Letters to the Editor
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
‘Powerful Stuff?’
Re: “Klein on Mayor’s Educational Record: ‘This Is Powerful Stuff,’ ” Julia Levy, Page 1, March 17, 2005. The deputy mayor in charge of education, Dennis Walcott, says, “class sizes are falling.” Oh, really? Last year, according to the Independent Budget Office, average class size in kindergarten rose for the first time in five years, and for grades K-3 in 15 districts, while declining in only 14. And this rise in class size occurred despite declining enrollment.
The IBO also found that there were over 1,000 missing classrooms in grades K-3 compared to the number the city had claimed to have formed with state funds, and a decline of over 600 classes in these grades over the last three years.
Classrooms are bursting in our middle schools and high schools as well, and this fall there were over 11,000 classes that violated the UFT contractual limit of 34, the most ever recorded. The administration’s implementation of the small school initiative has led to more overcrowding and a concurrent rise in school violence, not less.
Even worse, the mayor plans to spend only a paltry 2% of the additional funds the city will receive as a result of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity lawsuit to reduce class size, despite the fact that the Court of Appeals found that the overly large classes in New York City schools deprived our children of their constitutional rights to an adequate education.
LEONIE HAIMSON
Class Size Matters
Manhattan
In this article, Chancellor Klein is quoted as saying the unions are complaining because contract talks have broken down. This statement shows how out of touch Chancellor Klein is and how quickly he tries to dismiss honest and useful criticism. The fact is talks have not broken down.
The facts also show that while there are some genuinely innovative new small schools, the entire plan has not been well thought out. How else do you explain unprecedented overcrowding, serious budget problems, rising tensions in buildings that house multiple schools, and students assigned to themed schools who have no interest in being there?
JILL LEVY
President, Council of School Supervisors and Administrators
Brooklyn
‘Amnesty for Hezbollah?’
I was very relieved to read The New York Sun’s no-nonsense editorial “Amnesty for Hezbollah?” on March 16, 2005. As a Republican, and an active campaigner for President Bush, I was stunned when I watched his press conference, and also felt uncomfortable when viewing his fawning-like behavior with King Abdullah. Mr. Bush needs urgently, and without equivocation, to go back to his September 11, 2001, roots when he said that he will hunt down the terrorists no matter where they hide.
ADINA KUTNICKI
Ridgewood, N.J.
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