Is it worse to be called a "PAC for school employees" or to be a secret society, like the Friends of Schmeller and Smith, (FOSS), seem to be? Is it wrong to have an informational website like the Coalition or be a covert operation like FOSS? Do the FOSS consider all PTA members "leeches" or just Mikki Shapiro, a PTA president, because she has given of herself for so long? Next week I expect to hear Smith blame the custodial staff for the toxic waste sites at the old Li Tungsten plant.

Then there is the elusive Mr. Schmeller who says the district needs smaller class sizes and then erroneously claims that we have non-certified teachers.

OK, Mr. Schmeller, how do you and FOSS suggest we pay for these smaller class sizes? Raise taxes or cut staff to the bone? This from an "Educator" who was "president of a college for 32 years" and left with a graduation rate of about 17 percent! Did you, or do you, clear your remarks with Mr. Smith? Please ask Mr. Smith for your next answer before you stick your foot in your mouth again.

And finally, the big question everyone should be asking is why? Why are Schmeller and particularly Smith running for school board? And who do they really represent? Is it just some altruistic action on the part of Mr. Smith? I hardly think so. Is it to help parochialize the school and to ban groups like Planned Parenthood for the Cassin group vote? Is it to strip the public schools of money in support of charter schools? Why would Mr. Smith, a "successful" businessman who also has multiple properties (any rentals?? any illegals??) in Glen Cove, who can't pay his taxes on time, who has no children in the district, want to dilute his time further with the time he would have to spend on board Business? He doesn't seem to have the time to show up at school functions. Shouldn't he be spending more time raising business revenue to pay for his tax bill and to complete the job of making his entire building presentable? The best thing Mr. Smith can do is pay his taxes on time to provide the district with its "fair share" of the revenues. Before you pull the lever for Rick Smith ask yourself why is he doing this and if you can come up with a logical answer please let me know. Unless it is a secret.

Bruce Schor