“Education is the bedrock of our American society, and every child in our country—no matter where they were born—deserves the chance to attend school and seek a diploma,” the state’s attorney general, Eric Schneiderman, said in announcing an agreement between the Westbury school district and his office.
Westbury stonewalled enrolling children of immigrants through delays and rejections, leaving many children without schooling. To ensure compliance with both state and federal law, the district will retain an ombudsman and an independent monitor for the next three years.The fact is that the Westbury schools are in crisis because of swelling numbers of children in the last several years. Over the last four years, enrollment has grown 16 percent, overwhelming teachers, overcrowding classrooms and stretching resources beyond limits. To protect its limited resources, the school resorted to illegally keeping some out.
The same pattern was found in Hempstead and 20 other districts upstate where immigrant children faced being turned away by stressed school districts.
The state is right is calling Westbury and other districts to account. But the brunt of educating immigrant children shouldn’t be born disproportionately by a handful of school districts. In a letter of village residents, Westbury mayor, Peter Cavallaro writes: “It is unfair for the taxpayers in only a few districts, many of which are already struggling and challenged, to bear this additional burden.” He goes on to say,
“Most of these districts are the poorest performers and most of the kids are graduated (if they graduate) unprepared for anything but menial jobs, let alone college. Everyone has let these children, and the taxpayers in these districts, down, and it is sad all around.”
One way to address the problem is by the state and federal government to provide additional funding, as called for by the mayor. This is a fair and reasonable demand. But there is a deeper problem that is seen by looking housing patterns. Westbury’s school district encompasses most of the Village of Westbury and all of New Cassel. The racial makeup of the schools is 58% Hispanic, 38% African American and l2 % white.
Westbury’s schools are surrounded by school districts that are amongst the very best in the nation and are also schools that have very few, if any, children of immigrants, Hispanics or African Americans.
Put another way, Westbury schools exist as a poor enclave composed mainly of minorities surrounded by wealthy neighborhoods consisting mainly of whites. The pattern is distressingly similar to apartheid South Africa.
New York State is right in demanding that all children receive an education. It is wrong in the long run as a practical matter, as pointed out by Mayor Cavallaro, as well as morally wrong in putting the burden to comply upon those who are least able while allowing those who can most afford to help to do nothing.
Isn’t it time that all Long Islanders came together and collectively address the economic and racial barriers that are driving us further apart? Can there be a prosperous Long Island as long as the worst school districts get driven down further while the best continue to soar?
Westbury schools are crying for help. Don’t Carle Place, Wheatley, Jericho and East Meadow schools have a responsibility to do something? What is the lesson they are teaching their children when they refuse to see what is right on their doorstep?
—Arthur Dobrin
