Letter to the Editor: Rising fuel prices

I agree with this letter writer from Holland, NY. People need to open their eyes to the things going on around them. Congressmen hold press conferences about trivial things like steroids in baseball and NFL blackouts, yet do nothing about the rising costs of gasoline. For people living paycheck to paycheck, gas costs are a huge issue.

In NY state, much of the cost can be attributed to our ridiculously high state taxes, yet you won't hear a peep on this issue from our Assemblymen or State Senators. Why are we paying them $90,000 per year again? Useless...

Politicians must act to reduce fuel prices

Paying $4 a gallon for fuel is ridiculous! Wake up, New York. Wake up, America. Get informed and get involved. Are your wages going up as fast as the fuel prices or food prices? No. But your failing presidents and political minions are. When will people start to complain? When will they take five minutes and tell all the politicians to do their job or get out? I’m tying an American flag on my antenna to show them all I protest the job politicians are doing and to protest the way-too-high price of fuel.

Frank Kolbmann
Holland

Letters to the Editor: West Seneca

 
I agree completely with this letter writer from West Seneca. I find it very annoying when local leaders try to make themselves look good by introducing irrelevant "fluff" legislation. A perfect example of this is West Seneca Supervisor Sheila Meegan. The former Seneca Mall site has been sitting vacant for 25 years and she's more concerned about the number of cats people have in their household. What would this woman do if she ever had to go out and find a real job?...

West Seneca should focus on real issues

As a West Seneca resident, I concur completely with the writer to this column about the supposed feral cat problem we are experiencing in our town. I am also a responsible owner to multiple indoor cats and have never witnessed hordes of strays on anyone’s property.

I must take umbrage with Town Supervisor Sheila Meegan for making this her platform concern at this time. Whether isolated or exaggerated, I am astounded by this displaced focus on a non-issue.

In lieu of trying to abate the cat population, I have a few proposals. Tend to the high unsightly weeds growing out of the sidewalks, paint the rusty guardrails along every bridge, keep vacant lots mowed, lure businesses to occupy vacated stores and gas stations, and please do something with the old Seneca Mall site. All of these are an embarrassing eyesore!

Elizabeth D. Sikorski
West Seneca

Letter to the Editor: Chameleon Schools Scam

 
I have to agree with this Buffalo News letter writer from Depew. Don't be fooled by the Chameleon Schools Project and local scam artist Stephen Polowitz. This snake oil salesman would have you think he was going to go into the Waterfront School and East High School and turn them around.


Here's what his group would do: They would get rid of all second language students and send them to nearby Buffalo Public Schools. They would get rid of all students with behavior problems and send them to other Buffalo Schools. They would get rid of all well behaved students with low test scores and send them to, you guessed it, other Buffalo Public Schools. The word would get around that the two "new" schools were now decent and a better class of citizenry would apply.Guess where the new students would come from? You guessed it:Other Buffalo Public Schools. In three years, the student body makeup would be completely different than it is today. All the students rejected from the Chameleon Schools Scam would be somebody else's problem (specifically PS School #31 and Burgard HS, among others).


The only winners in this would be Polowitz and his band of thieves. Have you ever seen the salaries of the people in charge of the Charter Schools? They treat their staff like garbage, strip them of all their benefits, and replace them with people desperate for work. However, they are very generous to themselves. In their world, it doesn't matter who the teachers are. If the students come from better home environments (which they will), the test scores will go up and they can tell a misinformed public that they "turned around a failing school". We're all on to your greedy scam Polowitz. Why don't you go on TV and sell get rich quick schemes at 2AM?


As one school rises another will decline


Would the Waterfront School be a better school as a magnet? Absolutely, yes. But why and at what cost to the district as a whole?


Would Waterfront Magnet continue to accept recently arrived emigrant children despite their poor grasp of the English language? Or would these students be directed to other city schools? These students take standardized state tests as soon as they enter the system. One school's rise in the ratings would probably be another's demise.


It's obvious that if you are building something, the better the raw materials, the better the product. If you can select the student base, you should produce better results.


David W. Teloh


Depew
Plan turns East High, Waterfront into charters

Letter to the editor-Buffalo's Waterfront

 


Tireless letter writer Marty Farrell is at it again. In his latest contribution, South Buffalo's most prolific Parrotthead praises recent improvements at the waterfront, even calling for dunk tanks and an appearance by Jimmy Buffett, who incidentally, Farrell has seen in person over 70 times...


