Monday, May 12, 2025
Cloudy. High 69 degrees.
Temperatures will sit in the 60s and 70s this week, but rain is forecast for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
Notices
Our calendar has lots of local events. Click on the link or the lady in the upper righthand corner to check.
Friday, May 16 is the 14th anniversary of West Side Rag. Thank you to all readers over the years, and here’s to the next 14!
Upper West Side News
By Gus Saltonstall
An Upper West Side private school made headlines last week after a senior prank included a mock border patrol checkpoint within its building, along with a live mariachi band, an inflatable eagle riding a motorcycle, fake cocaine, and mock naturalization papers, as first reported by Gothamist.
The “prank” took place at Collegiate School, located at 301 Freedom Place between West 61st and 62nd streets. The school that dates back to the first half of the 17th century is considered the oldest private secondary school in the nation.
Senior students at a mock border patrol checkpoint had younger kids fill out fake naturalization papers, and those who were deemed “un-American” were put in zip ties, Gothamist reported. A copy of President Donald Trump’s “Art of the Deal” was also put on a liberal teacher’s desk, the publication added.
It is unclear how long the prank lasted and how many students took part.
The school, which costs $65,900 a year at full price, is now struggling to decide on the proper punishment.
“We are still trying to find some different and meaningful ways to infuse joy into that last week of school for the seniors, particularly for students who did not take part in problematic behaviors, while engineering opportunities for those who did take part to further take responsibility and make amends,” Andrew Prince, head of the upper school, wrote in an email last week obtained by Gothamist.
Some traditional celebratory events for seniors such as a bowling trip and a visit to a go-kart course have already been canceled, according to the email.
Teachers at the school, who spoke to Gothamist on the condition of anonymity, said they were “stunned” that the school hadn’t issued a stronger condemnation of the incident, and that administrators needed to make clear the prank was racist and unacceptable.
You can read more about the story — HERE.
Jennifer Bergman, who owns the popular West Side Kids toy store on the Upper West Side, spoke to The New York Times last week about her fear of having to permanently shutter as businesses continue to struggle with newly imposed tariffs.
Bergman told the Times that there are examples of toy companies marking up prices 10 to 20 percent, while others are delaying shipments with the thought that President Donald Trump’s 145-percent tariff on Chinese imports will be rolled back to some extent in the near future.
Some companies that manufacture in China are also choosing not to send their goods to the United States at all, due to worry that customers won’t pay for the markup that stores would have to add to balance out the tariff, according to The New York Times.
Bergman said she would have to close West Side Kids, which operates out of 201 West 84th Street and has served customers on the Upper West Side since 1981, if she is not able to stock her shelves in the run-up to the December holiday season. Stores have to order goods and supplies for the holiday rush many months in advance.
She added that her sales are down $100,000 in the first three months of 2025 compared to the same period during the year prior.
“The Walmarts and the Amazons maybe can bring stuff in and stockpile it and sell it for what the prices are now,” she told the Times. “I don’t have any extra money to bring in inventory that I can’t sell in the next couple of months.”
You can read more — HERE.
Last week, pro-Palestine protestors occupied the Butler Library building on Columbia University’s Morningside Heights campus for around four hours, before the school’s public safety officers ended the occupation.
“This time, unlike during the occupation a year earlier, Columbia’s public safety officers, who are unarmed, intervened aggressively, pushing some demonstrators to the ground,” The New York Times reported in its description of the scene.
The building was occupied on Wednesday evening, and on Thursday NYPD announced that it had arrested around 80 people who had participated, with the vast majority of them receiving desk appearance tickets for criminal trespassing.
Columbia also has since announced it has temporarily suspended 65 students who allegedly participated in the building occupation Wednesday night.
On Thursday, the Times penned an article comparing the differences between the Columbia University campus building occupation last spring and the one on Wednesday night, as well as where the situation stands between the Morningside Heights school and the federal government.
You can read it — HERE.
Last week, West Side Rag reported on the winning participatory-budgeting projects within Councilmember Gale Brewer’s District 6. The results are also in for Councilmember Shaun Abreu’s District 7, which includes the Upper West Side north of 92nd Street and the entirety of Morningside Heights.
