Valva verdict and Aaron Judge's $360M contract

After verdict, questions for CPS

Michael Valva has been tried, found guilty and will spend a long time in prison “Valva sentenced to max of 25 years to life,” News, Dec. 9]. Who is investigating Child Protective Services for negligence in protecting his sons and, ultimately, for allowing Thomas Valva to suffer unconscionable physical and emotional abuse and finally death?

Newsday reported, “The teachers and other school officials filed several complaints to Child Protective Services and in one instance worked together to ‘flood’ CPS with reports detailing the boys’ abuse. But the boys were never removed from their home.”

Who at CPS has been or will be held accountable? Has anyone been fired? If so, has there been transparency? How many at CPS turned their backs on the abuse, suffering and neglect of these boys? Was there criminality on the part of CPS?

Is it possible that Michael Valva’s being an NYPD officer could have influenced the lack of appropriate response?

What changes have been and will be made to protect our most vulnerable — our children?

These questions must be answered. Nearly three years have passed, and what has been done?

— Lynn Derwin Gergen, Lido Beach

I hope the privacy of all the children in that house is being protected. I also hope and pray that Anthony and Andrew Valva (who was not mentioned as being abused) and Angela Pollina’s three daughters are all getting therapy.

They witnessed or were subjected to cruelties that would be hard for their young brains to fully process, and they will be affected for the rest of their lives.

Sadly, victims of abuse often grow up to abuse those around them. I pray this cycle is halted with these five children.

I cannot imagine what Andrew and the three girls were thinking when those two boys were being abused.

They all need to be protected so they hopefully can rise above this tragedy.

These five innocent souls, through no fault of their own, will be living out their own life sentences.

— Joan Lazaunik, Great Neck

Justice was served to Michael Valva. While incarcerated, he will have most of the rest of his life to reflect on his actions and inactions that led to his son’s death.

Thomas Valva was failed by Child Protective Services. His death was preventable. His suffering was reported by Michael’s mother, schoolteachers and school social workers. Why wasn’t that enough to protect him?

Why wasn’t action taken? Have changes been made to caseworkers’ resources and case oversight policies, reviews, guidelines and procedures to make sure this never happens to another child?

— Karen Muñoz, Wantagh

As the father of a 27-year-old disabled adult on the autism spectrum, my family and I have received competent social services by municipal agencies and private organizations.

While justice is being served to Michael Valva, let us not forget to ask: “What are the consequences to the municipal workers who failed not only Thomas Valva but his entire family?” Certainly, as a society, we need to send a message to the government agencies that ignored the pleas of the school authorities that their incompetence will not be tolerated.

If we do not have accountability with agencies that serve us, then the tragedy of a beautiful little boy who did not deserve this fate will be for naught, and that will be a greater tragedy for all of us.

— Joseph Castaldo, Bellmore

We’re the ones who’ll pay for $360M pact

The headlines read that Aaron Judge signed a $360 million contract with the Yankees [“Whew! Judge agrees on $360M deal with Yanks,” Sports, Dec. 8]. The story also says he will be paid this sum over the next nine years. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Americans, especially Yankee fans, will be the payers. Tickets, parking and concessions at Yankee Stadium will need to contribute, so expect already obscene pricing to become even more obscene. Major League Baseball gets a large share of its revenue from TV networks. To help recoup the cost, networks will charge the sponsors more. The sponsors will need to recoup the cost and charge more for their products.

Every beer you’ll buy will be a little more expensive. Americans, fans or not, just signed Judge’s new contract. Is anyone really worth $360 million just to play a game? How is this contributing to making anyone’s life better, and what world problem has this man solved?

— Tim Gallagher, Seaford