A few weeks ago you published a letter from my fellow trustee, Jon Zimmerman, titled "On Racial Inequality in Port." As usual, with almost all of Jon's letters, there are outright lies and slanting of the facts.

Jon claims that the district's poor performance in this area was the reason why the "Office of Civil Rights got involved and sued us in the first place." A simple call to the district will confirm that the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) got involved because of routine audits they are doing throughout Long Island school districts. There was no lawsuit, only a figment of Jon's imagination. The OCR found patterns of irregularity, just as they did in most of the other districts they audited. The majority of the school board is looking to improve on the items found in the report and raise the bar of instruction for all students. Jon best reminds me of the "angel of death" - or the nurse who made the patients ill, so he could be a hero and revive them.

My fellow board members asked me repeatedly last year to respond to Jon's fantasies, which included imaginary fights along with other items. Unfortunately, I don't have the time, but I find it hard to believe that anybody in this town gives any credence to Jon's utterings.

Richard Sussman

President

Port Washington School Board