Lindenhurst High School Senior Running For Spot On Board Of Ed

LINDENHURST, NY - A Lindenhurst High School senior will be running for a spot on the Board of Education.

Gabrielle Anzalone, 18, decided to run after she and other students received detention for participating in the national school walkout in protest against gun violence on March 14.

The students originally received suspension but officials claimed that after some evaluation, they gave students a lesser punishment for the walkout.

"Initially, it was determined that the students would each face the outlined consequence for disruption to the school day, as the walkout required the redeployment of security throughout the building and complicated the teachers' abilities to manage classroom attendance ensuring student safety. However, this decision has been re-evaluated based on a series of factors including a review of the students' records, the peaceful nature of their protest and the fact that the poor weather conditions required a last minute deviation from the outlined plan with limited time to effectively communicate those changes," the district wrote in a statement.

After that incident, Anzalone was inspired to run.

"It was definitely the start of it, but of course I am not doing this to spite the district,” she told Newsday. “It is almost like an awakening or an epiphany — ‘They didn’t listen to us.’ And the fact that there was no cooperation led me to think that there was no student representation on the board.”

On her campaign Facebook page, Anzalone for Lindy, she wrote that she plans to work towards "bridging the general gap" between the students and the board members.

"The process to forging a more competent youth and a stronger nation begins in the classroom, and as such it is imperative that we take into account the needs of the students," she wrote. "They will not be able to achieve success if they do not feel secure or as if they are not taken seriously, which is why it is crucial to provide them with a representative who understands what is truly in their best interests. As a current student and soon-to-be alumna, I know the hopes, desires, and struggles of our community’s youth."

Anzalone will be graduating in June and plans to attend Molloy College in the fall.

The election will take place on May 15 between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. Anzalone will be running against Josephine Martino will be running for the seat previously held by trustee Edward J. Murphy Jr.

Photo: Google Maps