Last May, I was elected to a seat on the Mineola School Board. My platform was simple: to work for a more open, transparent, and community-minded school board and administration, and to stop wasteful spending. All my efforts have been toward that end. Unfortunately, I have met resistance at every step, both from the administration and from the board. Resolved to do the best I can, I hope the community makes itself heard now and in the next board election in May that transparency, open communication, and fiscal responsibility is what they want.

Recent circumstances, which I may not legally divulge, lead me to believe it is impossible, with this board and administration, to work toward the changes desired by those who elected me. This board is comprised of a five-member voting group; any three together can exert and control all outcomes of policy, direction and even communication. This can be a problem when three votes are consistently with the interests of the administration.

As you are probably aware, I have requested the NY State Commissioner of Education to review certain findings by this board, given the evidence that was presented by an independent investigator the board hired. Since filing that petition, I have, even as a board member, been ostracized and ignored when requesting answers, responses, and comments from both administrators and other board members.

The letter posted on the district website is the personal opinion of Mineola School Board President John McGrath. I have a completely different opinion of the findings. I feel the board president should act as a neutral, unbiased board member rather than a defensive, legal advisor in this matter.

Here are just two of my many issues with his letter:

• Written on board stationary and addressed to "our" staff, etc., Mr. McGrath continuously references "we", as if he speaks for the entire board. "In the opinion of all named parties" also suggests a consensus. In fact, there was no board discussion on the composition of this letter, unless I was not informed of such a meeting.

• President McGrath neglected to state that another impetus for the lawsuit was a wrongful termination claim the plaintiff first brought to the district in July. The aggrieved woman attempted to address the situation within the administration's proper channels, and was rebuffed prior to her termination. She waited seven months for the board to act before filing her lawsuit. Obviously no "smear campaign." This is a lawful request for a just resolution.

Regardless of the outcome of my petition, or this lawsuit, the community's desire for change, as expressed in the last election, will not be possible until we have elected a majority of board members who put our children's and our community's needs before their own. This is possible in the next election. Please vote May 20 to have your voices heard.

Laraine Salvatore, Trustee

Mineola Board of Education