DR. SELMA BALIN LASKIN

As I end my legal career, I must thank Mrs. Laskin for the support and challenges she gave to all of us in her classes. She definitely made me a better reader and writer. She was demanding, but kind.

Mrs. Laskin was my 12 grade AP English teacher in 1970. She was the most memorable and important teacher in my high school career. Not only did she teach the classics, but she taught us how to write and think critically about literature. She also assigned controversial and contemporary authors such as James Baldwin and Norman Mailer. No one else was teaching those authors at that time and it took courage and it showed the respect she had for her students. It wasn't until I became an...

My sincere condolences to Mrs. Laskin's family. She was my English teacher at GWHS in 1968 and '69.. Her classes were enjoyable, stimulating and inspired my imagination. Although she was tolerant of a certain degree of teen antics, she also made us work hard and seemed effortlessly to command the classroom. She contributed a lot to many people's lives, and I feel privileged to be among them.
Lynn Moskowitz Michaelson

David - Mom and I have been talking about Aunt Sel since we heard the news. I only just, finally, managed to connect to this site. Please know that you and she are in our thoughts. She is a part of the fabric of my life and will be remembered. We'd love if you and Carol could come up to visit with us and Chris sometime soon. For now, I'm honoring your mom's passing by thinking of her and of Uncle Len as I remember them and sharing memories with Mom. Our love to you.

Mrs. Laskin was my eleventh grade English teacher at Washington High. She left the class mid-year (in 1977, I believe) to pursue her interest in counseling. Perhaps more than anyone else I encountered in those years, she thought systematically about what was needed to improve the performance of each of her students. To that end, she required us to write under pressure -- then categoried and tabulated every grammatical or other error we had made while doing so, and tracked how well we were...

Mrs Laskin, who subsequently went on to become Dr Laskin, was my English teacher in 10th and 12th grade at GWHS. She was an inspiration and created a love of reading that is with me today. She was kind, compassionate and always there for her students. Her support and guidance helped me become who I am today May her memory be a blessing.

I had Mrs Laskin for 2 years at GWHS
She was my all time favorite teacher and taught me that nothing that I really desired and worked for was unattainable
She had the most influence in my life's journey
Thank you Selma and may you rest in peace

Email me : [email protected]
[email protected]

My deepest condolences to her children, and to her whole family. Mrs. Laskin was a treasure!
Mrs. Laskin (how could I call her anything else!) was one of my most influential teachers in high school English (I'm George Washington High School, Class of '68). She was not just inspiring, and open to runs of imagination, but she was also tolerant of my lack of sophistication and my awkwardness. In those respects, she's been a role model for the style of teaching I try to do myself.
I am...