Monday, April 28, 2008

Dems up in arms over Padavan school

Democrats are criticizing the naming of a Queens public school complex for a Republican state senator, calling it a political stunt intended to tip the scales to the incumbent.

Democrats decry school being renamed after Republican politician

Schools Chancellor Joel Klein is expected to rename the Glen Oaks Campus in Bellerose the Frank Padavan Campus, the senator confirmed Sunday. Padavan is being challenged for a 19th term by City Councilman James Gennaro (D-Queens), who slammed the name change, saying it amounts to using a public school to "make an in-kind contribution to the Padavan campaign."

"This is outrageous," he said. "This is a new low in the annals of political desperation. If his [poll] numbers don't go up after this, I guess they will be renaming the Statue of Liberty after him next."

But Padavan said the renaming ceremony will be attended by a host of officials, including several Democrats.

"It's a bipartisan event," said Padavan, contending no effort is being made to boost his reelection bid.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am a life long democrat but I could not think of a more deserving person than Senator Frank Padavan to have a school named after. Wonderful choice!!!!

Senator Padavan truly exemplifies what a good politician is all about!.

Anonymous said...

It's not a school be renamed. It's the Glen Oaks ***CAMPUS*** being renamed

Anonymous said...

Talk to Padavan about anything, and you will receive a well thought out, intelligent answer. Then pose the same question to Serf...

Anonymous said...

#3
or Gennaro. Padavan does not talk thru bothsides of his mouth. What you see is what you get.

Anonymous said...

I didn't like Klein's decision to let Padavan rename the campus. Obviously its ploy to conjur up some political attention to his race And of course the minute he does something out of character, (speaking hypothetically)his name on the campus could in turn make the students and their parents look bad while he can still reap the benefits of the campus naming. Scandal also brings attention and, even though it is negative, people are probably going to defend his name because of the great things he did for his community.
BTW...I attend one of the schools on the campus

He also renamed a baseball field and a street in his community. Though people say he's a model citizen, he may need to eat a slice of humble pie. You've done great things but you can't just put your name on everything. If Martin Luther King put his name on the Civil Rights Movement, it would obviously discredit all of the others who have contributed to help the cause. Why is it ok for Padavan to do so?