‘Mob Mentality’

What a shock to find what I consider perhaps the finest comedy every made, “Divorce Italian Style,” (except perhaps for some of the Lubitsch gems) owes something to the Sicilian mafia [Arts & Letters, “Mob Mentality,” March 4, 2008].

I agree totally with Mr. Giddens that the current hero worship of fictions like “The Sorpranos” is pathetic, but I never got the impression that the small role played by the Mafia — the Don Chichio character — in locating the cheating couple was crucial in anyway to the movie.

It was the entire ambiance of culture so well characterized and satirized at the same time that created such a great film.

DAVE O’NEILL
New York, N.Y.

‘Why I Resigned’

In regards to Diane Ravitch’s opinion piece and Peter Meyer’s letter about his article in “Education Next,” I would like to add that rather than cite opinions from ex-mayors like Edward Koch, or hedge-fund managers who have never had any children in the public schools, it would be better to look at some facts [Oped, “Why I Resigned,” February 15, 2008].

Or better yet, ask a parent. Student achievement is flat under this administration, parent discontent is sky-high, and despite a significant increase in spending, there has been little or no progress in improving learning conditions, with the result that our class sizes remain the largest in the state — and some of the largest in the entire nation.

The recent insult added to injury are mid-year budget cuts of more than $100 million imposed at the school level, while tremendous fat remains at the Department of Education headquarters, where there are literally hundreds of employees making more than $150,000 a year, and a public relations staff of 33 — in both measures, far outstripping any other city agency.

We recently released the results of a survey of more than 1,700 New York City public school parents — a larger number than sampled by any Quinnipiac poll. More than 80% said that overcrowding and class size have stayed the same or worsened over the last few years, and more than 70% believed that class size reduction was the most important reform measure to improve our schools. On testing, more than half opposed the DOE policy of holding back students primarily based on standardized exams and felt that the emphasis on the results of such exams caused too much stress for their children. When asked about the new initiative that will pay students for high test scores, parents overwhelming opposed it.

A substantial majority of respondents believed that mayoral control should be ended or amended by the state Legislature. Nearly 800 parents provided detailed comments on this issue, which clustered around several main themes. There was a lack of checks and balances in the current system, leading to almost dictatorial powers being exercised by the mayor and chancellor. The views of important stakeholders such as parents had been routinely ignored, and our school system has been run more like corporation than an educational enterprise.

LEONIE HAIMSON
Executive Director
Class Size Matters
New York, N.Y.

---

Please address letters intended for publication to the Editor of The New York Sun. Letters may be sent by e-mail to editor@nysun.com, by facsimile to 212-608-7348, or post to 105 Chambers Street, New York City 10007. Please include a return address and daytime telephone number. Letters may be edited.