It was with great interest that I read Michael Lombardi's attack of me, as well as several others last week. Mr. Lombardi took about three-quarters of a page to display his own "misinformation," of which he has accused others in his letter. As a resident of Hicksville, I speak for no one's actions or behavior but my own. I have been vocal in voicing my opinion without directly confronting or berating the officials with whom I disagree. But Mr. Lombardi makes generalities without knowing what he is talking about, referring to those who have been critical of the school board as people who, "contribute nothing to the betterment of Hicksville" and particularly in my case, "does anyone ever see these people at school events or doing anything to help the students of Hicksville?" Do you know me, Mr. Lombardi? As a resident of Hicksville for 15 years, I have been proud to be active in the community and I am quite comfortable that people who know me well also know the type of person that I am.

Mr. Lombardi asserts that it "is a free country and people are entitled to their opinion" and then takes up the rest of the page attacking people for doing just that. With those people who support his statements, it seems that First Amendment rights extend only as far as those who agree with him and the actions of this disgraceful group of administrators and board members. Mr. Lombardi seems to want us all to believe that these people are infallible and that anyone critical is bringing down property values and "making a laughingstock" of Hicksville. By standing up for a beleaguered teacher, some of us have "tarnished the community." Is there a fault in this kind of logic? Who tarnished the community, Mr. Lombardi - Ms. Werfelman, the HCT, those of us who support Ms. Werfelman's noble efforts, or Dr. Finn, Mrs. Bright and the entire school board which has sought to discredit one of Hicksville's teachers? One question still has not been answered by Dr. Finn, the school board which has given complete support to Mrs. Bright and even by you, Mr. Lombardi, and that is, when the rest of the world, including the President of the United States has chosen to honor the courageous efforts of those who answered the call to help at Ground Zero, why has the Hicksville School Board decided to stand alone (except for the support of people like you and Mrs. Koegl) against Karen Werfelman? Could it possibly be because this is a pattern of anti-teacher behavior that is more the norm in this community? If you wish to find the source of declining property values or the tarnishing of Hickville's image, I don't think it will come from a few critical remarks, or even a demonstration on behalf of Karen Werfelman. It might come from the continued disappointing math and reading scores which were published in Newsday recently. Were you aware of those, Mr. Lombardi or is that "misinformation?" How about the fact that Hicksville's teachers are the second lowest paid in Nassau County and that many of our best teachers have left in droves? Do you think that might have something to do with the quality of education?

Mr. Lombardi wants to know were the current school board to be replaced, "where are the Ph.Ds who will take over the school board?" How many Ph.Ds are there serving now?

We should live in a community which encourages qualified people to come forward, not discourage dissent which will only keep the same attitudes. Should we keep the same people in charge because Mr. Lombardi is afraid that a different board might eliminate art or sports or give zero raises for teachers? Is Mr. Lombardi kidding? I don't think our teachers could have received much lower increases than they were awarded by this board last May! Mr. Lombardi has introduced McCarthy-like fear and panic to scare people into thinking that this school board should continue unopposed.

Unfortunately, the people who support the school board and administrators would like the residents of Hicksville to believe that it is those dissenters who are causing the problems that were brought to a head by the criticism of Karen Werfelman. People should now also be aware that, as a result of this incident, Karen Werfelman is under scrutiny and is even possibly being set up, as she was called to the high school principal's office and questioned about her actions on a day when she came to the aid of a HHS JV football player. Many Hicksville teachers and many who left the district privately can attest to this type of intimidation of teachers. To those who wish to attack individuals who oppose the board because of their position on Ms. Werfelman, this is also against the basis by which this country was founded. Maybe someone should tell Mr. Lombardi that one-party rule ended when the Soviet Union and the Berlin Wall fell in 1989.

Gus Costa