Proud to Be a Highlander!
I’m privileged to live in one of the best public school districts, both in New York State and in the entire country. In the 2021-22 state standardized testing, Herricks placed sixth in English Language Arts and seventh in Mathematics out of 686 districts for grades 3-8. In grade 8 Math (Algebra) it ranked FIRST. Way to go, Herricks! I’m proud to say that I am a product of that school system. I graduated many years ago, it’s true, but the schools were excellent even then. Reading the recent newsletter, I believe the district has upped its game even more.
I can’t help but reflect on what has made Herricks Public Schools so good for so long. It’s driven by many interdependent factors: motivated students, devoted faculty and administration, involved parents, great facilities and resources, and effective communication with and by all stakeholders. Of course, none of this comes cheaply. Our school tax levy is roughly twice what we pay for all other town and county services combined. We pay the tax gladly, as our contribution to keeping this tradition of excellence going strong. While funding alone cannot provide or ensure a top-notch education, a top-notch education cannot be provided without adequate funding.
One of my pet peeves is when I hear someone say, “I don’t have children in school, why should I have to pay?” My former neighbor used to spew this nonsense regularly, and we got into several arguments over it. Already, American education lags behind that of most of the developed world, with China and India catching up fast. If the United States has any hope of remaining an economic superpower, then we need to leave these ignorant viewpoints behind and start moving toward a world-class educational system that is forward-looking, student-centric, and devoid of culture wars fought by the extremists on both sides. These are abstractions, and often prove to be unconvincing debate points.
The best counterpoint to the “why should I pay” complaint is that good schools boost property values. If you want your house to command a good price, then support your district. I guarantee that if our schools here deteriorated, home prices would soon follow suit. That can be seen in other parts of Nassau County. Those complaining about the Herricks tax bill now would really have something to gripe about then. Or how about when YOUR kids were in school, others supported them even though their children had already graduated, or perhaps they had had no children at all. Pay it forward, bro!
It’s more than just dollars and cents, though. We all benefit from living in an educated society. Study after study has shown that a strong educational system can have societal benefits far beyond economics. Reducing crime, equalizing opportunity, and promoting understanding across diverse social groups are a few that immediately come to mind. Americans talk a good game when it comes to education; it’s time to put some substance behind it, like we do here at Herricks.
