Teachers shouldn’t need wish lists and tip jars
Bronx: I’m a high school teacher at a charter school in the South Bronx. I also grew up attending a Title I public school, where I watched my teachers go above and beyond to give us not just knowledge but love. Today, I do the same, often without the resources I need.
Every year, I create Amazon wish lists and DonorsChoose campaigns. I use the Buy Me a Coffee platform to raise money for basic classroom needs, snacks, books and hygiene products. I’ve even washed my students’ uniforms to help them meet our dress code when they didn’t have access to laundry.
I know teachers like me who work 10-hour days but still can’t afford to live in the city, or even in the same communities we teach in. Many now commute nearly two hours each way because rising rent has pushed us out of New York City. According to the National Education Association, teachers in the U.S. spend an average of $823 out of pocket on school supplies. More than 90% receive no reimbursement. About one in six works a second job. Many more, like me, rely on online platforms just to stay afloat.
This is not sustainable. It is not just. And it’s not what our students deserve. Every elected official who just won a primary and every mayoral candidate needs to pay attention. Teachers are burning out, being priced out and being asked to carry the weight of an entire broken system. We need more than praise. We need policy and real support. Brigette Brantley
Disqualifying
Brick, N.J.: Re “31 police recruits not fired for now” (July 16): Back in 1964 during my investigative process, sergeants did all the investigations. I had a speeding ticket and it was of some concern. Years later, the administration approved the hiring of applicants with misdemeanor convictions on their record. Many felonies are reduced to misdemeanors in plea deals. NYC deserves better. Only the best with clean records should be hired by the NYPD. There are many other civil service jobs that candidates with a poor record can apply for. The NYPD is a job of accountability. Who is responsible for this travesty? Billy Rath
Sharp increase
Bronx: I am a 75-year-old two-time cancer survivor. On Wednesday, I received a letter from United Healthcare regarding a large increase in my premiums beginning in January 2026. This is disturbing because it reflects a 17.9% increase. My premium now is $394 a month, and it is going to increase to $464.50, which is $70.50 more a month. It’s already difficult to pay the current premium, but I’m trying to cut corners to be able to afford this. I live on a fixed income, as I’m sure most seniors do, and with food prices going up along with everything else, it is difficult to make ends meet. I understand that there must be increases, but there should be a cap as to how high they can raise it each year. I hope everyone who has received this letter writes in, and I hope the governor takes the time to look into this. Fran Boffa
Local access
Manhattan: Re “Health care construction helps working families” (op-ed, July 16): While we agree that our city needs more hospital facilities, we disagree with Voicer Troy Watt’s support of the Lenox Hill Hospital renovation project. Given the concentration of academic facilities in mid-Manhattan, there are already more than 10 hospital beds per 1,000 people in the Lenox Hill neighborhood. By contrast, with the recent closing of Beth Israel Medical Center in Lower Manhattan, there are approximately 0.4 beds per 1,000 people for those living south of 23rd St. The writer lives in Harlem. He and many other New Yorkers would be better served with the improvement of hospital facilities in their own neighborhoods. The Public Health and Health Planning Council should not rubber-stamp plans for new hospital beds without consideration of local needs. Marc H. Lavietes
Touching tribute
Staten Island: To Mrs. Smith, mother of FDNY firefighter Leon W. Smith, who died on 9/11: May God bless you and grant you peace in your heart and soul. Your son is in Heaven, and he is always with you. Peace and love. Marie Manzi-Mandia
‘Verkakte’
Commack, L.I.: In response to Andrew Cuomo’s suggestion that Eric Adams drop out of the race (“Cuomo will double down vs. Mamdani,” July 14), Adams’ reelection campaign chairman, Frank Carone, stated: “To even suggest that Mayor Adams, with his record of delivering for working-class New Yorkers and bringing the city to where we are today post-COVID, should somehow agree to a fakakta poll suggests either a delusion or arrogance.” The Yiddish word — correctly spelled verkakte — means messed up, crappy or nonsensical. In Dutch, the word means F’d up. Yvonne Fitzner
Get the message
Manhattan: The former governor, who had to resign in disgrace, needs to learn that no means no. He apparently did not learn that from the many women he sexually harassed. The Democratic Party voters said no, Andrew! Go away. And a real NYCer would have gone on NY1 during the primary and talked to Errol Louis or Pat Kiernan. Sex pest Cuomo is a transparent, pandering liar who lies just like he did during COVID. He thinks we forgot. We did not. Cuomo is a liar and a predator, and we remember. Go away, sex pest. We said no and we mean it. Brenda Quinn
Let voters decide
Manhattan: I could not disagree more with the July 12 op-ed by L. Joy Williams and Susan Lerner, “Keep NYC open primary off this year’s ballot.” The closed primaries system, which the authors defend, disenfranchises more than 800,000 registered independent voters, increases political polarization and amplifies ideological extremes. Closed primaries are an arcane and anti-democratic tool, and NYC is among the few remaining U.S. cities to still use them for municipal elections. The op-ed argues that the proposal should be postponed, but that would certainly kill it. As the latest Charter Revision Commission hearing showed, progressive NYC politicians strongly oppose open primaries. Since the next mayor is likely to be Zohran Mamdani, the standard bearer of the progressive wing of the NYC Democratic Party, there is no chance that the next commission, appointed by him, would recommend switching. The first and last chance to vote on the proposal would have been this November. Ilya Kapovich
Great read
Manhattan: I just read Stephen King’s “Never Flinch.” Holy smoke! Susan A. Stark
Faithless fan
Somers, N.Y.: I’m not certain if Voicer Steve Chaddock is joking or may really be a Yankees fan. He believes the Mets are a bad team. According to him, any team that needs a win would want to play the Mets — an absurd comment. With a 55-42 record as of July 17 and only half a game out of first place, it is not a bad team. And with Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea back, we have a reliable starting staff. The top of their batting order is one of the best. Their weakness may be the bottom third of the order. They will also need some bullpen help, but the trade deadline is coming up. So, Steve, good to know you’re no longer a Mets fan. That is not what a true fan does. Go visit the Bronx. Michael Gold
Contrived crusade
Wyckoff, N.J.: Re “House GOPers grill CUNY leader on antisemitism” (July 16): When Rep. Elise Stefanik shows us her contemporaneous criticism of President Trump for willingly dining at his private home with avowed, vicious and unapologetic antisemites Nick Fuentes and Kanye West, I’ll take her concerns about antisemitism seriously. Until then, her protests are a transparent pretext for criticism of higher education. Marc Schaeffer
Apolitical entertainment
Brooklyn: Comedian Chris Distefano has restored my faith in late-night TV. He guest-hosted for Jimmy Kimmel for a couple of nights. The man was really funny — without ridiculing Trump. Kimmel, on the other hand, is obsessed with mocking Trump — and he’s not funny! If ABC replaced Kimmel with Distefano, I believe their ratings would go through the roof. We’d be back to the old days, when jokes were funny. Josh Greenberger
