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Partly Cloudy Board to revisit student parking restrictions
After making the decision to close student parking lots in 2009, the Valley Stream Central High School Board of Education voted to bring the policy up for discussion once again at its Sept. 11 meeting.
Student parking lots are closed during school hours, and students are prohibited from taking their cars out to lunch if they choose to park on school grounds. However, many students circumvent the policy by parking on nearby side streets, especially by both Central and North high schools. The lots are closed district-wide during periods three through seven, although students in grades 10-12 are permitted to leave school grounds for lunch.
Trustee Joseph DiSibio, who lives near North, made the motion to revisit the policy. In a 5-4 vote, board members ultimately chose to side with DiSibio.
DiSibio, a first-year high school board member, said he understands that the decision to close the lot was done for safety reasons, but added that kids are still leaving for lunch either way.
“As noble as the intention was, the end result is that the students for the most part stopped parking in the student parking lot and began parking on the side streets,” he said at the meeting, “much to the dismay of many residents. In my personal opinion, that only transferred the burden of the issue from the school to the community.”
DiSibio’s comments stemmed from the Aug. 28 meeting when residents who live near North voiced their displeasure with the policy.
“The problem we have in the neighborhood over there is kids park in front of our houses and they use our personal property as a dumping ground,” said Chris Falcon. “Everyday I come home from work and I’ve got to pick garbage out of my bushes.”
In recent years, several “No Parking” signs have been added in front of homes around North, limiting parking during the school day. Ronald Landress, whose home is also close to the school, told the board that he doesn’t want any signs in front of his home because he has multiple cars. He also questioned the board as to why this policy was put into effect.
“Why do you have a student parking lot if you can’t have students park in there?” he asked. “People will drive the way they drive. Sixty-year-old people get in accidents everyday. If a student wants to drive properly, they’ll drive the right way.”
Trustee Ken Cummings, who was one of the board members to vote against the proposal to revisit the policy, said his decision was about student safety. He cited a clip from the news show “Inside Edition” which showed students speeding outside of North. The clip triggered the board’s decision to implement its current parking policy.
“If the restriction were lifted and a student was killed racing to or from lunch, the board would be asked why we weren’t proactive,” Cummings said. “I know taking the stance that I have isn’t popular with the residents around North High School, but I think the policy needs a little more time to be embraced.”
Taylor Milone, a senior a North, drives her neighbor and brother to school every morning. Since she has second and eighth periods off during the day, she parks in the student lot, but added she would like the lot to be open at all times.
“I know the school is just trying to look out for our safety by closing the parking lot, but it is a big inconvenience for anyone with a mid-day lunch period,” she said, adding that many of her friends park on the side streets. “The school needs to trust the kids to be responsible while going out for lunch. It’s not fair to us.”
Cummings said for the last two years the board has been asked to revisit its parking policy, but hasn’t gotten any new information on the issue to change the decision. He added that he understands the frustration of residents, but would like the policy to be tried for a longer period of time.
“I still believe that the decision was made in the best interest of the students,” he said, “and I need to see if, over a little time, the students will realize that as well.”
Milone said the residents and students would be happy if the lots were open all day. “I’m aware the school gets complaints and there are parking signs we have to pay attention to,” she said, “but that could all be avoided in the lot was open every period.”
