Why is it that when Newsday reported "$93G Verdict in Bias Suit: Former Teacher Said He Was Forced Out of Hicksville" (March 15) it came as no surprise. After all, this is the same school district that has consistently replaced 70 teachers a year. In all fairness to the board and the wonderful job that they consistently tell us they are performing - in spite of the data put out by the New York State Department of Education, this year we hit a low of only 48. Now, who is in charge of personnel all of these years? Why no one other than our present day superintendent who was assistant to our last incompetent and the head of personnel of those years past - Maureen Bright.

Now, I know that our present day president of the board, Richard Pfaender, did not have a problem with those numbers in the past for he had repeatedly chastised me and others for having brought them up, claiming that we were no more or less better than any other district on Long Island. Isn't it funny that now even his most ardent supporters don't cry out the same party line anymore.

This lawsuit is just one of who knows of how many in litigation at this present moment. Besides the $93G that the district now owes Robert Visconti, the ex-teacher who taught criminal law and global studies at the high school, the law firm of Miranda & Sokoloff who represented the district is considering a motion to overturn the verdict in the future. Just how much in legal fees is this one case costing this mismanaged district? Putting it at a lowball number of $200 an hour at let's say five hours a day for a seven-week trial, without including any prep time, we're looking at $25,000. Of course, the other side I'm sure had its expenses, which I'm certain most people on a teacher's salary could not afford and would explain why we do not hear of more cases against this district.

The district's representation cited in the Newsday article that "Visconti had shown inappropriate movies to his class... They included Serpico, a movie about police corruption that contains profanity not suitable for high school students." Now, there's a subversive movie. I give my children, especially those of high school age, more credit for intelligence than this weak-kneed excuse for an attorney will ever be able to fathom. The problem lies within an administration and administrator - we have a cancer and it needs to be excised.

How can Hicksville, which ranks just below the 50 percent mark in tax dollars spent per child for education in the county, now come in last place when it comes to teacher's salaries? Could this mismanagement of funds be the continuity that this last board referred to when they forced Maureen Bright upon this community?

Board member Alicia Sommers, along with the three newly-elected board members who ran in opposition to Ms. Bright's appointment at the time, were left in the minority when 11 days prior to their being sworn in, the past board still made Bright superintendent of the district in spite of the disdain felt between the teaching staff and the community. But, after all, in the words of the last school board president, Nancy Callari, they were just trying to maintain continuity for all they had worked for over the past decade. If the word continuity is defined as being a complete and utter failure to the community than they have done such.

Another election will be coming up shortly and hopefully this community will rise up in anger and vote out those that have failed us so badly and finally untie the hands of those who wish to see change. Change will not come about when less than five percent of the registered voters show up for elections. The ties that bind this school district with the failed political agenda that has bankrupted this county must be broken.

Learn the facts and then get out and vote, for only the people of Hicksville can bring back the quality in education that our children so rightfully deserve.

Bob Boxer