Lindenhurst HS senior punished for walkout runs for school board

A Lindenhurst High School senior will have her name on the ballot for a seat on the district’s school board next week – just two months after she was punished for walking out of class to protest gun violence.
Gabrielle Anzalone, 18, said she wants to be the voice for the student body on the school board. If she wins Tuesday’s election, Anzalone would be the youngest board member in the district's history.
The high school senior said she initially got the idea to run after she and several other students in the district were disciplined for taking part in a walkout after the Parkland, Florida, school shooting. She told News 12 that her pursuit of the school board seat was not a “knee-jerk reaction” for the board punishing students.
“I do understand the concern for safety,” said Anzalone.  
However, she said there is a lack of connection between the administration and the students.
"If I was on the board, I definitely would have wanted to speak to the students… we didn't really have a chance to talk to the [board]. We tried emailing. There were no answers," said Anzalone.
Anzalone is not the only student running for a board seat. Kaitlyn Gambian, 18, will also be on the ballot in the Eastport South Manor District.