The people of Glen Cove delivered a very clear message to our local school board, which they characteristically have failed to read. That message was in the stinging defeat of the school budget that the board had resubmitted without change for a second time.

My two votes against both budget submissions was based not on the money involved, but rather on the arrogance of the board in refusing to even take notice of the broad public discomfort with the way our schools are being administered.

Both votes were preceded by weeks of charges of top-heavy layers of administrators, lax management practices, and concerns about wasteful handling of school funds. The board's failure even to discuss these charges lends support to the perception of arrogance on the part of those who have the power to levy the heaviest local tax of all - the school tax.

The usual response is the smoke screen that our kids' education is sacrosanct, an approach that evades the hard questions raised. But the fact remains, waste in education is not productive for our kids, and robs them of a better education.

The school board must investigate and respond in depth to the charges of excessive layers of administrators, and on lax accountability. This is the first step in repairing the breach in the public's trust of the board.

Richard J. Guido