I attended the board of education presentation last Saturday morning on the proposed bond and was struck by how few parents of school-age children were in attendance. Of the approximately 50 people there, 16-17 were administration, staff, board of education members or consultants. By my estimation, of the remaining 30 or so in the audience, only 10 were parents with children in either the elementary or secondary schools. My husband attended the Monday night meeting on Dec. 8 and he reported that the numbers and the breakdown were roughly the same.

There are literally thousands of parents of young children in this community (roughly 3,000 moms and dads between Shelter Rock and Munsey Park alone!) and I am shocked at the apparent lack of interest on their part regarding a vote that not only is going to affect their wallets but also the quality of life of their schoolchildren. If you think you can make an informed decision based on the couple of articles that have been in the Manhasset Press or the couple of pamphlets that have been sent home or - God forbid - the one-sided, often misinformed Letters to the Editor on the subject, you're mistaken. These presentations have been extremely informative and provided parents and taxpayers with the opportunity to ask questions of the architect, the superintendent, the middle school principal and the members of the board. The aforementioned group have really knocked themselves out to provide the community with preliminary construction costs, a detailed breakdown of infrastructure projects, school tax bill estimates, and the like and nobody is there to hear the message ... or to take the tours that have followed, which are enlightening in and of themselves.

I am a mother of three so I can appreciate that people are busy and it's hard to find a couple of hours in your schedule to go to a meeting. But some things are worth the extra effort and, I believe, that a proposed $46 million bond falls under the category of "drop everything!"

I hope that all of you who have not availed yourselves of Parent Council meetings, board presentations, or secondary school tours are planning on voting "yes." But if you are on the fence or preparing to vote no, don't pull that lever until and unless you are knowledgeable and well-versed on the subject. You will be doing yourself and your children a huge disservice.

With that said, I ask that the board of education host at least one more community meeting after the first of the year when people are no longer pressured because of the holidays. In turn, I ask the parents (especially parents of current pre-K - third-graders who will directly benefit from this bond) show up. No excuses.

Mimi Donohue