NYS school regionalization initiative, LIPA time-of-day rates, red light cameras
LIPA's time-of-day rates were introduced in 2023. Credit: Newsday/Steve Pfost
Do more to give all a first-class education
Recent protests against the state school regionalization initiative are largely a response to Long Island’s increasing diversity, especially within localities that pride themselves on their exclusivity [“State: School regionalization plan now voluntary,” News, Dec. 10]. The mantra of “local control” generally reflects taxpayers’ fears of racial/ethnic integration through the forced consolidation of school districts.
Nassau County alone contains 56 independent school districts along with 64 incorporated villages. Such duplications of government help to explain the high cost of living in our region. However, there exist tremendous financial and educational disparities between Nassau’s 56 school districts.
Those inequities were created through structural and systemic patterns of segregation and discrimination that often accompanied the development of incorporated villages and school attendance zones. The result is that Nassau County, despite its growing diversity, remains one of the most segregated geographic regions of our nation.
Recently, the state Education Department has clarified its position on regionalization by emphasizing the voluntary nature of local participation and that districts should collaborate in ways that make sense.
While it is true that some school districts have a history of seeking opportunities for financial collaborations, much more needs to be done before we can boast, without exception, that every child in Nassau County is receiving a first-class education.
— Thomas Troisi, Freeport
The writer was an assistant superintendent of the Valley Stream Central High School District.
As a parent in a top school district, I am embarrassed about the overreactions toward regionalization. The us-vs.-them mentality is repeated at the town level. What kind of message is this to our children?
Sharing resources has always been the American way. Are we that worried and parochial to believe that having a few more motivated students from another district might take away from our own children?
Hopefully, the sense of common good will prevail, but without a mandate there is no assurance of participation.
An education system should strive to maintain the highest level at the best schools while bringing up the lesser. I disagree with the notion that local administrators always know best when it comes to educating our students. If that were true, we would still have segregation in southern schools.
A high school program enabled me to learn outside of my school district. That opportunity expanded my horizon, and I attended a top university.
We live on the same island and in the same state and nation. If regionalization can help even a handful of students to become more productive, it would be worthwhile. Most important, it benefits all of us.
— Song Yu, Glen Head
LIPA time-of-day rates are discriminatory
The article “Time-of-day rates to cost more during peak hours” [News, Dec. 8] did not include the detrimental and discriminatory effect on seniors, disabled Long Islanders, people who must work from home, and families with babies, preschool children and school-age children who are just coming home from school between 2 and 3 p.m.
These people are not coming home from work from 3-7 p.m. None of these people can shift much electricity usage to “off-peak” hours. Most require constant daily usage for such items as air-conditioning or heating and cannot move their dinner time to after 7 p.m.
Their daily activities prevent them from gaining the benefits of discounted off-peak savings, and that will cost them more during peak usage periods. Not too many of these folks are charging electric cars.
Who approved these new Long Island Power Authority rates? Where are the objections to such a discriminatory rate change? Make exceptions so people who need lower discounted electric rates benefit. A constant lower rate structure should be an option.
— Jerry Cohen, Plainview
Three seconds isn’t long enough at light
A driver approaching a traffic light at a posted limit of 45 mph is traveling 66 feet per second [“Caution on red-light cameras,” Editorial, Dec. 8]. Assuming that the driver sees the light the instant it changes to yellow, processes that information and applies the brakes in one second, the car will travel about 167 feet before coming to a complete stop. I can do that within three seconds as long as I happen to be looking at the light the moment it changes and I am more than 167 feet from the light.
However, I lost four cars by being rear-ended while stopping for yellow lights. So I do not brake before checking the rearview mirror to gauge the speed and distance of the cars behind me. That extra second forces me through a red light.
That’s not all. Nobody can stare only at traffic lights if they want to avoid potholes, nails, broken glass, being T-boned, or hitting pedestrians, children, dogs or deer, so it is extremely unlikely that anyone will see every light at the moment it changes to yellow.
Three seconds guarantees revenue, not safety.
— James Moyssiadis, Mount Sinai
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