Up on the Board: Susan Rice appointment, junior drivers, and STEM degrees

The editorial board debated the wisdom of President Barack Obama appointing Susan Rice as his national security adviser. Rice is a political hot-button, given her involvement in issuing false information after the U.S. embassy attacks in Benghazi, Libya, last September 11.

“He’s doing something that seems to have a politically huge cost, and she’s not head and shoulders above everyone else” in qualifications, said board member Lane Filler.

Alvin Bessent, another board member, responded, “You’re downplaying the quality of trust in an appointment like this.”

We have always believed, however, that a president deserves to have the advisers he wants around him.

We also spent a second day debating whether new drivers – most of whom are teenagers – should receive harsher penalties for texting while driving. That’s a proposal from the Cuomo administration. We’re checking into more detail on the definition of a “probationary” driver and whether there is a precedent for penalizing inexperienced drivers differently.

Finally, we’re heartened to hear about a program that CA Technologies is forming with Suffolk County high schools and Suffolk Community College. CA will provide a one-on-one mentor for students, who can earn an associate’s degree two years after high school in a STEM field – science, technology, engineering or math. The plan sounds like a good bridge between school and career.

To voice an opinion on any of the above, please fill in a comment in the section below, or email letters@newsday.com.