Readers Write: Glickman right about ed board’s silence

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Readers Write: Glickman right about ed board’s silence

Yes, Michael Glickman, the Great Neck Board of Education has taken a vow of silence.  Here are just a few examples:

At the March 30 school board meeting, Linda Doyle read a shocking excerpt from a book that her 7th grader was assigned.

The president of the board promised that there would be an investigation into how that book, which contained misogynistic and vulgar sexual language, racial epithets, and the vilification of police officers as racist, was assigned our 7th grade children as required reading.

Ms. Doyle was told by Dr. Stephen Lando, GNPS Assistant Superintendent, that the book was selected by the English Departments of the North and South Middle Schools.

However, when Dr. Lando was asked for the syllabus for the seventh grade, he was unable to provide it.  Ms. Doyle is still waiting for the 7th grade syllabus.

How were the English Department chairs allowed to move forward with their assignment of books without an approved syllabus? Could it be that there is a syllabus but the board did not want to share it with parents because it was so controversial?

One parent, Ben Tartak, tried his best to get an answer from the board regarding a curriculum question. Mr. Tartak wanted to know what the GNPS are teaching with regard to race.

He wanted to find out if the students are learning about the history of racism in our country or if they are learning that this country is a racist society.

In December of 2021, having not received any response, he had to resort to the filing of a Freedom of Information document.

As of this writing, only a few days away from the school board election, he has not received any response to this monumentally important question which is a pivotal issue as we approach May 17.

Another parent, after not receiving a response from the GN School Board to her questions regarding COVID funds was compelled to seek answers by filing a Freedom of Information request in early December of 2021.

She wanted to know how much money the Board received from the 2020 Corona Virus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act; the American Rescue Plan Act; the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Funds; and the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds and details about grant applications for those funds.

What was sent back to her was 70 pages of incomprehensible information which was neither useful nor practical.

Another example of the failure to respond to parents’ questions about important issues occurred at a meeting on April 5 which was designed to educate parents about the GNPS effort to establish Comprehensive Sexual Education throughout all grades.

It was at this meeting that the consultant to the GNPS, an employee of Northwell Health and an expert in transgender counseling, told parents that sexual behavior should be taught to children of all ages just as we teach them how to swim and that sex should be discussed openly and on a daily basis.

At that meeting, one parent wanted to know details about the teaching of 72 different genders.  She was promised an answer to that question but, as of this day, never received it.

Transparency is not a “slogan,” Mr. Glickman.   It is the mission of the concerned parents who encouraged me to run for Trustee.

Emil Hakimi

Great Neck

 

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