Parents question special ed program

Parents, residents and students stepped into the ring with their gloves off to demand information about the Alternative Special Education program at the Valley Stream Central High School District Board of Education meeting on Aug. 31.

Trustees were asked hard and heated questions as part of an effort to stop a handful of ASE students in grades 10 through 12 from moving to North High School in Franklin Square when school started on Sept. 8.

While many community members strongly opposed the program’s move to North, Superintendent Dr. Marc Bernstein did not modify or reverse his recommendation for the move.

Beginning the discussion, Dr. Thomas Troisi, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, delivered a brief presentation that answered questions posed by Franklin Square Civic Association President Vincent Toma, a spokesman for the parents. Troisi informed the crowd of around 250 that it will cost $30,000 to bus the 13 students in the ASE program for the upcoming year. Troisi also commented on student monitoring in the program in response to Toma’s questions.

“It is our duty to mainstream the special education students as much as possible,” Troisi said. “The students can mix with the general population if going to lunch. The lunchrooms are monitored by teachers, and we have security.” He added that the district is not aware of any criminal incidents in the program, but it is aware of one student who is on probation.

People in the crowd responded by voicing their frustration. One woman shouted, “You should be aware of incidents with respect to our kids!” And Toma confronted board members with state education reports detailing statistics on violent incidents associated with Valley Stream schools, which he felt the board was denying.

Bernstein responded that the program is not designed to be an alternative to incarceration or to confine students behind locked doors. He added that state law requires that special ed students are placed in the “least restrictive environment” in order to be mainstreamed with other students.

But when community members asked questions, Bernstein found himself in the hot seat. Several people, unsatisfied with his answers, became irate. “How can you ensure our safety?” asked a North student, Megan Mazza. “Your job is to provide specially trained people in the schools. I would like to see if you would send your kids to this school knowing that these ASE students will be in this school.”

Mazza added that there was a fire in the boys’ bathroom at North last year, and she fears that incidents like that one will become more frequent if all the ASE students move there.

Bernstein told Mazza to tell Principal Clifford Odell about her concerns. “We have no reason to believe students classified special education will do something horrific,” Bernstein said.

Franklin Square resident Michael Giaconelli asked about the goals of the program. “If you cannot measure the program, how can you manage it?” he asked, adding that North students could be negatively influenced by ASE students.

“As a high school district, our goal is for all students to graduate from high school,” Bernstein responded. “How do we evaluate the program is a fair question. We make reports on the percentage of how many graduate with Regents diplomas and how many drop out.”

Giaconelli asked Bernstein why he believes parents should support this program. “I understand the fear and anxiety parents have when they hear about incidents,” Bernstein said, addressing a rumor that spread by text messages about a student bringing a gun to South High School, which was not true. “It became truth in parents’ minds,” he said.

Bernstein added that the fire at North was a serious matter, and that he still speaks to the Nassau County Police Department’s 5th Precinct about its investigation of the incident.

“I believe [the program] is educationally and economically advantageous to the community,” he said. “I do not believe it will present a safety issue at North, as it did not at Central.”

Another Franklin Square resident, Karen Gonzalez, said she did not want this program to affect North students. “Why do good kids have to suffer?” she asked.
And Howell Road School PTA leader Ray Mohamed said he was glad community members were taking a stand. “If we as parents get more involved at these meetings, we can have a much better impact on what happens with our school board,” he said. “We want our kids to be strong and stand up for who they are.”

Community member Valerie Koches asked why the ASE students are under the umbrella of special education, and whether any of them have a record of violence. “I do not understand why the school does not know about students’ history or know whether the student is violent or has been arrested,” she said.

After Special Education Director Michelle Gay explained the definition of special education, Bernstein said that children who do not perform well academically can be put into the program. He added that school officials are not told about juvenile records.

Michael Mayo said he was concerned that the program could grow to even more students, and that he would hold board members responsible if another student got hurt or another dangerous incident occurred.

No one voiced stronger opposition to the program than Toma. “Why should I trust you with my precious child when you cannot seem to answer questions?” he asked Bernstein. “You have not honestly answered the questions. You have not made me feel comfortable that I can turn over my child to you.” The audience voiced its support.

Toma urged the board not to “brush over” a reported incident of assault in a bathroom at North, in which, Toma said, a plastic bag was pulled over a child’s head, and the child was told to turn over money.

Bernstein said he was not aware of the incident, but he was told by Odell and Gay that the student who posed a danger was removed from the school. “We could not anticipate the student acting this way,” he said. “The student had already been there for a year. Nothing said the student needed a specific restrictive environment.”

Toma noted that the ASE environment is extremely stressful for teachers. “I do not think the board can handle a violent 18- or 19- year-old,” he said. “I’d rather you as a superintendent and the board be honest about what is going on.”
The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Tuesday.