Here are the projects in our neighborhood that residents of District 7 voted to receive funding through the city budget.
- $250,000 to upgrade the bleachers and sports areas at the Booker T. Washington School at 103 West 107th Street, between Amsterdam and Columbus.
- $350,000 to enhance the science lab and technology equipment at P.S. 333 at 154 West 93rd Street, between Amsterdam and Columbus.
Subscribe to West Side Rag’s FREE email newsletter here. And you can Support the Rag here.
Poor Columbia students. They are fully aware of the potential consequences of their actions and then whine when they face those consequences.
How will they manage in the professional world?
Long live the Revolution comrade
Most were not students.
Most (but not all) were students, unfortunately
None of these specific people are going to the “professional world.” Doing the daily bidding of some terror-financed “NPO” in the Middle East would actually be an achievement for them. Dying their hair blue (with purple highlights) and writing some nonsense about the intersexuality of the kangaroo rat as explored in in the nexus between Freud’s seminal works and the discovery of the tau neutrino, would be the next likeliest outcome.
If the protestors were peaceful, I don’t know. Poor assumption you’re making as you are assuming all the protestors went to Columbia, and/or should not express themselves (peacefully), which is what the First Amendment guarantees. I’m more intrigued by the actions of the students at Collegiate — were they mocking Trump’s xenophobic, cruel America to make a point, or were they terrorizing Hispanic students? What was that all about?! Does anyone know?
Taking over a building is not peaceful
As for Collegiate, from everything I have read it appears that it was a kind of “hazing,” and that the senior students were NOT making an overt political statement. Which is sad, because it could have been a fabulous “teaching moment” had they done it with the right intention.
Don’t forget that the NYPD are also required to use only “appropriate force” in any given situation. If protestors were peaceful, then “aggressive” physical force was unnecessary and inappropriate. If protestors damaged property or took forceful action against law enforcement, then “aggressive” physical force is warranted. The problem is that the group probably included both, but “aggressive” force was used on ALL of them. THAT is not okay.
The email from Shipman said that the protesters had caused damage in the reading room.
Today on one of the levels inside the stacks I saw someone had scratched FREE PALESTINE into the wood of one of the reading surfaces.
I wonder who’ll be treated more harshly. The teenage pranksters at Collegiate, or the pro-Hamas adults at Columbia. My guess is the average UWS resident thinks it should be the former!
hmmm excusing xenophobia with a half-baked generalization about students exercising their 1A rights to oppose a genocide?
Sounds like the WSR comments section alright!
There is no genocide in Gaza, Gaza’s population has grown every year for the past century. If the protesters really cared for Gaza’s civilians, then they would demand that Hamas surrenders, rather than a cease-fire that would let Hamas rearm and launch another terrorist attack leading to another round of fighting and tens of thousands of deaths.
That’s a head-spinning lie by any standard.
Dozens of countries, the United Nations, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International have all labeled the current situation in Gaza as a genocide.
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/12/amnesty-international-concludes-israel-is-committing-genocide-against-palestinians-in-gaza/
https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/12/19/israels-crime-extermination-acts-genocide-gaza
You’re proving the above poster’s point…..
That’s like using statements from the ExxonMobil, Halliburton, and Donald J. Trump to argue against the reality of Climate Change. You MUST examine the bias in sources before backing their conclusions whole heartedly. This is one of the major issues the “protestors” are having as well. All of the sources have pronounced and well documented anti-Israel biases. Even the NYTimes has a documented bias against Israel, but not to the same extent that the cited sources above have.
There is no genocide in Israel. The Holocaust was a genocide. Darfur experienced a genocide. But charging Israel with genocide is akin to charging a house burglar with bank robbery because they stole a piggy bank during a house burglary. You have to look at the big picture.
That’s not to say that the government of Israel is doing everything right and nothing wrong. But it is not a genocide, nor is it apartheid. Calling it such is such a mean slap in the face to anyone who has actually experienced either.
Violence isn’t protected speech.
what violence? Graffiti???? Cops beating people?
I don’t think they were entirely peaceful. I think they did property damage.
I’m waiting to see how many of those protesters were currently affiliated with Columbia.
