By John Nugent
A large number of parents angrily opposed the rumored transfer of a teacher from North Side School to Willets Road School at the East Williston Board of Education meeting on Monday.
Accusations were made that the teacher, whose name was not disclosed, has engaged in criminal activity.
Several people who spoke at the open time segment of the meeting said that they did not want this individual teaching their children and demanded that she be fired.
Others went so far as to imply that the board and administration were covering up a serious problem and trying to sweep it away by a shift to another building.
Many of the critical comments were followed by applause from supporters in the audience at the Wheatley School auditorium.
Responding to the comments, school board President Mark Kamberg said that state law prohibits public discussion of any matters involving personnel and would not confirm or deny that there are issues with a staff member or that there is any consideration by the administration of a possible transfer or termination.
“Transfers are made with regard to the needs of the entire district, not because of an issue in a particular building,” added Superintendent Elaine Kanas.
Reached by phone, North Side School PTO Secretary Sheryl Packman and Treasurer Lisa Sklow said they were not at the board meeting and refused to comment on the matter, although Packman did say that she opposes any possible transfer of the teacher.
In an unrelated matter, the board approved the construction of a 6-foot-high perimeter fence at the North Side School.
East Williston resident James Daw opposed the idea of a fence around the school, claiming that it will instill fear in the children. He said he feels they will be afraid they are in a dangerous place.
The district is awaiting a response from the Town of North Hempstead regarding adding a traffic light on Schoolhouse Road near the Willets Road School. One concerned parent asked the board if a crossing guard could be posted there in the interim.
The same concern was expressed about the need for a traffic light on East Williston Avenue near the North Side School in a March 20 letter from the board to the Nassau county executive.
Presentations were made at the beginning of the meeting by Ethan Moreh and Sarah Greenfield, students in the School-Within-a-School program (SWS) at the Wheatley School.
The students described their projects, which compared violence and racism in the antebellum period of the 1800s and the civil rights era of the 1960s.
Wheatley School teacher Gena Topping introduced the students and explained the SWS program, in which students play a very active role in designing their own education.
