Opinion: Cutting Kindergarten Not 'Good Sense'

Letter to the Editor: 

In Suffolk county where half day Kindergarten is becoming the norm, many in the South Huntington School District are choosing to stand, in the face of adversity, for education as it should be by fighting to keep the current full day Kindergarten program in place. Mediocrity should not be the standard by which we educate our children. Simple reason would suggest that if you could choose between educating your child more, or less, you would choose more; especially when the academic environment has become so rigorous. So why, in the name of good sense, would cutting Kindergarten ever be a consideration?

Many want to blame the school board, the superintendent, the unions, or Albany. If we fail to keep our Kindergarten program full day, then we are all somewhat to blame. As a community, we are saying that we do not value education as a priority. Reigning in excessive spending is one thing, undermining the very academic integrity of the district is another.

Our hands maybe somewhat tied financially, but we should not lay down and let the Governor's “blunt instrument” budget bash our children, and our community over the head. I applaud the residents of South Huntington who are speaking out and fighting for the education our children deserve, and that we have all paid for. I join these residents in urging the SHUF School Board, and the community, to pass a budget that maintains a full day Kindergarten. I also ask the Legislators and the Governor to mandate full day Kindergarten state-wide and fund it. Or at least give our districts the ability to raise the money to fund it ourselves.

Lori Hieger 
South Huntington Resident and Parent