Just as the New Hyde Park/Garden City Park School Board was ending enraged parents took the floor and spoke about what they felt was a grave injustice to their children.

Three years ago one autistic class, at the Hillside Grade School, was formed in order to mainstream the children back into the district. Now, there are two classes. One is for Primary Intensive Needs and covers kindergarten and grades one and two. The second class is for Secondary Intensive Needs and includes classes four, five and six.

The classes are small, none exceeding five or six students. However, now as the children are about to "move up" from the sixth grade and into the Sewanhaka Central High School District, the parents have found out that there will be an Autism program that will be bussed to the Elmont High School, in Elmont, rather than Memorial High School, in New Hyde Park and this is why the parents are so very upset.

One mother was so emotional she was hardly able to say that she absolutely does not want her child to be "bused" to the Elmont High School. Another mother said that her child has been looking forward to going to Memorial High School with all his friends and was adamant about not having her child bused to Elmont High. One mother expressed concern for the safety of her child and when she brought that up she said she was told, "your child will be safe as long as he/she stays in the classroom."

It was also announced that the Floral Park residents instituted a lawsuit against the school for this reason. However, the Illustrated News interviewed Dr. Goldstein and there is no lawsuit instituted rather what he called "an impartial hearing."

One father said, "Well, my son will not go to Elmont High School and I want to know what you (the school board) are going to do about it? If the venue is not changed it looks like there will be more lawsuits pending."

The high school liaison from the school board Tricia Rudd said that the parents should speak to Superintendent of The Sewanhaka Central High School Dr. George Goldstein and to the principal of the Elmont High School, Albert Harper. She said that the class that has been set up for these students is wonderful and that before the parents get too upset they should go and investigate the situtation.

One parent said, that was not the point but rather these children should not be bused out of their familiar surroundings and that doing so would leave a lasting traumatic effect on the child.

School board vice president Lawrence Montreuil said, "This illustrates what a big problem there is with the Sewanhaka High District because it is made up of four different communities and this underscores the disadvantage that we have in New Hyde Park. You are not out of line bringing this up in this forum. It is good that you made our board aware so that we can influence our representatives to go to Sewanhaka and send them a message."

Montreuil continued, "As the community who sends the most money to the high school relative to the number of children enrolled in the district, I think that New Hyde Park/Garden City Park should have a pretty loud say as to what goes on with our kids. Believe me your concerns are heard and will be addressed as much as we can."

Rudd added, "The setup is really nice."

School Board Trustee Florence Raihl added, "I don't doubt that the set up is good, but children who live in our community need to stay in our community and they should be allowed to do that."

Rudd said that she would try to set up a meeting with Dr. Goldstein and the parents so they receive a tour of the facility to see how wonderful the planned program is.

In further speaking to Dr. Goldstein the Illustrated learned that the entire concept of an Autism class was suggested by several parents from Floral Park who met with him and suggested, since their children will now leave the special Autism program in Lynbrook and go into the Sewanhaka Central High system, that he should start a special Autism program. Dr. Goldstein said he thought the idea was great. Since it was after the budget was put in place he said he went to the school board and they agreed with him.

He said, "We then had to find space. Each high school was investigated and in the case of New Hyde Park Memorial there is no room available for the entire day at that school and you need a room that is free for the whole day. Plus, five out of the nine Sewanhaka Special Education programs are already being held at New Hyde Park Memorial and there is no more space."

Dr. Goldstein continued, "We looked at Sewanhaka High, Floral Park High and Carey High and none of them had a free room for the entire day, but Elmont did have free space. So, we proceeded to renovate a room that is in the center of the school, close to the administration office, not as has been reported at the back end of the school. The room is perfectly appointed and the five or so students who will be in the class will have a wonderful, experienced teacher, two teacher assistants and a consultant. They will be taken to the cafeteria by the teacher or the assistants and will be perfectly safe in their new environment."

Goldstein said, "However, when the parents heard they would be going to Elmont they said no way and then started rumors to the effect that Elmont was unsafe, had stabbings and shootings and even car burnings in the parking lot, which is absolutely untrue. I challenge any parent to go to the 5th Precinct and, under the Freedom of Information Law, ask for all the incidents that have occurred at Elmont High School. I have been here for 19 years and there are none."

Goldstein continued, "I further cautioned some of the parents to be very careful what they say because some of their heinous remarks are bordering on racism."

It does appear that prior to the next Sewanhaka School Board meeting to be held on Sept. 23 at 8 p.m. at Sewanhaka High School, that Dr. Goldstein will hold a special meeting with the parents who brought the concerns to the New Hyde Park/Garden City Park School Board meeting.