Buffalo's Waterfront is finally blossoming


I continue to be amazed and thrilled with the progress made with the Buffalo waterfront. Daily sporting activities, major concerts and top-notch restaurants have made the Erie Canal Harbor the place to be this summer. To make this area even better I’d like to suggest a community swimming pool, a dunking tank for politicians that stall progress and a concert by the king of summer, Jimmy Buffett. Thanks to Buffalo Place, our much-maligned city is finally turning the corner and  its future can only get brighter.


Marty Farrell
West Seneca



"Yes I am a pirate. 200 years too late..."

Letter to the editor: frustrated citizen

 

The scumbags have won. People like this letter writer have basically conceded that we're going to get ripped off. It's hard to argue with him when he is correct, especially his point about the harrassing robo calls we get from the political lowlifes. So true...


Elected officials care only for themselves

Personally, I don't care who gets elected. It just doesn't matter - you can't please everyone and when elected they don't or can't do as promised.

If our elected officials would like to help us, they should eliminate 50 percent of the elected positions and 50 percent of their staff and pay 50 percent of their health care and no pensions until after eight years of service. This would get America out of debt in two years.

Now, with that said my concern is the annoying robo call to elect whomever. I'm on a do not call list. And it works 95 percent of the time, so let us put the politicians in this class.

So, when busy in my wood shop or working in the house I will not be bothered. Oh, and don't tell me to "press 3" to take my name off the list - I have rotary dial phone. Anyhow, thanks for listening. We know it won't change because it is the elected officials who have to make the change and we know they need the job.

Richard Grotke
East Aurora

Letter to the editor: Fat broads throwing superballs

 
A very interesting letter from yesterday's Buffalo News...


Outrageous behavior is becoming the norm


On June 10, I was pumping gas in Amherst. I was wearing my sunglasses and facing the store. Out of the door walked two women about age 30 who were noticeably overweight. They accused me of staring at them. I did see them, however, I was pumping my gas, not staring at them. Next thing I knew, something hit me in the face. It was a hard yellow ball. I didn’t know what hit me. They drove off, flipping me the bird and yelling out the window “ha, ha, Superball.”
We are living in a society of barbarians on the road (road rage), in the neighborhoods (shootings), with workplace bullies, drunken drivers who don’t own up to their offenses and get away with it, thanks to the defense lawyers, and now this type of behavior.
Rose Mary Grancharoff Girone  
Buffalo


I don't know what relevance the women's weight had to do with their behavior in this instance. However, this letter made me laugh. We've all been in line at the local gas station and crossed paths with the trashers. They're usually buying cigars (to smoke their weed), lottery tickets,and booze. They take six years to order their scratch offs. Never once do they stop and think that there are people behind them (who actually might be on their way to work.


These are the type of people worthy of being stared at (much like you'd stare at an animal at a zoo.)Personally, I try to look the other way, especially now that I know they may be carrying superballs.

Letter to the editor: No goal. No Joel

After Donny Esmonde professed his undying love for local flimflam artist Joel Giambra, I had several people ask my opinion on it. Since I do everything in my power to avoid Esmonde's schoolgirl rants, I was able to avoid reading it. Most WNY residents are perfectly happy with life without Joel. He is clearly a snake oil salesman. However, it doesn't surprise me that Esmonde is fooled by his nonsensical BS...


Luckily for taxpayers Giambra era is over


A May 20 Donn Esmonde column dealt with the possible consolidation of Erie Community College into one campus. He stated that maybe the Joel Giambra era is not over. That statement turned my stomach. I’m confident that the former county executive would fund this scheme by raising the taxes again.


Ron Ball
Cheektowaga

Letter to the editor: Vacant lots

The News published this letter from a Buffalo woman, who feels East side residents should stop whining and pitch in themselves to clean up their neighborhood and mow vacant lots. While I agree with her in principle, it's a tough call. Knowing how much waste takes place in city hall, I wouldn't even think of spending any time or money (even a few bucks) to do something that they should be doing...