ALL COLUMBIA. You can’t even get into their campus if you’re not a student. They’ve locked the gates to the surrounding community. Stupid thing to do. The irony is that they’re literally gating their own internal issues. Can’t make it up.
No they were not all Columbia. About half. Guest can always get in. You just go on line and get a pass. This was the first protest in over a year thanks to the closed gates.
Border prank not racist. Illegal alien is not a race of people. They come from anywhere in the world, and if an American illegally enters another country, they too are an illegal alien. Kids made a current events joke.
<<<<——That's racism, folks
No, it’s not.
You’re right, it’s not racist.
It’s also a misdemeanor to be in the USA sans the right papers, if you’re a foreigner.
Now, imagine if during MLK week, these students had told black students to only use the back stairs and not eat in the cafeteria.
Or, a different non-racist “joke”, Imagine if the students had told Jewish students to segregate into one classroom.
On elite college campuses, Jewish students are in fact being forced to be segregated into separate classrooms! The example you used for shock value is in fact a reality.
Marc,
Please cite examples of where that is occurring on any college or university campus in the USA.
One place on the west side of Manhattan where no such thing is occurring is the Morningside Heights campus of Columbia University.
I’m still waiting for them to fire Little Miss “Give Us Humanitarian Aide” from last year’s Columbia building occupation who was arrested YET AGAIN last week.
West Side Kids is one of the few remaining independent shops on the West Side, actually in Manhattan altogether.
It is interesting that the City has prioritized and proactively supported the restaurant sector – the free street sheds starting with Covid and now the “new permanent program” with low-fee street space and also allowing drinks for take out.
In contrast, the City has done nothing for retail and small shops which are really suffering, facing challenges because of e-commerce, high rent and in some cases increased shoplifting.
The names of the students involved in the horrible activities at Collegiate should be forwarded to the colleges they are planning to attend. They should all have their college acceptances rescinded. Or at a bare minimum assign them each a roommate from a poor, minority family so they can see how the other half lives.
Based on most people I know at that school this is not surprising. It has its share of kind people with good values, but also has way too many entitled families who don’t believe in common decency and don’t think rules apply to them.
The fact that the school let it go as far as it did also says a lot about its administration and faculty. I believe they pushed a headmaster out recently. Perhaps it is time for another change.
Were you for or against the doxxing of the pro-Hanas Harvard students that occurred last year?
Marc,
Pro-Hamas students at Harvard?
Anti-genocide is not the same as being “pro-Hamas”.
To riff on Upton Sinclair, it is hard to get a man to understand something if his outrage depends on his not understanding it.
Non sequiter much?
As the spirit moves me — though not in the case above, of course.
Misspell much?
Look up “non sequitur”.
You’ve misused it, and ironically have made ecm’s point.
While sympathetic to your point, this was stupid, racist prank. There’s no claim anyone was coerced into doing anything they didn’t wish to do. And it begged belief a mariachi band was on the premises and the admin didn’t notice? All that said, ruining the rest of their lives by spiking their college is too harsh, imo. Cancelling trips is sufficient bc the trip is cancelled for everyone, not just the perps.
I went into West Side Kids new space once. I was quite disappointed with the selection. The original location allowed for so much more the be offered. It turned into a bookstore that happens to sell some toys. I don’t think it fills a need anymore.
What a bunch of purse-lipped humorless scolds. It’s a joke, a prank: ease up.
Women are being carried off screaming from their families by masked goons without warrants: what’s funny about that, stan? And a “joke” perpetuated by some of the most privileged kids in the country.
If this had happened in my house, I’d be spending a lot of time reflecting on what kind of failures of my own parenting would have produced a child who was either so cruel or so weak-willed a follower.
(That said, rescinding college acceptances would, I think, be over the top here.)
How about this, Collegiate doesn’t graduate these seniors. The colleges/universities they’d be starting in the fall (or perhaps in the fall of 2026) can decide whether they are still worthy of admission.
You call ICE agents masked goons? If the people who controlled Biden didn’t throw open the boarder this would not be necessary. But they did so now it will be fixed and fixing problems is not always pretty. The real monsters are liberals who allowed the invasion of our country.
“12-year-old boy left alone on sidewalk after ICE raid in Massachusetts” (https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/waltham-mass-ice-arrest-boy-left-alone/)
G-O-O-N-S. There, I spelled it out for you. (Acceptable alternatives include “thugs”, “barbarians”, and, loosely speaking, “Gestapo”.)
