Palisadian., 1923-07-20
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER ATTACKS ACT
OF MAYOR CAD|EN AS EXAMPLE0F
ROTTEN POLITICS IN LETTER
Takes Issue With Decision of People, Claims Writer;
Worse Than Tammany Hall Methods; Plea to Keep
Politics Out of Schools
To The Editor:

Again the attempt to make political
game of our public school is being
tried. This time the health, perhaps
even the lives, of children are gam
bled with in the game of politics.
The writ of certiorari served on the
Board of Education by the Mayor and
his attorney makes it impossible for
the board to safeguard the health and
lives of the little ones in the Cliffside
School by the installation of an ade-
uate heating and ventilating system in
this overcrowded building. Already
there are more than twenty segregat-
ed tubercular cases in this school,
which, in most cases, are directly or
indirectly the result of poor ventila-
tion and insufficient warmth.
1t may not be ute so safe to play
this sort of politics with men and
women, who can and might fight back,
as with children, who haven't a chance
to-unless the parents of these chill
dren rise up in their wrath and whisk
the gamesters into political oblivion.
The last time an attack was made
on the schools through the courts it
turned out to be an example of rotten
politics, which even Tammany Hall in
it's most evil moments would be
ashamed to befoul the air with. The
attach died of ear, and both it's open
and secret perpetrators never dared
to go as far as final issue in the
courts.
If the previous attempt smells bad,
this present action is, beyond belief,
foul in both odor and act.
Let us review the facts. After con-
forming to every requirement of law
and after due publicity, the School
Board, in fulfilling it's sworn duty,
asked the electorate of the borough
to decide for or against the boards
recomm endation for new school in
| Hudson Heights, and a new heating
plant for the Cliffside school. The
electorate, in legal election, decided
for both
But the Mayor takes issue with the
decision of the people. With absolute
monarchical mien, he decides that /.
shall not be. Perhaps he wants us
to feel that he is "the monarch of all
he surveys" But it must be remem-
bered that the man who is supposed to
have said this, lived on a desert is
land, and that two others who tried 10
live the phrase, passed out of the lime
light, one to the darkness of Danish
ment and the other to his present
purgatory of insanity somewhere in
Holland 1t is said that history re-
fho
fry.
But no, the Mayor assures us that
he believes in our schools and our
school system. With one face he tells
us this and further that he actually
voted yes" for both the new school
and the new heating plant for Cliff
side school, and with another face he
tells us that we shall not have either.
Now, no man can face two ways at
the same time, can he?
OF course, the Mayors interest in
the Cliffside school is naturally not
so keen as though his own children
attended there, for self interest comes
first Fortunately for them and their
health, they attend St. Johns Paro-
chial school, where they are out Of
danger. Perhaps this lack of interest
offers clue to his lack of interest in
other matters in our community
West Grantwood sewer system, for
example.
But how far are the citizens and
parents of this borough going to per-
nit politicians to take our school sys-
tenn through the neither world of poll
tics? There was One who said that
unless you become as little children
you cannot enter into the Kingdom
of Heaven. Then for His sake, don't
allow politics to bring our own inno-
cent children down to the kingdom
of He'll Keep politics out of our
schools
You see, this is apparently the game.
| Everything points to the Mayor be-
coming a mayoralist candidate once
again. So will Judge Kenny, in all
probability. Judge Kenny is attorney
for the School Board. Obviously, TO
attack Judge Kenny's' official acts for
the School Board is a good gamble in
the game of politics. But the sad
part of the whole matter is that the
children of Cliffside schools are the
! defenceless pawns in the game. What
do you think OF such tactics?
HERBERT EVERETT.