Education not equal across Long Island

As 15-year-old Paul Ngu so articulately states in his award-winning paper ["At 15, he's building bridges," News, March 15], there is no such thing as public education in Long Island.

It's no mystery why high-achieving school districts like Syosset attract Asian families. The cultures are very concerned about education, and families will make sacrifices to see that their children get the best education. While Syosset happily overpays its superintendent, Carole Hankin, residents don't really seem to care, as long as their kids get into the colleges of their choice.

But why should children in Wyandanch or Roosevelt, or any other district, have inferior educations?

If New York State collected income taxes and then equally funded each and every school, students of every learning ability could receive the services they need and there would be a level playing field.

When my own child was a student in Bellmore-Merrick, a perfectly laudable district, and I worked at Syosset, he was envious of the Syosset students' options to learn more world languages and have superior arts facilities for music, dance and theater.

The disparity between Syosset and Merrick is not that huge. But when I see that Syosset schools receive grants for even newer and fancier playgrounds, while I shudder to think what playground equipment is at the schools in low-income districts, it is clear to me that this is not ethical.

Is the American dream that you have to make a high income for your children to get a high-quality education? How can children in low-income districts ever expect to compete?

Randi T. Sachs

Merrick

Editor's note: The writer was the public relations officer for the Syosset school district.