Charter schools aid kids in need

Manhattan: A recent report by the Institute for Children, Poverty and Homelessness highlights the education needs of students who lack a stable place to live. Charter schools are positioned to contribute. At the 186 schools authorized by the SUNY Charter Schools Institute, 75% of students are economically disadvantaged. Two stand out as models for serving young people who come to school from families in need of support.

Broome Street Academy Charter High School sets aside half its seats for students who have been homeless or in the child welfare system, and its CHAMPION model links every student to a caring adult. The Door provides health, mental health, legal services, recreation and college-readiness programs. Its graduation rate is above 83%.

Opening this fall in the Bronx, Cardinal McCloskey Community Charter School will enroll students who were in the foster care system or whose families have received preventive services. It will support children who have experienced trauma and provide students and families with services.

We celebrate schools that are changing students’ life trajectories, and welcome attention to this population from Chancellor Richard Carranza, who has been vocal on the topic of homeless students. We invite him to witness the success of charter schools serving vulnerable youth. Joseph Belluck, Chair

SUNY Board of Trustees Charter Schools Committee Eric Weingartner, CEO, Broome Street Academy High School

Bury the torturer

Manhattan: It is not acceptable to merely relocate the statue of Dr. J. Marion Sims, who we now know tortured female slaves via medical experimentation. Statues are created to honor people and the statue representing this demon should be melted down. A plaque explaining Sims’ horrific experiments should be placed in a prominent location where people can read it and then spit on it.

Cindy Roberts

A doctor who helped

Manhattan: Wow. A victory for political correctness. The statue of J. Marion Sims M.D. has been moved from Fifth Ave., supposedly because he operated on slave women without their consent and didn’t use anesthesia. I guess it was too difficult for anybody in the de Blasio administration to really understand the history here. Guess what? This was before anesthesia was introduced. He saved these women from a horrible after-effect of childbirth, fistulas (openings) that continuously leaked urine and feces. Women with this condition were shunned and miserable; some committed suicide. His initial patients were slave women who could not give informed consent but were grateful that he cured them of a horrible condition. And his work has meant that millions of women since are not condemned to this living death. But let’s all pat ourselves on the back that we’ve exiled this so-called evil man to a graveyard! Nancy Brenner

Help those who serve I

Brooklyn: Terrific letter by Voicer and First Lady Chirlane McCray. She really puts the mental health crisis in perspective. Hopefully she will look into why an FDNY firefighter who suffered from mental health problems directly related to 9/11 was not given the proper benefits and the department funeral he so deserved. Randall Ford

Help those who serve II

Bronx: Re “Rikers gets a brig” (April 13): Fine, kudos to whatever mind-bending bureaucracy finally let a special jail unit for veterans slide through the mire (clap, clap). How about next we develop some viable, useful and available services to help our servicemen before they end up on Rikers? Psychiatric care, reacclimation, employment placement, substance abuse treatment, I could go on, and I’m just a guy sitting on the Bx33 — not some think tank weenie who’s supposed to be thinking of this stuff.

Neil Reed

An attack on our nation

Rockaway, N.J.: I would like to know how long this soft coup d’etat is going to be allowed to roll on. The American people are experiencing the overthrow of their government right before their eyes. Isn’t there anyone left in government with spine enough to label these bastards for what they obviously are — seditious?

Carol McGovern

Fallen preacher

Forest Hills: At age 50, Paul Ryan will be collecting a full government pension of $85,000 a year. He wants to raise the Social Security age to 70. Don’t think I have to say any more to those blue-collar workers who still support the GOP. Stew Frimer

Come on, Comey

Manhattan: I don’t like it when my people radar is wrong about somebody, but I definitely misjudged James Comey. He’s not contributing squat to his beloved country with this trashy book that’s chock-full of innuendo and speculation, but conspicuously lacking in revelations that actually matter. (Well, except for his admission that he decided to announce the Hillary email probe when he did because the polls said she was clearly going to win the election anyway. That, in itself, is a disgrace.) And Comey’s not an idiot. He knew full well that this book being released when it did not only wouldn’t help the investigation of President Trump, but that it might actually make it more difficult. But money before country, right Jimmy? Gary Stein

No free game

Rutherford, N.J.: I purchased a word game for my Kindle, but downloaded it free on my Samsung smartphone. I play against the computer using expert mode on both devices. When I play with my free app, I get an ad after every one of my words. That’s fine. I usually win. But when I play the same word game on the app that I paid for, I rarely win. When I play the app I bought, the computer takes a little longer to form a word, and compared to the free app the words are longer and more obscure. Consequently, I usually lose. Of course, the idea is that if I keep winning, I will play the free app more and view more ads. I guess this is harmless enough (forget that I’m getting a false sense of accomplishment). Has anyone else experienced this? Think about it the next time you play one of these “free games.” Are there any safeguards in place to protect the consumer?

Francis J. Viola

The cost of high rent

Brooklyn: I own one of the businesses pushed out by NYC’s ridiculous rents (“Change the math on retail vacancies,” Op-Ed, April 16). My first location I was in for 25 years. For the last 13 years I have moved my business every two years, and all of the old locations sat empty for a very long time. One issue Susan Shapiro left out of her Op-Ed is the cost to consumers when a business is forced to raise its prices to pay the rent. Unbridled corporate greed is sucking this county dry. It’s about time someone started to do something about it. Greg Ahl

Let Colin kneel

Pittsburgh: Since I was young, I have been a big flag-waver (although it is more difficult with Orange Ade as President). However, I do believe that it is a disgrace to stop an individual from plying his trade because some disagree with the manner in which he does it. Colin Kaepernick took a stance regarding the needless taking of black lives by some police officers in this country. People object to the venue he chose. He is a football player, aware of where would he be likely to be best heard in airing his protest. I hate to see my flag disrespected, but not half as much as I detest the injustice shown to some of our black Americans. I respect the man for having the courage of his convictions, not abandoning his cause even when he was blackballed by the NFL. This is still America; let the man earn his living.

R. Diane Hazlewood

Help Howard out

Massapequa Park, L.I.: After all that Howard Stern has accomplished, must the Daily News still refer to him as shock jock Howard Stern? Paul Como

Taxing relief

Congers, N.Y.: To Voicer Jim Miller, who says he can’t find anybody to help him with his taxes: Next year find out where and when the wonderful AARP volunteers will be in your area. These kind, friendly, experienced professionals have done our taxes for the last six or seven years and they do an excellent job. You don’t need an appointment, and best of all, their wonderful service is free. Beth Friscino

‘Kinky’ kindness

Forest Hills: Thank you, Daily News, for the two tickets to see the Broadway show “Kinky Boots” last Thursday night. The show was fantastic. The performers were great. I took my best friend, Fevziye, to see the show, and we both enjoyed a wonderful time together. Arlene E. Farber