Neighbors could mow more vacant lots in Buffalo

I was appalled after reading the article regarding the city workers’ lack of getting all the vacant lots mowed on the East Side of the city. What do people expect, when the workers show up to mow and first have to clean up the garbage the neighbors have thrown into vacant lots rather than putting it out for garbage pickup? Why is there everything from old furniture to carpet to dead animals thrown in these vacant lots? Why are there hoses running through these lots from one house to another? Show some pride in your neighborhood! Is there a reason you can’t run your lawn mower through a vacant lot if the grass is growing and the city hasn’t gotten to it yet? 

The city has only a limited number of workers and equipment. Isn’t it sad that the city as a whole pays the salary of these workers and yet only certain areas of the city have a need for them to come mow lawns? It is your neighborhood, take control, show some pride, it doesn’t take much to mow a city lot. It doesn’t have to be groomed, just keep it mowed and garbage free. If you see people using a vacant lot as their own dump, call and report them. Instead of sitting on your best intention, get up and do something. You don’t see city crews mowing vacant lots in South Buffalo or North Buffalo. Could it be because people who live in these neighborhoods take pride in where they live? To those who stated they want out of the East Side, nothing will change by moving unless you change your attitude. I understand that you don’t own these properties but you can do something to improve them. Why doesn’t a News reporter ride along with the city crews and see what they are up against, then do a story on that? 

Sandi Germain Buffalo


I don't know about North Buffalo. But in South Buffalo, it's the City Hall Rooster and his crew who mow many of the vacant lots.They also mow lawns for the elderly. Sometimes he gets paid by the Councilman. Other times, he is left out of the budget and volunteers his time. He uses his own vehicle and is not reimbursed for gas. Other South Buffalo groups like to promote themselves and march in parades, etc. However, the Rooster's crew is the one I see out there on the streets doing the work. 

As for Sandi's letter, she is absolutely right. But doesn't she realize people are taught from a very young age that the government will feed their kids, put a roof over their head, pay their medical bills, etc? Everything else is provided. Why take 10 minutes cutting a lot when it's so much easier to call the news and complain about it?
Neighbors could mow vacant lots in Buffalo

Letter to the editor- Sore loser?

When I scolded Mickey Kearns in this column for his verbal about face on Sheldon Silver one week after the election, I felt I had the right to do so. One of the reasons the non-political constituents voted for Kearns, was his pre-election declaration that he would "never" support Silver. So when he gave the Buffalo News a wishy washy politically correct response on Silver, I expressed my displeasure with it.

For a member of the South Buffalo politically entitled class to do the same is the height of hypocrisy, however. According to the attached letter, the letter writer is devastated by Kearns' post-election comments. If you didn't know any better, you would think she was an upset Kearns' supporter and not a card carrying member of the Byron Brown/Brian Higgins Fan Club. But I guess, years of lies by Higgins, Tim Kennedy, and Byron Brown (all people she supports), haven't left as much of a negative impression on her.

Chris Fahey's attempted "anointing" was one big lie, albeit a failed one, by the neighborhood political degenerates. In fact, the only people who even knew Fahey were his relatives, the Bflo News Editorial Board, Silver himself, and the the neighborhood committeemen (all people looking to preserve the status quo). When questioned by reporters before the election, even Higgins' dog said he had never heard of Fahey.

God bless the South Buffalo phonies. These are the same diehard Catholics who will be supporting Kennedy over me this summer, despite his support for late term abortions. Obviously, they pick and choose who and what they are "outraged" by based on what the candidates can do for them. That's ok, though. Your Blogger will be here to set the record straight...

Too many candidates do about-face after election

For as long as I can remember—I think it began in fourth grade, a very long time ago—I was taught that the right to vote was a privilege and that I had an obligation to become informed and make my decision and choice based on the issues and what was best for the country, or the county, or the city and my fellow citizens.

So, in the recent special election for assemblyman in the 145th District, I listened, I read, I watched both candidates lay out what they felt were the most important concerns of the district and how they would approach and work to fulfill their goals for their constituents. On March 20, I and about 12,000 other citizens cast our ballots for the person we felt could best serve us.

Two days later, in this very paper, I read that the winner, who adamantly stated over and over again that if elected he would never work with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, proclaimed, “that was stuff that was said during the campaign.” I’m not so naive as to believe that everything said in the heat of a campaign is carved in stone, but this really hit me in the pit of my stomach. Two days after the election, a complete turnaround without missing a beat. Makes you wonder, does it even matter anymore? I still think it is a true privilege to vote, but I would hope that those who seek public office, which is a public trust, would speak honestly about their real intentions.

