Letter to the Editor: Lynbrook/East Rockaway

Accept the consequences

To the Editor:

As a former East Rockaway Board of Education trustee, I feel compelled to comment on the recent water balloon fight and the consequences of 14 students not being allowed to attend their graduation ceremony.

During my time on the board working with Superintendent Dr. Roseanne Melucci and high school Principal Bill Fortgang, Neither one of them would make a decision such as this lightly or callously — they are invested in the well-being of each and every student and are prone to giving the benefit of the doubt whenever and wherever possible. No administrator ever wants to exclude or ban a student from graduation. It is supposed to be a day of joy, accomplishment and good will. I imagine it hurt them deeply to have to make this decision.

On the other hand, they are paid to be the responsible adults. It is a terrible message to send to these students, the upcoming grades, the parents and the community that even when consequences are clearly spelled out, when rules are broken, causing dangerous conditions, that you can get away with it if you complain enough.

This is a serious issue, with substantial pre-warnings and potential danger to many others. These young people are heading off to college or the service or the work force. Will their professors, commanding officers or bosses look the other way when they break a rule? I think not.

More important: What if they take a dare at college (drink too much or even worse)? Who will be receiving that midnight phone call? Not the high school administration, that’s for sure.

This is a priceless lesson for these kids. It might not feel like that now, but they have learned boundaries, they have learned consequences and yes, they have learned that they have their parents’ support. These are all good things.

I hope this community can heal quickly from this. The only way the school has any credibility is to stick to its guns and follow through, no matter how difficult it is for all sides.

Vicki Perlman-Alspector

Lynbrook