I am the person who first objected to the Island Trees Board of Education putting the name of a live, well-paid person on a school that was dedicated to dead servicemen and all those who served the country in times of need (including our 9/11 Heroes).

I have copies of my letter that I wrote to Mr. Richard Segerdahl (the person in question) asking him to do the right thing. I attended the October meeting and, working with my neighbors, got the word out for people to attend the November meeting.

At the November meeting, the board said they were "annoyed" that we had brought the issue up for a third meeting. Incredibly, the Island Trees Board of Education President Robert Condela, browbeat the people who objected to the name change saying he was ashamed of them.

The next day five people who objected to the name change called Newsday requesting coverage. Their educational reporter, John Hildebrand got in touch with us and set up a photo shoot for Saturday morning.

With only one day to notify people of the photo session, we managed to get a large group to be there for the picture. (Newsday, November 23, 2004 "What's in a Name").

People are furious for several reasons:

1. The name Island Trees is the original name of the entire Levittown area and we want it preserved.

2. The school was dedicated as a memorial to those who made the ultimate sacrifice and all who served in times of need. Not Richard Segerdahl.

3. Richard Segerdahl wasn't satisfied with his huge salary and retirement package, he still wanted the name.

4. Richard Segerdahl had a room dedicated to him at the Island Trees Library, and that should have been more than enough.

5. Richard Segerdahl wasn't satisfied with 30 years of steady employment while the people who paid his salary scrambled for work or worked two jobs. He still wanted more.

6. Richard Segerdahl's brother, Jon Segerdahl, has a well-paid position as principal of the school.

7. With the money they are paid by the taxpayers of District 26, Richard and Jon Segerdahl are able to live in affluent areas (Merrick and Garden City respectively).

8. The name change was purposely kept quiet.

9. The residents were not asked for their input on the issue.

10. The board of education got a few veterans who do not represent the vast majority of vets to rubber stamp their decision.

11. The board of education started putting a spin on what they had done: at first saying memorial just means junior high. Then saying it was never dedicated as a memorial. (It is written in stone across the front of the building).

12. They were extremely rude to 86-year-old Cooper Cook who came all the way up from Florida with a letter to specifically explain to them that he was on the first Island Trees Board of Education, he was at the dedication ceremony, and that his daughter (who accompanied him) was a student there on opening day. Instead of thanking him, the board tried to stop his letter from being read.

This is an issue that is not going to go away. The United States is at war; we are losing kids every day and the memorial is as current and as important today as it was when it was first dedicated. More importantly, we want the honorable message to be sent to the students and children in the community, not the disgraceful "winner-take-all-and then-some" tactics of Richard Segerdahl, Robert Condela and their cronies.

Dale Bertan

What could the school board and the administration be teaching the students who attend their schools, to throw away the honor of the greatest generation and bestow the honor on a single man. We are presently witnessing much anti-American sentiment overseas making you wonder what short memories the Europeans have. How disgraceful that this school board shares the same short memories. There are many other ways to honor this gentleman without dishonoring our World War II heroes. Set a good example for the youth of your community. Do the right thing and bring the "memorial" back.

Margaret Maguire

I am a 1974 graduate of Island Trees High School. I am strongly in opposition to the name change of a memorial school dedicated to those who died in World War II. Don't do it.

Steven Merin

Please be advised that I strongly object to the changing of the name of a school dedicated to WWII soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice to the name of an administrator who simply did his job. I think it is a total outrage and a slap in the face of those soldiers who died for our freedom.

Brian K. Barnett

I was a resident of Levittown for 23 years. My husband, John Monaco, is also a graduate of Island Trees. John was in the Air Force for four years. When he came back from military service we moved back to New York.

I do have a complaint about them changing the name of Island Trees Memorial Junior High School. The school was dedicated to veterans, so no name changes should be allowed. John is currently in the Army National Guard and serving in Iraq right now. He is 52 years old and had to leave his civilian job and family to protect this country. When I think of how much all the servicemen give up to protect our country it reminds me of the veterans the Island Trees Memorial was dedicated to.

A name change doesn't honor the veteran's service. No war veteran ever would want his service or fallen comrades forgotten. To change a place dedicated as a memorial just because it was in the past doesn't honor the veterans it was dedicated to. America should respect their veterans and never let them feel forgotten. They are heroes just like the firemen were heroes during 9/11. America needs to respect its military men more than it does. We might not like to remember wars and fallen comrades but it is the soldiers that make our country strong. It is the soldier that is defending our freedom. All veterans and soldiers are heroes who should be remembered.

Susan Lederer Monaco

ITHS Class of 1973

I wish to express my thoughts on the recent changing of the name of the Island Trees Memorial Middle School to the Richard N. Segerdahl Middle School. Upon hearing that the name was changed to honor a former superintendent of the school, it is with great concern that I write this letter. This memorial school was so named to honor our World War II veterans. When it was dedicated, and witnessed by many, I believe that in the minds of those who attended, felt with assurance that this school would forever be so named to honor our brave and noble veterans. In renaming the school, it seems that those who gave their life for the good of our great nation has lost their worth, within the minds of those on the school board who chose to honor a man who was paid for a service however great or whatever good he may have done for the community. Mr. Segerdahl is not and was not a hero for whom the school was originally named.

I have heard that a portion of the Island Trees Library was dedicated to Mr. Segerdahl, as well as a gift certificate and a big celebration for this man's retirement. To that I have no problem. But why was a so called "gift" of renaming the middle school necessary to honor this man? I have yet to hear a reasonable answer to this question. Another question I have is why this decision was left solely up to the school board? Is it not the community, as well as the school board to make serious decisions? It seems to me that the board did not seek the approval of this "gift" from the community, but perhaps from a select few. If they did, I believe the community as a whole would not want to take away a memorial to those who gave their lives so that we could live in a free and democratic society. There may also be those who just would not like the name to be changed for a variety of other reasons. I think this decision was a rush to judgment and the community should be given a chance to speak and make their feelings known to those who had the power to make a change that will go down in history. What will it look like in years to come that one man, Mr. Segerdahl, had precedence over the countless thousands who gave their lives for this country?

JoAnn Milano