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Overcast Parents question alternative program
High school officials hear concerns from North High community
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.