You don’t seem to love the blue? Did you have a few bad experiences with the Police? Sometimes it helps to talk just let it all out.
Actually, I’m just fine with the blue much of the time; it’s the red I find ghastly and pukesome. Furthermore, I’ve been quite fond of both the Police and Sting since 1977.
No, I’d much rather hear about these “smart” people with whom you allege Donnie surrounds himself.
“invasion of our country”? How do you suppose the pre-mass European colonization natives felt?
Also, it’s the likes of Charles Koch that want open borders, so he can get cheaper labors.
Don’t want mass immigration the USA, tell DJT to stop trying to destroy Venezuela.
Right, Biden, W, and Obama didn’t help by destroying Iraq, Syria, Libya and instigating a coup in Ukraine and Honduras.
Just ask the pre-mass European colonization natives , what happens if you don’t control immigration
So, you foresee wars of conquest, disease and mass starvation.
Good to know./s
Yet more came in during DJT1.0. But you conveniently don’t mention that.
What orifice did you put that from?
“If the people who controlled Biden didn’t throw open the boarder this would not be necessary.”
https://www.cato.org/blog/biden-didnt-cause-border-crisis-part-1-summary
So in other words, this — masked goons conducting warrantless abductions — is not necessary. Absolutely!
By the way:
* https://apnews.com/article/tufts-student-detained-massachusetts-immigration-6c3978da98a8d0f39ab311e092ffd892
* https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/tufts-student-detained-masked-federal-agents-1235304299/
* https://www.mediaite.com/news/disturbing-video-shows-masked-men-hauling-away-pro-palestine-student-her-whereabouts-are-unknown/
* https://www.npr.org/2025/03/27/1241163674/here-now-anytime-03-27-2025
* https://www.rawstory.com/rachel-maddow-2671617688/
* https://crooksandliars.com/2025/03/not-america-masked-trump-operatives-snatch
Now that we’re agreed they’re masked, the only point of contention is whether they’re goons. I’d say they fully qualify.
“The real monsters are liberals who allowed the invasion of our country.”
Extermination or deportation for those “monsters” — you decide!
Yes. Men covering their faces, without identifying information, and acting without warrants are literally masked goons. And why exactly do we need men snatching female grad students in their 20s off the street as they run their errands in residential neighborhoods, again?
“Don’t worry, the thugs will go away once we crush the TERRIFYING INVASION” is pure fascist talk.
Wait, I thought liberals loved masks? People who oppose deportation are simply misinformed. There is a piece of unused federal land conveniently located in San Francisco Bay that would be perfect to reeducate liberals who like open borders and get in the way of ICE agents.
Charles Koch is a liberal?
Shhh, OPOD, you’re not supposed to talk about the “reeducation” part of the plan out loud!
At least not yet.
The ICE agents that cover their faces? Are you a real person, or am I being punked (Candid Camera for those in my age range)?
A joke that was–at a bare minimum–extremely insensitive and in extremely poor taste, but more likely an expression of disdain for a group of people who have been demonized. Making fun of the less fortunate is rarely very funny.
Exactly, Stan. Hope Carlos isn’t in a position of authority.
The Seniors who participated in that horrible prank ought to be suspended or expelled. It was horribly racist “prank”. I can’t believe they haven’t done anything yet.
No, they should not be expelled or suspended. The era of witch-hunting,, collective public shaming and faux outrages is fortunately coming to an end.
People do not have to like the prank. They have all the rights to be disgusted However calls for disproportionate consequences for actions we do no t like no longer resonate with the general public.
Expel the kids. That’s not a prank. They learn that trash from their garbage parents.
Feels as though they’re carrying on a tradition of racist pranks — in their parents’ generation it was frat bros putting on minstrel shows in blackface.
Peaceful protest is one thing. Vandalism, intimidation, and violence are another. Let alone violence against the officers who are trying to stop the vandalism, trespassing, and intimidation of others whose rights the protestors trample. The protestors broke the law as well as the rules of the private university they have the privilege to be enrolled in. It is a privilege, not a right. If there are consequences to their action, they should have been well aware of those before they decided to break the law.
