Letters to the Editor: Lynbrook, East Rockaway

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Students and educators, living Dr. King’s dream

To the Editor:
On Jan. 17, I was honored to be a part of the 29th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration sponsored by the Malverne School District. This standing-room-only event was one of the most wonderful and inspiring that I’ve ever attended.
The evening was filled with musical selections, poetry readings and wonderful tributes to the legacy of Dr. King. The grace and blessing of the moment was that I was enjoying presentations by children on stage who were of every race and color. I saw how much they enjoyed their performances and their love for one another.
In addition, I saw administrators and teachers of every race and color who were enthusiastic and filled with pride by the performances of the children whom they teach and helped with their selections. And in the audience, the parents, friends and families watched with pride as their children performed so joyously and spectacularly. I couldn’t help but think, isn’t this what Dr. King prayed and hoped? People caring for one another and judging their fellow man by the “content of their character”?
Leaving that evening, I felt great hope for our country. As I walked to my car, I realized that I had just witnessed Dr. King’s dream come true — that dream of his that he spoke so passionately and eloquently about decades ago in Washington. And that dream was realized right there, in the village of Malverne, in that auditorium filled with children, educators and families. And perhaps those children are living his dream every day in their classrooms.
I want to extend my sincerest and heartfelt congratulations to all the children, parents, teachers and administrators of the Malverne School District, especially high school Principal Dr. Vincent Romano, for his leadership, and the Rev. Eleanor Dixon Hobbs, for the wonderful blessing she gave that evening — and for her spiritual leadership in our community. Malverne, you are leading the way in helping build a better country and a better world.

Francis X. Becker Jr.
Nassau County Legislator

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