On Saturday, I took my daughter to Juniper Valley Park in Middle Village. PS 49 is across the street from the park. On the fence in front of the school on the 80th Street side are signs advertising several businesses, such as Four Ones Car Service. The signs are hung on the railings in black and white.
I never saw signs like these hanging on railings by other schools. Is this something new? Do these advertisers pay the school? Is this a form of fund-raising? I would like to know. The school my daughter attends needs fund-raising ideas.
Also, another interesting thing I spotted around the school on a block near 80th Street, on the other side of the school which faces the park, is a designated play street when school is not in session. How did they get that? Parents around here would like a play street, too.
We have been trying to get a traffic light at the corner of 60th Road and 60th Street for 45 years to slow down traffic so no other mother has to bury her child. There are drivers who race through the residential streets around this neighborhood like speed racers. We need more safety devices in this neighborhood where there are many children playing in the streets now that summer is here.
One thing I read in the paper is that PS 49 is being rezoned so it can go up to eighth-grade. Why is it they being rezoned before PS 153? PS 49 has less than 1,000 students. We have 1,400 students, some of which live in Middle Village, where PS 49 is located.
PS 49 and PS 128 can go up to eighth-grade because they get to pick and choose which students they take. Why are Middle Village children zoned for Maspeth Elementary School? We have enough children in Maspeth to fill up the three schools we have.
I remember children who lived in Maspeth being zoned for PS 71 in Ridgewood even though children who lived in Middle Village were zoned for PS 153 when Maspeth children had to go out of their neighborhood to school. Now that was 30 years ago and they still get to pick and choose what children they take. Why do they get to do that and PS 153 takes everyone and is busting at the seams? I do not think that is fair. Do you?
Maybe if the politicians and the school board members keep favoring Middle Village like they have been, then the voters of Maspeth should vote them out. We deserve the same things residents of Middle Village do. I personally am getting sick and tired of seeing other areas and schools getting things that we have been requesting for years.
I hope everyone comes to the next meeting of the Maspeth West End Block Association June 23 to voice their opinions and concerns. We need to speak up so we are not ignored anymore.
Charlene L. Stubbs
Co-President
Maspeth West End Block Association
Maspeth