1. If West Side Kids is in danger of closing it is not because of tariffs. That may be a convenient excuse but Tariffs would have a minimal increase on the price of toys. Tariffs are a percentage of the cost of manufacturing NOT price. That increase certainly isnt influencing her customer base on what to purchase. Blaming Donald Trump is just a convenient excuse
2. Doesn’t anyone remember the anti-war protests and building takeovers during Vietnam? This was an important protest that brought bringing that disaster of a war into the public consciousness. The same could be said about these students who are risking a lot to stand up for what they believe. They shouldn’t have their lives ruined over it.
3. The Collegiate prank gives an interesting insight into the changing political viewpoints in this city. Young people are becoming more and more conservative. It is an interesting juxtapostion with Zohran Mamdan who is advocating for the expansion of sanctuary city policies.
The anti-Vietnam war protests and the pro-Hamas protests: Carried out in very different ways. I’ve lived through both.
You obviously do NOT understand the tariffs. Almost every single baby and toddler item sold in America is made in China. From strollers to cribs to toys. The tariffs will raise the price of these and other items by a minimum of 12% overall. In fact, one parent/children advocacy group did a quick study on this. It used to cost ~$250,000 to raise a child from birth to 18 (not including any private school costs). If the tariffs stay in place – not only for baby- and toddler-related items, but for other necessary items across the board – the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 will be almost $300,000 by 2026 – an addition of $50,000 over two years.
You need to “do the research” before you make unsupportable statements like that.
This is clearly incorrect. When I look at what I spend on food, shelter, after-school activities, etc… for the kids versus toys, the toys and imports from China don’t even register.
“Tariffs would have a minimal increase on the price of toys. Tariffs are a percentage of the cost of manufacturing NOT price.”
This doesn’t make any sense. Tariffs are paid on the value of the imported goods (minus shipping, insurance, and a few other things). Now the price you’re paying the importer is not the price you charge at retail, obviously, but:
Say you pay the importer $1 (minus shipping) normally and charge $5 retail for the goods. That’s a conservative scenario.
Post-80% tariff, you pay the importer + customs $1.80.
If you pass along that cost increase to the customer, then, you’ll be charging $5.80.
That’s a 16% increase in retail price!
If you don’t, well, that money’s got to come from somewhere. Larger enterprises can absorb those costs sometimes, but where is the mom and pop going to find that money?
UWS people have plenty of money for their dogs, for marijuana/vaping, Starbucks, eating out, having food delivered….. If the store closes, it’s because people have other priorities.
Oh really, Bill? Why do you think Donald Trump talked about kids only getting 2 dolls instead of lots of dolls if his stupid tariffs weren’t going to affect the price pretty dramatically? Why do you think our ports are suddenly empty? Why do you think a store that has thrived since 1981 is suddenly in danger of going under? I sometimes find it difficult to believe how much of a fantasy universe Trump voters live in.
1. Taxes
2. Crime
3. Amazon
That is my order, but would not argue otherwise.
The threat to West Side Kids ( a great neighborhood small business) posed by the Administration’s tariff plan reveals how glib and ignorant Trump was in saying so what if children have 2 dolls instead of 30. His message to kids was basically to suck it up. But, using Trump’s example, his tariff plan leaves retailers such as W.S.K. with 28 fewer sales. And there will be commensurately less demand for the services of longshoremen, truckers, warehousers, and package deliverers, down to the purveyors of giftwrap and ribbons. What is Trump’s message to them?
“Go work for Amazon.” That’s what’s been killing small retail, not the maybe-on-maybe-off tariffs. Sad as it may be, noone cares about visiting a toy store, if you can get the same thing, say 20-30% cheaper online.
Kid’s like visiting toy stores. ( I did when I was a kid ).
If parents do not fail safe taking their kids then that is an issue also.
And you know this, how? How old are your children, Peter?
Love West Side Kids and it would be sad to lose it but its new location is significantly worse. The store is uncomfortable to be inside and it feels like they don’t stock as many options for older kids as they used to.
Agree. Plus it is on a side street which is made worse by the never ending construction projection on its side of that side street.
