Just Sayin': Try to help students who are isolated

Unfortunately, it likely happens in every school lunch cafeteria. And, sadly, it happens in many classrooms. In the cafeteria of buzzing vibrant youngsters, one or two students sit alone and eat, isolated every weekday. Talkative youngsters see isolated students every day, but most do nothing. Cafeteria staff and lunch-duty teachers see this every day, too.

Most isolated students do not enjoy this. In many classrooms, students form groups to work together. One student can remain isolated while the others work together. It’s easier in a smaller classroom for students or a teacher to notice this isolation and help end it. It’s an opportunity for a teacher to provide a life lesson for the other students.

How terrible it must be for any isolated student. School staff who observe this can do something to end it. I hope that a school staff member or two will read this and make a lonely student’s day better.

— Paul Lieberman, Bohemia

Spending my pension is my own business

When I started working for Suffolk County in 1978, my salary as a clerical employee was $6,500 [“Where’s money go after pensioners exit?”, Just Sayin’, Dec. 16]. My colleagues and I paid into our pensions at that time because we started as “Tier 3” employees. Tier 1 and Tier 2 employees did not have to pay into pensions.

The higher tiers also had additional benefits. After many years, we then paid into part of the pension. About a year later, I retired as did many others under a limited incentive of what seemed to be at the time great pension offers. I still pay federal taxes, property taxes and still live in New York.

Where I spend my limited income is not relevant. People live out of state because they can’t afford to live here.

— Doris A. Schneider, Flander

Firm should shoot down this commercial

Has anyone else seen a TV commercial about a pain relief cream in which a veteran is shown shooting an automatic rifle at a different product and exploding it? With all the mass shootings going on in this country, I think it’s outrageous that a company would show this. This can give ideas to others that this behavior is OK.

I contacted the company, and they said that it is their way of celebrating veterans and that they donate money to veterans’ causes. How is this commercial celebrating veterans?

I firmly told them I would never buy their product until they stopped airing this commercial. There are better ways to celebrate veterans than showing a guy shooting a high-powered weapon.

— Joseph Januszkiewicz, Mastic

Stop turning back the clock in fall

At 91, I say that not having daylight savings time year-round stinks. I refuse to drive after 4 p.m. in winter when it’s getting dark. Why turn the clock back in the fall? Keep DST all year, and there would likely be fewer accidents caused by seniors. Let’s do something about this.

— Jack Taylor, West Hempstead