Letter: A community divided; time to change the tide
The community is divided, once again, over another very polarizing subject. First, there was the toxic contamination found at NMS which required closing the school in order to remediate, then there was the LIPA settlement, followed by Covid and the closing of two elementary schools. Now a failed budget.
It's up to the leader of a school district and the board of education to unite the community, not continuously facilitate and further that division. I have not seen this administration or school board do that. The superintendent remains disconnected from the community, which is apparent by comments like "I don't feel like it was rushed" when commenting on closing the two elementary schools during a global pandemic – after countless parents and teachers stated it was a rushed decision. When the budget failed, his comment was "I thought we put a reasonable, thoughtful, well-planned, strategic budget together."
Does he have a clue that the community has been devastated by Covid, the LIPA settlement, the NMS debacle and the closing of two beloved elementary schools? Sadly, I do not think so.
Now, let's look at the board. A sitting trustee posted on social media "with the 8th lowest budget-budget increase in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, the residents said no thank you! The budget failed!" and he wants to be sure "Every voice is heard" because it is his belief that the 2069 “no” votes "do not speak for you."
That begs the questions: Who do they speak for? Are those 2069 “no” votes meaningless? Do you only represent half of the community, the half that agrees with the district narrative?
Therein lies the divide...
This trustee shows wanton disrespect for the community in which he supposedly serves. He is not only disconnected, but also arrogant, which is a behavior I'm sure he learned from the arrogant bully who recently left the board and the egotistical, self-important board president, who allowed the bullying and marginalizing of fellow board members during his presidency. It is time to change the tide of our school district. The haughty comments from the board president during meetings need to stop, the superintendent needs to develop empathy and become cognizant of the community that he was hired to lead, and this sitting trustee needs to become respectful of his colleagues and the community he serves. If these three individuals are unable to get it together and align themselves with the community they serve, we should demand their resignation!
I am confident the newly elected trustee, Carol Taylor, and re-elected incumbent Victoria Buscareno will bridge that divide. They are intelligent, caring and empathetic individuals, along with the equally smart, knowledgeable and trustworthy trustee Allison Noonan, who recently won a Board of Education award for increasing her knowledge in areas of governance.
They will unite and guide our community with positivity to a favorable future. Our community will heal and become unified over the common goals we set for our children and for this we will be eternally grateful.
Congratulations to Victoria and Carol! I look forward to working with you as you become stewards of the Northport-East Northport school district community!
Tammie Topel, Northport
