Letter: Let new board member air ideas
School board member Joshua Lafazan holds up Robert's Rules of Order as he tries to bring a motion before the board during Monday nights school board meeting at the South Woods Middle School. (Aug 6, 2012) Credit: Newsday/John Paraskevas
It's about time that there is a youthful and insightful voice on our school district's board ["Testy school board meeting," News, Aug. 7], and it's about time that someone starts changing things. Syosset school board trustee Joshua Lafazan is doing the right thing.
Being almost 18 myself, I have been constantly frustrated by the lack of a spokesman, if you will, for the young people in our schools. Lafazan is proving to us all that experience means nothing in the face of inspiration.
Lafazan proposed the idea of using electronic communication instead of traditional mailings. The board voted against discussing the idea, even though Lafazan said it could potentially save the district thousands of dollars. If the district used this means of communication, it would cut back on spending for paper, ink and labor and would also minimize the impact on the environment. Switching to electronic communications could allow secretaries and faculty members to focus on other, more important things. The district could brag about this during the next budget vote, perhaps.
Although I am aware that Lafazan did not conduct some of his other actions in accordance with board rules, such as when he personally contacted the district's bus company, he should still be granted the right to speak at a meeting if his idea is worthy of discussion.
Christopher Gavin, Mineola
