'Mr. West Hempstead' Contends For School Board

Thirty-three years ago, Perry Fogg was voted by his high school peers to be “Mr. West Hempstead.” Now, all grown-up and a father of five, this 44-year West Hempstead resident is aiming for a new title: School Board Trustee.

In a way, Fogg, now 50, is still "Mr. West Hempstead."

“I didn’t leave this community,” says Fogg, who now lives just one block away from the house he grew up in. There, he and his wife, Chandra, have been raising their kids, as well as many others in the community, as the co-directors of ABC 123 Day Care. He’s also devoted his time to volunteering as a football coach and serving on various local organizations including the West Hempstead Rotary Club and the Lakeview Council.

He considers himself a successful product of the West Hempstead school system. Three of his children have graduated from the schools too (His oldest was named Ms. West Hempstead for the Class of 2000.) and gone on to college, and his two youngest are in tenth and seventh grade.

Although he is still a believer in the school district, Fogg says it has changed drastically since he was a student and not for the better.

“We used to be known for winning science and math awards … and doing very well on the SATs,” says Fogg. “People wanted to come here.

He also remembers a time when the entire community was more unified and their common interest in seeing the schools succeed was the glue that held everyone together. It’s these memories and his ideas for the future of West Hempstead’s schools that have motivated Fogg to run in the May 15 Board of Education election, challenging long-time Trustee Carole Rilling.

He had wanted to run for the board two years ago, but had to pull out when his mother became ill. She passed away last year. Instead, he stayed involved with the schools by serving on the Strategic Planning Council, which was tasked with developing the three-year plan the district adopted last May.

There, he expressed the need to re-unite the community, and motivate students, teachers and parents to achieve at higher levels, ideas that he would work on if elected to the board.

Fogg recognizes that the culture and economic situation of West Hempstead has changed compared to the “Norman Rockwellesque” place he grew up in, but says that with “innovative thinking” and cooperation from all parties involved, a positive change is possible too.

“I believe the teachers are very good but they might be tired and unmotivated,” Perry said, citing the challenges educators face today as a result of language barriers, behavioral problems, issues at home and less parental involvement, which make the schools more like “babysitting centers.”

“A shakening has to happen,” he says. “I don't know how I am going to do it, but I can speak from my heart and ignite passion in parents, teachers and students to unite the community.”

In these difficult economic times, Fogg says, everyone needs to “press in” and “give a little more.” He acknowledges that many families are struggling, but says, “For me, it’s children first. I know if you live in this community you pay high taxes …but the most important thing is being a role model and helping to motivate the children.”

He does not believe in cutting any programs, both academic and extracurricular, saying that doing so hurts the students and diminishes the quality of the schools and residents’ property values.

Sports, for instance, are key to motivating students, uniting the community and giving everyone something positive to believe in, Fogg says, citing the pride that emanated from players, fellow students and fans this past fall when the varsity football team had one of its most successful seasons.

“There is so much negativity; Everyday these kids see failure all around them … they have grown up with tragedy of 9/11,” he says. “Taking away football and basketball, which gives children a release, would be the worst thing to cut.”

As the operator of a pre-school, Fogg sees how important it is that kids get a solid education in their early years, or else they will always be behind. Too many pre-schools, he says, are just teaching kids how to play, but it’s up to the school district to help these “high risk” students.

He also thinks that the key to solving some of the district’s problems are to “woo” back more of the parents who have opted to send their children to private schools.

“Even if we get 10-15 percent to come back ... we'll do fine,” he says, adding that it’s a “misnomer that a child will do better in a private school.”

“People want to blame the teachers, but you have to look at the whole system and what you put into it,” he explains. “I’m proud to say our children are honor roll students, but it takes work. When you see them slacking, you have to be on them to motivate them and get them back on the right track.”

Fogg does, however, fault the schools for not setting higher expectations for its students, pointing out that far too attend Nassau Community College, rather than Tier 1 schools. He says many parents do not realize there are many grants available that make these schools affordable and he suspects the guidance counselors are not pushing students to reach higher than NCC.

“I don’t profess to know everything,” he says, “but I’m passionate about my community, committed to it and the children, and I want to establish trust. You can trust me to be the liaison between the school, the parents, the teachers and the board to improve our community.”

Click here to access profiles on other candidates running in this year's school board elections. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on May 15 at West Hempstead Middle School.