I loved WSK when my kids were younger. And I strongly support small businesses. And I think the posters who are trying to absolve Trump of any blame here are brain-washed MAGA idiots. But the move was not the brightest move – not sure how much say they had in the matter as the space was quickly filled by a place selling ice cream for a small fortune (it is really good ice cream, but the prices are ridiculous, almost as bad as Salt and Straw).
Sadly so many small shops-independent stores in Manhattan have had to move to smaller spaces or move out or close…..
Paper House also had to move to a very small space on Amsterdam.
John Koch Antiques had to move out of Manhattan.
Domus, a lovely gift shop in Hell’s Kitchen, was forced to close.
Many others…
Trump derangement syndrome has affected so many of the commenters. I honestly believe that if President Trump spoke about the importance of air, some liberals would put plastic bags over their heads.
I’d rather have Trump Derangement Syndrome – which is more than fully justified – than Trump Devotion Syndrome, which is a cult of personality sickness.
Wokeness is also a cult.
Must we still engage in vice signalling, Marc?
I don’t know, buddy, sounds like you don’t have sufficient faith in our great leader: he himself said, repeatedly, that tariffs would mean children would be able to have many fewer toys!
I am not your buddy, Donald Trump surrounds himself with smart people. Biden surrounded himself with people who checked boxes race gender orientation.
Eagerly we continue to await your list of these “smart” people with whom King Krasnov surrounds himself.
“Donald Trump surrounds himself with smart people.”
Smart in an absolute sense or smart relative to Donnie? Anyhow, who are some of these “smart” people?
Talk about TDS, OPOD has it bad. Change the channel. You’d be surprised at the truth.
A drunk Fox News host for defense secretary. A guy with a literal brain worm and no formal experience at all for HHS secretary. Don’t bother saying “smart.” Just say “white men and women.” It’s obviously what you believe.
Even the WSJ says this plan was dumb.
You sure about that? Seems like the main qualification to be in the current administration is willingness to go on Fox News and lie shamelessly. The handful of otherwise smart people (eg Scott B, Rubio) are clearly not driving much policy.
Thanx,
I just spit my coffee on the screen from laughing at this sad but true statement,
Are OPOE and OPOD the same poster? Just asking…
Dear Kansas Flyover,
We share many of the same views but do not inhabit the same body.
We also have two different writing/response styles.
Good question though,
I was waiting for someone to ask,
No.
It’s unfortunate that Columbia “temporarily suspended 65 students” engaged in these unlawful protests.
A temporary suspension is joke. In fact, it’s a badge of honor.
These protesters should be expelled. This would really send a message.
And no, occupying campus property, vandalizing this property, wearing masks during these protests and disturbing students studying for their finals is not “freedom of speech”.
It’s temporary suspensions, pending investigation and then the hearings and decisions by the “University Judicial Board,” which is the body that can make decisions like expulsions (and which expelled a number of participants in previous protests). Give it some time to play out,
Tariffs are barely yet in yet WSK sales are down for 3 months already. It’s not the tariffs.
The tariffs took effect on China in early February. They bounced between 25% and 145%. The current tariff is 124%. Given that nearly 100% of all items made for infants and toddlers – from cribs to strollers to toys – are made in China, it is entirely possible that the tariffs are responsible for the store’s loss.
You might want to actually do some research before you make unsupported and presumptive claims.
Trump folded…tariffs reduced to 30% on china. But on the bright side…Trump gets a $400 million “flying palace” from a grateful Middle East nation…news to follow on what they are/will be grateful for. Note to those who suffer from Trump Devotion Syndrome: No, I don’t suffer from Trump Derangement syndrome … past actions are usually a good prediction of future behavior.
TDS is the MAGA war cry. But no, it’s not a cult.
NYPD could help out Columbia a lot by being stationing near the gates and not allowing these clowns in the neighborhood and breaking up any protests.
Columbia has had the campus closed to all unless they have Columbia Student/Faculty ID cards. So these protestors had to have been Columbia Students. Also at least one of them spray painted books in the Library(Butler Hall). Other protestors jumped on tables and prevented other students from studying for exams. Well off spoiled brats using the Palestinian conflict as an excuse to act out.
No. You can bring guests and get a guest pass.
