A top-performing Lengthy Island college district is battling over a proposal to rename an elementary college for its outgoing superintendent — with some griping {that a} “dwelling white” man shouldn’t “erase” its native historical past.
At a January college board assembly, PTA Council President Aileen Gingold proposed renaming Cantiague Elementary College in Jericho for Superintendent Henry Grishman, who has held the function in one of many nation’s top-performing districts since 1995.
“By renaming this college, we’ll make sure that future generations of scholars, dad and mom and educators shall be reminded of the management that has helped information this district to the success he enjoys in the present day,” Gingold stated on the assembly to loud applause.
“Cantiague” is a time period that was possible utilized by Algonquian-speaking Native Individuals to explain the land.
“Renaming Cantiague Elementary erases indigenous historical past in favor of honoring a dwelling white superintendent,” stated one mum or dad who signed an on-line petition towards the proposal that has garnered over 300 signatures.”These pushing for this variation might not acknowledge their bias, however ignorance is not any excuse.”
Lengthy Island’s Native American roots are evident in a lot of its city names, together with Massapequa, Montauk, Shinnecock, which “present invaluable alternatives for training and cultural understanding,” in accordance with Jericho Voice, an nameless mum or dad weblog that has sprung up amid the controversy and describes itself because the “voice of fogeys in Jericho Union Free College District.”
The group didn’t reply to an inquiry from The Put up.
Others say the proposal is untimely and unprecedented, since Grishman continues to be alive and actively employed by the district.
“The basic problem of proposing to call a faculty facility after a at the moment employed superintendent creates inherent moral considerations and questions on correct governance,” the petition states. “Such choices ought to preserve clear separation from energetic service to make sure they’re based mostly on demonstrated long-term influence moderately than present place.”
Different slammed the board of training “puppets” behind the transfer.
A latest finances assembly included a slideshow from the assistant superintendent with a canopy web page that includes Grishman edited onto a film poster for “The Best Showman” that learn “The Best Grishman.”
“This isn’t a joke or a meme,” Jericho Voice wrote in a publish. “That is the official opening slide of a taxpayer-funded finances assembly, created by Victor Manuel, Assistant Superintendent of Enterprise Affairs.”
“A finances assembly shouldn’t be a spot for private tributes,” it added.
Grishman, who first turned a superintendent in 1978 earlier than beginning at Jericho, earns $368,000 a 12 months within the district, which is without doubt one of the highest-ranked within the nation.
Board President Christopher Foresto informed the Lengthy Island Press that the board will proceed to assemble group suggestions and that it will likely be mentioned at future conferences, together with its upcoming board assembly on March 20.
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