Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray and Councilman Gary Hudes, both Levittown residents, joined the Levittown School District and PTA in protesting a question on the New York State Grade 8 Social Studies test, which lumped Levittown in with tenements and ghettos.

"For New York State to administer a test that references Levittown in a derogatory, offensive and historically inaccurate manner is hurtful to our students and completely unacceptable," said Murray. "Levittown represented the American Dream to our veterans who returned from World War II, and it still is emblematic of the American idyllic suburban lifestyle."

Question 34 of the New York State Grade 8 Social Studies standardized test depicted a "Shantytown During the Depression." The question lumped together the terms "ghettos," "tenements" and "Hoovervilles" with the name "Levittown" as prospective answers relating to 1930 era "shantytowns."

Levittown was the only choice that did not relate to the question posed in any manner.

"One has to wonder why the community of Levittown was singled out by the state education department for inclusion in the exam," stated Hudes. "It was the only choice that did not relate to question 34 in any way."

Murray and Hudes said that the inclusion of the name "Levittown" on question 34 evidenced a bias on the part of those who crafted the exam/question. The officials stated that the damage inflicted upon Levittowners, particularly eighth graders who were subjected to the exam, was malicious, gratuitous and unwarranted.

"I am outraged and disgusted at the derogatory, offensive and historically inaccurate reference to Levittown in the state's eighth grade social studies exam," said Murray. "How dare the New York State Commissioner of Education allow this affront to America's first suburb appear in an official state document."

Murray, Hudes and Levittown Schools Superintendent Dr. Herman Sirois have written to New York State Commissioner of Education Richard Mills demanding an immediate accounting for the circumstances surrounding the inclusion of the unacceptable "Levittown" reference in the statewide exam. The officials also asked to be apprised of steps that will be taken to ensure that this type of distasteful, insulting and inappropriate affront does not recur.

"The state is spread too thin on this stuff and these errors are going to occur," Levittown Schools Superintendent Dr. Herman Sirois said. "They don't have the capacity to monitor the quality control of the tests."

In his June 4 letter to Mills, Dr. Sirois stated, "Levittown students who took the exam were upset to such an extent by the derogatory characterization of their community that I am compelled to advise you that Levittown's results on this test are invalid, and am demanding that the State Education Department rules likewise."

Murray, Hudes and Dr. Sirois also inquired what steps would be taken to help repair the damage inflicted on all Levittowners, especially the eighth grade students who were subjected to the exam.

Levittown resident and school district employee Patricia Freund wrote in a June 11 letter to Mills, "Interestingly, I did not find the question to be embarrassing to Levittown; I found it to be embarrassing to the New York State Education Department and to you as the head of that department. You are supposed to represent the people of this state, not demean them."

A State Education Department spokesman, Jonathan Bauman, later told the Tribune that his agency "meant no disrespect for Levittown or those who live there."

"We regret any misunderstanding," he added.

(Jaime L. Tomeo contributed to this article.)