Manhasset parents raise student safety concerns at school board meeting

The public comment section of a school board meeting typically comes at the end of the session, after numerous agenda items and committee presentations. But at the Manhasset Board of Education’s meeting on Thursday, Oct. 22, the board made an exception to accommodate the large number of parents who showed up in the small conference room, holding public comment at the outset. Half a dozen parents stepped up to voice grave concerns about student safety. While the parents did not cite specific incidents of violence, they expressed deep concern over the district’s handling of recently reported incidents, urging the board to act with greater transparency and accountability in responding to students’ reports. Some called for a reassessment of the district’s safety protocols. “We can’t normalize violence in our schools,” one parent said. “We must show our students that when they report an incidence of violence, immediate action will be taken.” Another resident, who identified as “a p