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APRIL 20 - 26, 2023
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Bridge users: Rescind the toll increases By HERNESTo GALDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com
LON, LYN, NAS
Hernesto Galdamez/Herald
TWo CHANGE.oRG PETITIoNS call on the Nassau County Bridge Authority to rescind the toll increases on the Atlantic Beach Bridge and make the agency’s financial statements transparent. Above, a December bridge authority meeting.
Atlantic Beach Bridge users haven’t been hesitant to voice their opposition to the toll increases announced by the Nassau County Bridge Authority last year and implemented in January. Many are still seeking answers to their questions about the fare hikes. Beth Garnett, of Atlantic Beach, created two petitions calling on the bridge authority to rescind the increases and to release the financial proof of its contention that they were necessary. “I have taken steps to make my activism more productive,” Garnett said. “I saw the opportunity to rally everyone and give them the loud voice to Continued on page 14
Questionnaire may move some in H-W district to vote ‘no’ By HERNESTo GALDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com
A questionnaire distributed to students in two Woodmere Middle School seventh-grade classrooms has outraged many parents in the district, leading them to threaten to cast “no” votes in next month’s vote on the school budget. “For the past 10 years that we’ve been in this district, we have always supported our schools and libraries and always voted ‘yes’ for the budgets,” said Hewlett resident Kelly Joyce-Shapiro, who has three children in district schools. “This
year is different, and it’s not about the money.” The questionnaire was part of an online quiz on the PBS NewsHour Classroom website at PBS.org. The survey included questions such as “In general, how much do White people benefit from advantages in society that Black people do not have?” and “Do you think greater social acceptance of people who are transgender . . . is very good for society or very bad for society?” Other questions asked respondents about their views of the Democratic and Republican parties, and about the profits of corporations. LON, LYN, NAS
Joyce-Shapiro explained that the questionnaire was brought to her attention by a member of a chat group comprising over 1,000 parents in the Hewlett-Woodmere School District. The quiz has moved her to take action not only for herself, but also, she said, for those who are afraid to speak up. After reading the survey, she emailed district Superintendent Ralph Marino and asked about the purpose of the questionnaire and whether the district planned to distribute it more widely. In an email, district officials told the Herald that a letter had been sent to par-
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ents of students in two classes about the questionnaire. “Per NYS standards, 7th grade students are taught a unit which includes a study of the birth of political parties,” the letter read. “Naturally, many students became curious about the platforms/ issues of modern-day parties.” According to the district, filling out the questionnaire was optional. “Students were not asked to stand on different sides of the room based on party affiliation,” the letter stated. “The survey link was provided to students in two classes and Continued on page 12