I am writing regarding the press coverage (not necessarily that of the Levittown Tribune) regarding the recent decision by the Levittown Board of Education to revise my employment contract, thereby effecting an 18 percent reduction in the total salary to be paid to me by the Levittown School District. The newspaper coverage generally portrayed this decision as somewhat one-sided, indicating that the whole idea of taking a salary reduction was my idea only. I would like to correct this misapprehension, and assure our public that, for two years, the Levittown School Board aggressively pursued changes in my employment contract which would accrue benefits for the school district.

It is no small feat for any board of education to secure any reduction from its employees, let alone a decrease as large as 18 percent. No previous school board in Levittown, and to the best of my knowledge, no other school board on Long Island has been successful in any similar attempts. The Levittown Board of Education has much to be proud of in the way it persevered in securing the give-backs from its superintendent of schools. I can attest to their diligence, and as proud as I am to work in Levittown, I am also proud to work for a board that so effectively represents its community.