Patricia Crowley
Buffalo
Too many candidates do about-face after election

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Letter to the editor- Debate over pensions

It will be interesting to see what happens in the future between the politicians, the unions, and people like this letter writer. I'd like to see private sector employees fight for higher wages and more rights.

It's the same thing with schools nowadays. The charter schools treat their teachers like garbage. Morale could not get any lower than it was at the school I was at. Teachers often had good suggestions, but were afraid to bring them up. Those that did were labeled troublemakers and sent packing...

If pension is poor, then work elsewhere

There seems to be a lot of controversy over the passage of the Tier VI pension plan for “yet to be employees” to fill “yet to be open positions” in the future state work force.

For those concerned about “yet to be employees” having the future of their families stripped away from them, they should be reminded that this is still a free country, and they can spare themselves the agony of that future by choosing to work in the private sector. If the Tier VI plan is so inadequate that it fails to attract a work force, maybe the state can outsource the work and spare the taxpayers the burden of future pension liabilities.

Al Grabowski

Elma

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Letter to the editor- Public sector employees

How do you disagree with this letter writer from East Aurora? Public sector employees don't realize how good many of them have it? The people at the top in the private sector are ruthless. The workers have very little leverage or rights. At many jobs, in order to take a day off, you have to find someone to come in for you. My friend is a restaurant manager for a large chain. If he uses a sick day, he has to make it up later in the week, when he has off.
I would like to see both private sector workers and public sector workers start working together against the real villains-large corporate interests. Public sector employees are not bad people at all. However, I can also understand the frustration expressed in this letter...
Time for public workers to join the real world

I have worked in the private sector for more than 37 years. In that time, my colleagues and I have had to forgo wage increases, sometimes for four years in a row, during the late ’80s and early ’90s. I’ve watched the company I work for have layoffs and reductions in force to remain competitive. During my time in the work force, the Social Security Administration has been forced to increase the age of retirement for my age group from 65 to 66x, and had its treasury sacked by the U.S. government to be given away to people who haven’t worked a day in their lives.

Now I have to read letters in The News written by public service employees whining that Tier VI that will raise the retirement age for public service employees to 65. Welcome to the real world. I’m also sure that the “tiered” raises for teachers, and the plastic surgery clause in the Buffalo Teachers Federation contracts is “for the children.”

James M. Stern

East Aurora

Time for public workers to join the real world



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Letter to the editor- Bills' lease

South Buffalo's Marty Farrell took some time off from the Jimmy Buffett concert tour to write a letter to the Buffalo News regarding the Bills' stadium lease. We as a community have to decide where our priorities and limited resources should go.

It's political suicide for the local politicians to oppose funding for the Bills. The billionaire owners have the taxpayers by the short hairs and they know it. Everyone loves the Bills, but I think the collective community is sick of having a gun pointed at it's head. With the recent hopeful news coming out of Roswell, I'd trade the Bills winning 10 Super Bowls for a cure coming out of Western New York. I'm sure everyone reading this has been affected by cancer. What an amazing accomplishment that would be...

Funding Roswell Park is more vital than Bills

I can’t understand Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s decision to cut funding to Roswell Park while he promises to spend millions of dollars and do everything in his power to see that the Bills stay in Buffalo. The Bills’ economic impact to the area is minimal and is costly to taxpayers. It is just a game, while Roswell Park involves saving lives. Should this topic even be debated?

Martin Farrell

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Letter to the editor- NFTA raising fares

I couldn't agree more with this letter writer from Cheektowaga. Donna Dusczak aptly points out that one of the signs of a great city is it's transportation system. If that's the case, Buffalo has it's work cut out for it. The NFTA seems completely out of touch with the needs of it's customers. They are also not held accountable to anyone. Dusczak offers some sound suggestions including cutting salaries at the top, using smaller buses for lighter routes, and lowering the fares to attract more customers. You mean running it like an actual business? What a novel idea...

Reduce NFTA salaries instead of hiking fares

I read the front-page News story “The buck stops here,” which pertained to the City of Rochester and how it compared to the City of Buffalo’s Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority.

