Man Asked Farmingdale Student If She Wanted Ride; Police Report Made: School District

FARMINGDALE, NY — A man asked a Farmingdale student if she wanted a ride on Monday, the school district shared in correspondence to the community obtained by Patch.

The girl's parent informed the district that she was walking along Secatogue Avenue around 4 p.m. when a man in a royal blue pick-up truck asked her if she wanted a ride, said Samuel M. Thompson, assistant to the superintendent for administration, in the release. She described the man as in his 50s with grey hair and facial hair.

The school’s administration reported the incident to the Nassau County Police Department, the district stated.

Thompson said he interviewed the student Tuesday morning.

"Farmingdale continues to be a safe place to live and work. However, it is always a good idea to periodically review safety concerns with your children," Thompson said. "Whether walking to and from school, riding their bikes or going to the park, it is extremely important that we teach our children to be aware of their surroundings at all times in order to keep themselves safe."

The district asked parents to have a conversation with their children about not talking with strangers and insist they bring any concerns they might have to an adult in school or at home as soon as possible. The district provided some tips below:

• Teach your children that if anyone bothers them or makes them feel scared or uncomfortable, to trust their feelings and immediately get away from that person. Teach them that it is OK not to be polite and IT IS OK TO SAY NO.
• Teach your children to never talk to or accept gifts from strangers.
• Teach your children that grownups should NOT ASK CHILDREN FOR DIRECTIONS; they should ask other adults.
• Teach your children never to approach a vehicle and NOT TO ACCEPT A RIDE from anyone unless you have said it is OK in that instance. If anyone follows them in a vehicle, they should turn around, go in the other direction, and run to a trusted adult who may help them.

"Thank you in advance for your kind attention to this matter and for working with us to keep our children safe," Thompson said.