We don’t need to kill animals for the classroom
Tuckahoe, N.Y.: Thank you, U.S. Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon, for your efforts toward education reform, including parental rights, misused funds, school choice and accountability in higher education. Please also look into the costly, wasteful and brutal taxpayer-funded use of animals killed as “training tools” for dissection in grade schools.
Research shows using animals such as frogs as dissection models in classrooms costs taxpayers millions of dollars per year, as opposed to a fraction of this amount for nonlethal anatomical model alternatives that serve exactly the same purpose. Schools currently consider animals as equipment to be repeatedly thrown in the garbage, while alternative methods are a one-time investment. In addition to the enormous, unnecessary waste of much-needed funds in the school system, the only thing animal dissection teaches children is bullying, domination of others and totally needless cruelty, both rampant in the school system. According to federal statistics, the connection between animal cruelty and human violence is well documented; the needless dissection of animals in schools is conceivably the basis for contempt of all living beings, beginning at a young age.
The millions of taxpayer dollars saved by eliminating this wasteful expenditure can be used toward academic achievement, which by all accounts is severely lacking. Children should be taught to treat themselves, each other and the voiceless beings who share this Earth with respect and kindness. That would be the best basis for a sound education. Kiley Blackman
Long-suffering
Manhattan: Plum blossoms. It’s just my imagination, but that’s the stuff dreams are made of. I’d shower Ukraine in plum blossoms, a symbol of resilience in the face of adversity. Today is the beginning of their fifth year under the yoke of war. Godspeed. Susan A. Stark
Careful compassion
Fresh Meadows: I recall when Mayor Eric Adams was elected and he did his first homeless sweep, how mortified I was! To think of an unhoused person’s meager belongings ending up in a dumpster! They likely only have one pair of shoes to wear, etc. I had a taste of this tragedy when becoming homeless for two long months following Hurricane Sandy. It wasn’t a fun campout after about six days! At one point, I was questioned by local police and had to skillfully lie about my situation. I slept for six nights in my office, one month in a shelter at Nassau Community College and finally, three weeks on a friend’s pullout sofa. I urge Mayor Mamdani to painstakingly plan all of his homeless strategies ahead of time before any major actions. Lesley Lewis Paulos
The rich aren’t oppressed
Hartsdale, N.Y.: I’m getting tired of criticism of Mamdani’s plan to increase taxes on “the rich.” I paid FICA on every penny I ever earned from the time I was a supermarket bag boy through my professional career. Why are the rich not paying FICA on 100% of their income as I did? During my adult employment, I paid north of 25% of my income in taxes every year. Why aren’t they paying 25-30% of their gross income in taxes? And why are there so many apologists for the rich who aren’t rich themselves but consistently defend the right of the rich to be undertaxed? Can it really be defended that a middle-class worker making $60,000 a year pays a higher percentage of their income than a billionaire does? The mayor isn’t making the rich pay enough — he’s asking them for pocket fluff and cufflink money. Norman E. Gaines Jr.
Handsome Hizzoner
Staten Island: Mamdani is not only going to be the best mayor we’ve ever had, but the best looking one. Keep putting pictures of him in the Daily News. Fran Bocignone
Idle teens
Jackson Heights: With the current trend of bored teenagers organizing destructive shopping mall invasions through social media (“18 teens cops say smashed up Bronx mall are facing charges,” Feb. 18), there’s a great opportunity for an altruistic social media influencer to arrange visits to nursing homes or hospitals, volunteering to read or just spend some time with lonely people. But what’s the fun in that when the police aren’t involved? Glenn B. Jacobi
Had a good run
Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.: Re “Duvall, Hollywood titan, is dead at 95” (Feb. 17): What do Robert Duvall, Gene Hackman and Ed O’Neil have in common? Besides being great actors, they all played Det. Eddie Eagan, my friend and my partner. Gene played Eddie in “The French Connection,” Bobby did it in “Badge 373” and Ed did in a TV series called “Popeye Doyle.” I worked closely with Gene in “The French Connection.” I met Bobby on the set of “The Godfather,” where I learned he was in Korea like me, and I worked closely with him on “Badge 373.” What a pro! I later worked with Ed on the Popeye series but got to know him well in the William Friedkin film “Cruising” starring Al Pacino, where we played partners. Bobby, I miss you already. RIP. Randy Jurgensen
Royal flush
Manhattan: The formerly-known-as-royal Andrew Dumpty sat on a wall. Andrew Dumpty had a great fall. All the king’s counsel and all the king’s friends couldn’t put Andrew together again. Susan M. Silver
Coastal coal elites
Glen Oaks: Thank you, Bramhall, for your up-to-the minute take on the Daily News’ legendary headline (“Trump to planet: Drop dead,” Feb. 15). If President Trump were a real businessman and really in the business of building rather than licensing the family name to developers, he would’ve realized he wasn’t just killing people with his big regulatory rollback of emissions and climate policies, but ruining businesses as well. Flooding is bad for real estate values, and coastal cities like New York are due for a boatload of sea level rise. His billionaire buddies on Wall Street will have to evacuate. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club will be underwater. Europe, knowing gas from Russia is over and the U.S. is unreliable, is expanding offshore wind capacity rapidly. China leads on clean energy technologies and its emissions are starting to fall. Those countries may not be talking about climate policy, just common sense. Kanwaldeep K. Sekhon
Singled out
Springfield Gardens: To Voicer Michelle P. Brown: In the past decade, the UN General Assembly has condemned Israel about three times more than the combined total for all other nations despite what has been happening in Myanmar, Ukraine, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Venezuela, Nigeria and China. Its hypocrisy and antisemitism are undeniable. Ebere Osu
Follow their noses
Rockaway Beach: Am I missing something? In all the coverage I’ve seen of the search for Nancy Guthrie, I don’t remember seeing any dogs in on the search. I’m assuming she walked out of the house along with her kidnapper. It may lead to some clues, at least on her property. Barbara Yahle