The NFTA should be ashamed of itself. It needs to cut all administrative salaries by at least 10 percent; send out smaller buses for lighter routes; and lower the fares, not increase them. By raising fares and cutting routes, the NFTA is preventing people from getting to jobs, thereby hindering job growth.

It has been said that one of the signs of a great city is its transportation system. Need I say more?

Donna M. Duszczak

Cheektowaga

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Letter to the editor- Angry Alison

I'm glad some people are finally speaking up about student behavior in the Buffalo Public Schools. There have been at least three letters this week in the Buffalo News pointing the finger where it needs to be pointed: at unruly and disrespectful students.

Sam Radford and the group Citizen Action think it is the teachers' job to raise children. Parents of the schoolchildren are not held accountable in their view, because that wouldn't be politically correct. These people live on Mars and have no idea how poorly behaved many (not all) students are in the Buffalo Schools. The students demand (not ask) to use the bathroom. They are outraged that anyone should tell them to put their cell phones away during class. Many feel it is within their rights to walk around and disrupt the class. Despite being given everything for free, they can't be bothered to show up with pens, paper, etc. Fortunately, people with common sense are starting to respond to the kooks who want to blame the adults in the buildings. We're living in the real world, bleeding hearts. Go into the classrooms at some of these schools and see what is really going on. This isn't some kind of Michelle Pfeiffer movie we're talking about...

Don't blame teachers for terrible behavior

I am a Buffalo teacher and a Buffalo Teachers Federation Executive Committee member. I am writing in response to the article, “Dozens take district to task over suspensions.”

Suspensions are not given for minor offenses and primarily to “students of color.” There are rules of behavior for students. If they disobey these rules, whether the child is white, black or purple, rich or poor, there are consequences. Cellphone use, tardiness, destroying school property, bringing in weapons, wandering the halls, swearing and fighting are not just minor offenses. I have witnessed a child saying, “get off my d---” after being politely asked to sit down, a student screaming, “what the f---are you looking at” to a teacher, texting to arrange fights and lavatory destruction. Despicable!

Students are not “kicked out of school and put into the streets.” There is protocol and behavior modification plans. Work is given to suspended students. There is not “a lack of black history taught in the schools.” Black history is integrated into our entire curriculum. Black History Month is also celebrated. There are not “too few black teachers.” Students should behave for and learn from any teacher, regardless of color. There is no place for racial bias and bigotry.

Parents must take responsibility for their children. Children are “dying in the streets” not because of teachers, but because of poor parenting. Know where your children are at all times. Ten-year-old children should not be out roaming the streets at midnight. Insist on proper bed times so that your children can make it to school on time. Read to them. Make sure that they complete their homework. Attend meetings even if they are “not on the bus line.” Find a way to be an integral part of your child’s life. Parent your children!

Alison Hall
Buffalo

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Letter to the editor- War on teachers

This letter from today's Buffalo News illustrates the lack of respect and appreciation some people have nowadays for the teaching profession...

Have teachers tutor students over the summer

As I read about the abysmal decrease in test scores and the ever increasing teacher tax (school taxes), I can’t help but ask if there isn’t something we can find for the teachers to do in the summer time instead of walk around in flip flops and put on sun screen. Their salaries are very good, even compared to those who work 12 months a year, so can’t we have them tutor or teach the failing students in the summer? The teachers get tanned while the students get bland.

Robert Bijak

Clarence Center

Come on, Robert. This is the type of attitude some students bring into the classroom because of parents like you. I'm not a teacher, however, they deserve every day off they get. Compare their salaries to other jobs that require a masters degree. People need to stop being jealous of other professions and fight for their own workers' rights.

I remember hearing that garbage-men worked only four hours a day and were paid for eight. Naturally, I took a job as a seasonal garbageman. I never worked a four hour day once. My day was usually between 5.5 and 6.5 hours with no breaks. Back then, every lifter had a bad back from lifting heavy cans (and refrigerators, couches, washers, etc.) each day for hours on end. We had a man killed on a truck and several other serious accidents, in only the six months I worked there. I was in good shape back then, and I couldn't have done that type of lifting for eight hours, five days a week. It's the same with teachers. Robert, if you think they have it so well, go back to school, accumulate $50,000 in student loans, and become a teacher. People like Robert think it is the teachers' job to be surrogate parents. Here's an idea: use the summer months to read to your own children.
Have teachers tutor students over summer


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Letter to the editor- Sam Hoyt

A Buffalo News reader from Hamburg accurately points out how incompetence and failure are superseded by political connections in Andrew Cuomo's administration. Sam Hoyt proves that it pays to be the entitled son of a New York State lawmaker. 30 years of collecting dust in Albany, Andrew Cuomo rewards this blowhard with a fake job title. I blame the voters of North Buffalo. How could you people have been so stupid, to continuously reelect this imbecile?...

