Let’s discuss the real issue behind removing Ms. Susan Amato from the helm of Amityville High School’s award-winning literary magazine, Expression; as well as the girl’s softball coach - it’s personal.

Ms. Amato had the audacity to stand up to the board’s attempt to censor the school’s newspaper, the Echo. And what did they want censored? A slightly negative critique of a student’s performance in the school play. So now to cover up a personal vindictive act of revenge we’re told it has to do with "double-dipping." That was the most ridiculous editorial I’ve ever read in my 20-plus years of teaching. As professionals this Board of Education must learn to put what is in the best interest of the students first and foremost, leaving their personal feelings aside.

At one point in my career I too helped to facilitate the literary magazine in my high school. Nowadays, there is not enough time in a student’s life to do all of the things they need to do. A 30-minute after school meeting, once or twice a week is not enough time to pull together an award-winning literary magazine. It becomes essential to perform related jobs during free periods, lunch periods and yes, even during some class time. Most teachers solicit art and English classes for submissions to put into the magazine, is that a crime?

You cannot draw a line of demarcation between the "Extra-curricular" time and the rest of the educational day. Are we bean counters or are we teachers of young minds? Should the school be run as a source of educational endowment, inspirational endeavors and intellectual growth, or like a business?

Let the dedicated teachers do what they do best, motivate and educate our children. All due respect to Ms. Broderick, your comments were absurd and appear to stem from a teacher who had her head buried in the sand or taught in utopia high.

Classes such as studio in publication and art are all interrelated with the magazine and the newspaper. If occasionally there is work being done during class time, what great hands-on experience is that for the students. Believe me, to bring together the energy, creativity and passion of young teenage students to produce a top-notch quality magazine goes far beyond the classroom.

This is not double dipping, it’s exploitation of a worker in the business world. Thank God we’re in the business of education though. To Ms. Amato, this was a labor of love. To the Board, this is petty vengeance and ignorance because your actions have not only hurt a great teacher, it has hurt the children of our district who love, respect and admire her.

As a community and a school district we have an obligation to provide a quality education to the young people of Amityville. This cannot be done by abandoning dedicated teachers such as Susan Amato.

Mark Booth, Amityville