Letters to the Editor | Aug. 10, 2026

As we learn more and more details about how the current administration in Washington is crude and uncivil, I read with great interest your article about finding a new location for the refurbished statue of Frank Rizzo. I was reminded of how Rizzo’s coarse and divisive leadership style in Philadelphia in the 1970s mirrors much of what we see coming out of the White House today.

My memories of Rizzo — leading a violent police force, imposing budget cuts that affected poor neighborhoods the most, and proudly wearing his thinly disguised racism — made me wonder how many other Philadelphians, especially those who worked in a spirit of unity and practiced civility, might deserve a statue of their own. Why would we extol the achievements of this man whose rise to the top was actually not much different from that of the country’s current leadership?

Perhaps the best place for the statue is in a museum that talks about the lessons we are learning about bullying, and how to foster more effective leadership and community-centered public safety. But to see a huge statue of this man anywhere else in the city — as if he’s the best Philly has to offer — feels so wrong.

Joan Broadfield, Chester

As a Philadelphia public school parent, I trust the adults in our schools to keep my sons safe and act with integrity. It is disturbing that Frankford High School principal Michael Calderone was reassigned to another school without any public accounting for credible accusations that he violently assaulted a handcuffed student, routinely screamed at staff and students, and demanded teachers submit fraudulent grades.

If there was no misconduct, then Mr. Calderone and the district should have no qualms about sharing the results of the investigation. Parents deserve transparency regarding the outcomes of serious abuse and misconduct investigations.

Tony B. Watlington Sr. likes to boast of fast-improving test scores, but shielding those with well-documented misconduct creates a toxic culture that erodes trust in Dr. Watlington and his leadership team — among parents, taxpayers, and Harrisburg alike, three partners he needs more than any principal or their union.

Andrew Stober, Philadelphia

Todd Blanche’s nomination to become the nation’s next attorney general has now moved out of a Senate committee, when he should instead be facing the Supreme Court of his home state for disbarment. He violated every provision imaginable under the Code of Professional Responsibility. The $10 billion lawsuit filed against the Internal Revenue Service by his former client and current boss, Donald Trump, had no merit and should have been opposed by the U.S. Department of Justice. A motion to dismiss would almost certainly have been granted by the assigned judge, on several grounds, including the statute of limitations. Even after the lawsuit was dismissed, that department’s lawyers, under Blanche’s leadership, negotiated an unwarranted settlement. When a few senators whose votes were needed balked at the settlement, Blanche continued to negotiate with them, as they were ostensibly representing the government while he represented the interests of Trump, the plaintiff in the matter in which Blanche’s legal client, the U.S., was the defendant. Blanche represented both sides of a dispute, the epitome of a conflict of interest. This should be disqualifying, but won’t be to the MAGA senators.

Neil Mittelman, Warminster

Join the conversation: Send letters to letters@inquirer.com. Limit length to 150 words and include home address and day and evening phone number. Letters run in The Inquirer six days a week on the editorial pages and online.