prayer
to reinforce the golden rule: “Do unto
others as you would have them do
unto you.”
“Last month, the NYPD gave a presentation
to parents on bullying and
anti-bullying tactics,” Rodriguez said.
“Offi cers also gave an age-appropriate
presentation on anti-bullying tactics
to students in grades 1 through 4
with McGruff the crime dog. Students
in grades 6 through 8 are getting
a weekly program titled “Protecting
You, Protecting Me,” a program provided
by the Diocesan offi ce of PDHP
(Program for the Development of
Human Potential).”
But Fernandez said that the actions
taken by the school were not enough
and wants other parents to be aware
of what’s happening.
“A lot of people are scared to come
forward but I want people to be
aware,” she said.
Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Academy.
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