Lawrence School Board Member David Sussman Unopposed

The longest-serving member of the Lawrence School Board, David Sussman, runs unchallenged this year as he seeks another term on May 21. Patch sent him the same questionnaire as all candidates running this year. Here are his responses:

Tell us about yourself (age, town, profession, family, etc.)

I am a physician who has been practicing since 1978. I have lived in the Five Towns for fifty years and, with my lovely wife of thirty-two years, Sondra, have four children who all graduated from Lawrence High School, just as I did.

What qualifies you to serve as a member of the school board?

I have been a member of the school board for the last eighteen years and have a working knowledge of the challenges and resources of our community. I have a fundamental commitment both to education and the unity of our community.

Why are you running for the school board?

I wish to remain on the School Board to help meet the challenges of our diverse community and ensure that we continue to provide a great educational product at a reasonable cost.

What is your opinion of the budget that has been presented to the community? What you have done something differently with it?

I wholeheartedly support the budget that has been proposed. Though it is higher than I would have liked, the money is absolutely essential if we are to maintain and improve our educational process and continue to meet our commitments to all segments of our community. I eagerly await meaningful structural change from Albany that will allow cost reductions and educational improvements at the same time.

Aside from the budget, what do you think is the biggest issue facing the school district?

Our greatest challenge is to foster unity in our community while making the educational process better for all involved. We must do this in an era where money is tight; we have few resources to pour into the district, and, going forward, cannot pay more for the same service. We have arguably the most diverse district in the state and we must treat all stakeholders as members of our District 15 family. Each group has its own needs and deserved desires and they all must be met with the same affection. Just as in a family, not everyone can get everything they want at the same time, but with trust all will get their fair share and mutually support one another.

What is the school district’s greatest strength? What is its greatest weakness?

As I already mentioned, the school district’s greatest strength and its greatest weakness is its diversity. If we learn from each other and share, the cultural exchange can be the seed of an incredible educational experience. On the other hand, if we allow our differences to breed hatred, distrust, and intolerance, our system will break down for everyone.

If you are elected, what is the one thing you’d like to see accomplished during your term?

During the next term I want to continue working with the board, administration, and staff to develop an educational system geared towards independent creative thought and flexible thinking. I want to preserve and enhance the availability of extracurricular programs for all our children. To the extent possible, this means preserving fields and supporting community organizations of all types that help our children grow.

Where do you see public education on Long Island going in the future and what role do you hope to have in it?

I see all education, not just public education as the way to attain the best future possible for all our children. Education on Long Island, indeed throughout this country, has to up its game as our children begin competing on a global playing field. We must doggedly insist on total accountability and oppose any private interest group that stands in the way of the needs of all our children. As we enter the information age, rote knowledge has become less important and less important. We must insist that our curriculum teaches and promotes these skills and develop a system of dealing with impediments to its successful implementation. I will help as much as I can with these changes.   

Would you like to add anything else?

I’m looking forward to another term on the board and want to thank the community for the honor it has been serving them and thank my family and friends for their unwavering support.