Hoyt's failures somehow gets rewarded with big post

I have to hand it to Sam Hoyt, here he is about to be kicked to the curb in a rigged district, and he gets a plum from the governor. The governor who promised ethics reform, promoted Hoyt. How does this guy do it?

Thomas C. Barrett

Hamburg

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Letters to the editor: The red light camera scam

A letter writer from East Aurora correctly points out that Mayor Casey's red light camera scam is just that. A scam. It's not a safety issue, but a for-profit venture by the city to fleece more taxpayers out of their hard earned money. We are still waiting for Casey to come up with one idea to encourage people to move into the city...

Red light cameras are another tax on citizens

I’m dismayed by those who describe red light cameras as a safety measure instead of what they really are—another way to tax citizens without calling it a tax. These cameras are generally administered by a “for profit” third party, with a cut of the profits going to the municipality. Both parties have a vested interest in manipulating the system to maximize the number of tickets issued. Since my space is limited here, do a Google search for “red light camera scams” to see how this is accomplished in other cities.

The idea that there are drivers who routinely and intentionally run red lights is questionable. If that were true, they would soon be removed from the driving pool via fatal accidents. The majority of offenders occasionally misjudge a traffic light, and pass through the intersection a fraction of a second late.

Michael Sartori

East Aurora

Good letter from Mr. Sartori. Brown, Casey, and Councilman GoLISPek: You're not fooling anyone. We're all on to your ridiculous money grabbing scams...

Roxanne
You don't have to put on the red light
Roxanne
You don't have to put on the red light...

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Letters to the editor: Frustrated music teacher

Here is a great letter to the editor from the music teacher at Burgard High School. While I agree with 100% of what he says, I think the new principal there needs to give him a "personal day" before he hits some student over the head with a trombone...

Students' performance is tied to attendance

As some have pointed out, one of the biggest challenges to improving achievement in the Buffalo Public Schools is attendance. We simply cannot improve test scores and graduation rates if the students are not at their desks. But the District Parent Coordinating Council proposes to address the district’s poor performance by keeping their kids out of school! Perhaps a better idea would be to find a way to get more of them in school.

Every day, students cut school, or cut classes, or arrive late. Or they sit in an in-school suspension room (often for failure to serve multiple detentions they received for cutting class or being late). Or they are suspended from school for fistfights or other serious offenses. The School Zone blog on The News’ website has databases of attendance and suspension rates at Western New York schools for anyone who wants to see what we are facing.

Buffalo’s teachers, administrators and board members all share the parents’ dissatisfaction and frustration. We all want our kids to succeed and we are all searching for answers. So I ask DPCC members and parents to help us. Demand that your kids be in school, on time. Stop by and check on them, if you can. Demand that they be attentive and respectful. Demand that they show up to every class with pens, pencils and paper, but without cell phones. Make it clear to your children that fighting in school is unacceptable, that getting pregnant is not a career choice, that you expect them to take responsibility for their own education.

Tom Fenton

Music Teacher Burgard High School Buffalo

I could just picture the letter writer at the CPG Grille on a Friday afternoon at 4PM, downing shots: "Make it a double. I hate those fu*k*ing little bastards!"

While I can understand the frustration the parents' council has towards the Buffalo schools, taking the students out of class for a day is not the answer. The teacher here is correct. If Reverend Pridgen spent a few days observing the behavior of many of these students, it would really open up his eyes. As the letter writer implies, discipline and lack of responsibility on the students and many of their parents is the main cause for the schools' poor performance. Talk to any teacher in Buffalo. There are great kids in every class in every school in the city who aren't able to learn because of a few disruptive students.

