Community Corner

Enough is Enough: They're Mad as Hell and They're Not Going to Take it Anymore!

Parents of children at Jack Abrams Intermediate School marched from Heckscher Park to Town Hall Friday afternoon to express their anger at what they perceive as the town's inaction to fight the gangs and crime that have pervaded the area.

They came with signs, flags and banners and megaphones and tambourines.

They brought their kids, their parents, their spouses, their friends, their school district administrators.
Parents from Jack Abrams Intermediate School and their supporters arrived Friday afternoon at Heckscher Park in pairs, in groups and alone before joining together to become a massive crowd, walking en masse across Main Street to Town Hall.

Their message to town officials: we are mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore. Abrams' PTA President Pam Fallon said the march was a "taking back the block kind of thing."

Acording to an email sent to parents and other concerned citizens prior to the march the purpose would be to insist on action to  combat violence in the community and to see visible signs of revitalization  in Huntington Station. 

"The recent shootings, including a 21-year old -shot last night near the train station, have urged the community to come  together and take back it's town.  This is after another shooting last  Friday March 12, just two blocks away from Jack Abrams Intermediate School in  Huntington Station 45 minutes before dismissal. Seeking leadership from  Town Hall, this peaceful march aims to communicate the urgency of improving  the community."

When the group reached Town Hall, the number of marchers was in the hundreds.

Waiting for them were Susan Berland, Glenda Jackson and Mark Mayoka, all members of the Town Board. Councilwoman Berland said that Supervisor Frank Petrone and Councilman Mark Cuthbertson were out of town.

When she began to read her statement and apologized for wearing sunglasses but said they were prescription and she needed them to read in the sunlight, an Abrams parent in the crowd urged her not to use her prepared notes. "Why don't you say something from your heart?" Jairo Sanin asked. "Why do you have to read it?"

Berland said she was going to read the statement and then she, Jackson and Mayoka would take questions. "We will be here and available," she said.

She went on to read the town's statement, which read, in part that, "It has become increasingly clear to us that this problem cannot be handled with local resources alone and that every level of government – federal, state, county, town and the school district – must be involved in the search for solutions.We are committed to working with all levels of government to explore realistic measures to address this serious situation."

The entire statement can be read at the conclusion of this article or by clicking here: http://town.huntington.ny.us/newsdetails.cfm?ID=1774

Berland said that she and other board members were willing to come to the Board of Education's next meeting scheduled for Monday, March 22 but was asked by Board President Bill Dwyer to not come until the April 19 meeting so that the focus could be on the budget.

"There was a meeting last week," shouted Abrams parent Melissa Ryan. "Where were you? If this would have been in Dix Hills, you would've been there and you know it." Other members in the crowd began shouting, "Hold a special meeting! Hold a special meeting!"

"The Town Board meeting did not receive a phone call to come to the meeting," Councilman Berland said.

Rebecca Sanin said that the school board's job is to keep the kids safe when they're in school. "When there's a shooting, we shouldn't have to invite you. There has not been a public statement from the town saying they stay with us," Sanin, who has served on the town's Huntington Station Action Coalition. "Our children deserve better."

Shari Harris, PTA vice president at Abrams, asked the council members what they would do if it were their children. "Would you sit back and wait for a month? I don't think you would," Harris said.

"If your school board, who is in charge of these issues, wants to have another meeting, we'll be there," Berland said.

"The problem is that our school board is not responsible for these issues. This is a community issue," Sanin said. "Our town needs to make this community safe. It's a coordinated effort from all levels of government. We understand that. We have not seen signs in our community for the promised revitalization or to communicate to our neighborhoods the changes coming. We need change now. Why do criminals commit crimes in Huntington Station? Because they're welcome here. Safety is not something we can wait for."

Councilwoman Jackson said she agreed with the crowd. "We all want unity in the community," she said. "I lived in Huntington Station for a long time. We are here for the safety of the students in district three. That's what we want to do, enhance the quality of life."

Councilman Mayoka said that he was "for it if they want to move Jack Abrams in to Town Hall," but the crowd said it was against that. The current Huntington Town Hall was formerly used as Huntington High School and as a junior high school

"The problem is when we hear one of our elected officials say that he thinks that it's okay for us to have to change schools and move our children. And what about all the children who live around the school? There are hundreds of children who live around the school and they have as much of a right to safety as any of our children," Sanin said.

Abrams principal Mary Stokkers said that Supervisor Petrone has been promising things would change since the shooting in September. "Tthese are our precious children. They come to Jack Abrams to learn and they shouldn't have to worry about anything but that," she said.

Superintendent of Schools John Finello came to the march at the tail end and said that safety of the students is a priority. "We'll be presenting options at Monday's board meeting," he said of the board's scheduled March 22 meeting.

According to the district's web site, administrators have looked at various possibilities and quickly eliminated some. They looked at absorbing the Jack Abrams School students into existing buildings, conducting split-sessions at Woodhull Intermediate School, buying or renting the former Robert K. Toaz Junior High School, swapping Jack Abrams School for Town Hall —which was formerly used as Huntington High School and Robert L. Simpson Junior High School— renting surplus space from other school districts in the town or from Western Suffolk BOCES and securing space at Coindre Hall or the Seminary for the Immaculate Conception in Lloyd Harbor.

"We are leaving no stone unturned," Mr. Finello said about the district's efforts to locate additional space. "While we are confident that Jack Abrams School itself is an outstanding one and the building itself is safe, we are very concerned with the continuing violence in the surrounding area. Suffolk Police have again increased patrols and are committed to addressing the situation."


Sanin urged all of those who marched to attend the Town Board meeting scheduled for Tuesday, April 13 to voice their opinions, as well.

Find out what's happening in Huntingtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Huntington Town Board issued the following statement to persons who demonstrated at Town Hall regarding security in Huntington Station:

            "Those of us in Town government share your frustration about the instances of violence in the Huntington Station area and, as parents, fully understand your concern about the safety of your children. It has become increasingly clear to us that this problem cannot be handled with local resources alone and that every level of government – federal, state, county, town and the school district – must be involved in the search for solutions.

Find out what's happening in Huntingtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

            "We are committed to working with all levels of government to explore realistic measures to address this serious situation.

"The Town has met with the County on numerous occasions lobbying for more police and police resources.  We also helped cultivate the existing police presence at Jack Abrams Intermediate School that was able to respond immediately to last week's incident. We are working with our federal representatives, among them Congressman Steve Israel, to marshal FBI, INS and any other federal resources that can help our town get a jump on the gang problem.

            "The entire Town Board will attend the April 19th Huntington School Board meeting to stand with the school community and others so we may continue the ongoing dialogue.

            "Supervisor Frank Petrone met yesterday with Huntington Schools Superintendent John J. Finello and Insp. Edward Brady, commanding officer of the Suffolk County Police Department's Second Precinct. Councilman  Mark Mayoka together with our director of Public Safety met with the principal of Jack Abrams, toured the area and reported back to the Town Board. The Town is planning to bring additional federal state and county representatives to a meeting in the near future.

"Please know we in the Town, as well as our partners at the federal, state and county government levels, are listening to your concerns and are continuing to meet and brainstorm to address the safety of all residents in Huntington Station."

 

 


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