I think students can bring in guests who also show ID. Either way, most of the protesters were students and they were disruptive, violent towards the security guards and they defaced Columbia property
Just here for the comments. Great laughs.
Well the reality is that if NYC had not been overwhelmed by migrants who are here illegally (and I know this statement will upset very liberal folks) the fallout that is happening would have been avoided. All the previous administration had to do was to enforce the immigration laws and slow down the uncontrolled crossings. Had they done that NYC would have been spared billions of dollars not to mention the increase in crime from this population, the closure of much needed hotel rooms, the disruption of the schools etc etc.
Maybe UWS Dad will weigh in on West Side Toys ?
I have been summoned!
My kids sure like going to toy stores but I can say I’m pretty price sensitive and if prices go up 20-30%, they’re gonna get one less toy car or whatever… toy stores are in a tough spot for sure.
These tariffs make no sense obviously, its not like there are national security implications in having a domestic source of toy production… that’s the problem with putting a bunch of clowns in charge.
It’s deeply troubling to learn that a school on the Upper West Side recently allowed—or at the very least, failed to stop—a senior prank involving a mariachi band and a staged border patrol scenario. In a school with a very low percentage of Hispanic students, this wasn’t just a misguided joke. It was offensive, culturally insensitive, and deeply disrespectful.
No matter how much families pay to attend this school, that doesn’t excuse an environment where students feel empowered to mock immigrant experiences or communities of color. This incident shines a harsh light on the values being modeled both at home and within the institution itself.
This isn’t just about a prank—it’s about the kind of culture the school is promoting and the kind of citizens it’s shaping. The administration must address this publicly and take meaningful steps to ensure this kind of behavior is not normalized or dismissed as harmless. Diversity education, accountability, and community engagement are not optional—they’re essential.
A lot of private colleges promote the same culture, in or out of the UWS. Many of these types then go on to live in gentrifying neighborhoods and vote for progressive politicians, that is why mayoral candidates like Zohran Mamdani are seen as frauds.
I went to a private school elsewhere in the Northeast. I was one of two Hispanic students in a student body of over 600 and I received a lot of financial aid. Most of family was born outside the US and I spoke Spanish at home. I made some wonderful friends and received a great education but it could be an uncomfortable environment for students who were not white and wealthy. The majority of my classmates were extremely economically privileged and very sheltered. Hispanic people mainly existed as maids and gardeners in their world.
I’m disturbed that this happened at a school in my neighborhood. But I’m also not surprised.
It would be interesting to hear from a Collegiate student on what they were thinking.
I mean, it’s great to hear the outrage here but maybe they had some other intention.
Nah, these folks have all the facts they need. Hope all those Collegiate kids go to great Colleges outside NY, get great jobs outside NY, raise great families outside NY.
Prep school prank – privileged brats – boys will be boys
Columbia occupation – Book ‘‘em Dano! – what took security so long to evict them.
Absolutely hilarious zeitgeist by based students (educated kids that mayb have had enough of the radical left sophistry) should be applauded for first amendment performance art. But does 1stA only pertains to those biased faux liberal establishment overton fenestration vox populi limits? Punishment for critical thinking and fair balanced 1stA expression is out of the question. Good work Collegiate seniors w a brain who get to have an opinion too awa a sense of humor.. lol
It’s not “performance art” to mock or belittle marginalized people—it’s cowardice dressed up in privilege. Hiding behind the First Amendment doesn’t make bigotry insightful or brave, and calling it “critical thinking” doesn’t magically make it intelligent. These students aren’t challenging any establishment—they are the establishment: wealthy, entitled, and used to skating past consequences.
The idea that this is about “free speech” is a smokescreen. Speech has consequences, especially when it dehumanizes others. And let’s not pretend this is about humor either. Humor that punches down isn’t satire—it’s just cruelty with a laugh track.
If this is your idea of a “zeitgeist,”I suggest it’s time to check what era you’re living in.
Westside Kids… A problem with this store is that you’re not open enough. 11am to 6pm shuts out parents with full time jobs. Even in the weeks running up Christmas you won’t even stay open one hour later so people can shop in person. And I’ve asked. Then you complain that people walk over to Barnes & Noble.
I am definitely not the only parent in the hood that feels this way.
Nice shop, not accessible.