And it's not disruptive like you see in the movies. I'm a substitute teacher in Buffalo, which is the equivalent to spending two tours of duty in Vietnam.These particular students are belligerent. They would not get away with this type of behavior anywhere else. Why do we allow it in the United States? The good parents, students, and teachers need to take back the schools from these troublemakers. Right now, in our current system, these particular students control the schools. And they know this. It might make a good news story for Reverend Pridgen and the Parents' Council to blame the teachers. However, if the community really wants to change the situation, they need to look in the mirror...

Students’ performance is tied to attendance

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Letters to the editor- Crappy parents + crappy children = a crappy school

I agree with this letter writer about the concerns parents have about teachers from failing schools being switched to better schools...

Experience is an asset for teachers in Buffalo

Buffalo Public School parents’ worries that teachers from low-performing schools will disrupt programs at other schools are unfounded. And the implication that teachers from these schools are poor teachers is insulting to veteran practitioners. Why is it presumed that it is the teachers who are not performing? It is well documented in the research that there are factors outside the classroom that affect school performance. The teachers in the low-performing schools go through an evaluation process, using the same rubric, that is used throughout the district.

I suppose these parents would advise the Buffalo Bills, in the upcoming draft of college players, to pick only players from winning teams, ignoring individual contributions. How often does a quarterback execute a play only to have his line miss its blocks, or be accurate with his passes only to have them dropped? Should he be blamed when the game is lost?

The idea that parents would prefer inexperience over experience is incredible to me. I don’t know of any profession where inexperience is an asset. The reality is that there are students who are learning and achieving, despite challenging situations, at low-performing schools. How is this possible? It couldn’t be due to the experience, hard work and dedication of their teachers, could it?

Paul Sabato

East High School teacher Buffalo

Let me tell you something. Nothing is funnier than when teachers at high performing schools think it is because of them that their kids do well. There are good teachers and poor teachers in every building. Take those same teachers and send them to Burgard or East High School and see how many of their students make it into Harvard. The reason the students at the better schools do well is because they have to take a test to get accepted, they are mostly from better homes, and their parents actually value their education.

I was at school #27 today with 7th and 8th graders. What a nightmare. I dealt with the scum of the earth. Kids walking around the classroom, grabbing each other, sitting on each other's laps, throwing paper. The assistant principal came in and they talked back to him. He said he had already suspended 12 of their classmates today alone. What's it coming to when 12 kids in a grammar school have to be sent home for acting like primates and I still have a classroom full of imbeciles?

Please don't take this racially (because the classes were predominantly white). I felt like I was looking at a cage full of monkeys at the zoo. They were bouncing from seat to seat the same way the monkeys run around their cages and play with their tires. I was embarrassed for them and their parents. How can the teachers at this school be evaluated the same way a teacher at City Honors, for example, gets evaluated? It's not the teachers' fault the kids in the failing schools act the way they do. It's the result the students themselves and bad parenting. The Social Studies teacher at #27 is one of the best teachers I've ever seen. I'm sure his test scores don't reflect it though. I find it outrageous that people don't get this point.

Experience is an asset for teachers in Buffalo - Letters to the Editor - The Buffalo News

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Letters to the editor- Preserving Buffalo's past

This letter writer appears to be very skeptical of local residency violator, "East Aurora" James Comerford's motives for condemning the Wheeler-GLF grain elevator. Coincidentally, at the same time Ontario Specialty Contracting is seeking to expand their property. If he lies about his residency, what makes you think Comerford would be honest about this?...

Let's find new ways to use grain elevators

How incredibly convenient for Ontario Specialty Contracting that just as it needs more room for an expansion, it finds a firm willing to submit a report that says the Wheeler-GLF grain elevator needs to be condemned. This self-centered, myopic behavior is appallingly familiar in Buffalo, and Inspections Commissioner James Comerford should be ashamed of himself.

Our iconic, world-renowned grain elevators should be treasured and revered, not demolished. This is just more embarrassing, disgraceful and short-sighted behavior from Buffalo’s lifer politicians and their commissioner cronies.

While Buffalo is being its usual destructive self, other states are finding creative, exciting and interesting ways to reuse their grain elevators. West Texas has turned its grain elevator into a year-round, indoor rock-climbing center, Oregon uses one as a farmers’ market and Illinois turned one into a gym.

How very sad that in Buffalo, the grain elevators’ birthplace, we are more concerned with demolishing what makes us unique. It is this never-ending discouragement, death from a thousand slices, that is depleting Buffalo’s population.

Meg Robinson-Albers

Buffalo

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