There are nine candidates running for the school board. Are you telling me there are only 30 people in a community of over 30,000 that are interested? We all hear the talk of “failing schools.” When do we talk about the community failing and take action? The recent turnout for the community to hear from school board candidates was pathetic and a very small percentage of the voting population. This means each candidate could not even get four people to come out and listen to what the people who will govern the policy making decisions for our school district have to say. Not being involved does not make things better, it actually guarantees a turn for the worst. If we continue to sit back and blame everyone else, we only confirm “We are not willing to do our part.” You might ask “What is my part?” All of the residents of Westbury have the responsibility to be involved and show they care about their own school district. If you do not know how to get involved please feel free to contact anyone in the Westbury School District at 516-876-5000 or call me at 516-874-1923. Without you budgets will be set, curriculum will be selected, contracts will be negotiated, enrollment will continue to grow into an already overcrowded school system, your taxes will go up, the achievement gap will widen, hiring practices will not change, deserving employees will continue to be underpaid. Without you, uninformed individuals with their own personal agenda will be elected to the school board. You have to do your part and get involved. There is no greater country or community in the world worth saving than the one that we have. Do your part. Get connected. Do something. Get involved.
—Karin Campbell, Westbury Board of Education trustee
