Dear Editor: I enjoyed reading last week's letters from three former Presidents of the Hoboken School Board. The humor value was high. The logic was questionable. Jon Gordon was urging a vote for Michele Russo because the teachers 'deserve' her. David Anthony provided a list of reasons why the schools he controls were in great shape, but neglected to explain why fewer and fewer Hoboken families (including both his and my own) choose them. Otto Hottendorf was in rare form trying to explain how building a skyscraper at 1600 Park Avenue would add 60 days to the school year. I do not claim to be as funny as Jon when he tries, or Otto when he doesn't. As the only former President since 1991 not yet heard from, I will simply try to make some sense. Hoboken's regular public schools are not actually bad, though in view of their ample resources, they should be far better. Nor are the teachers the root of the problem. Most try to do a good job, and many succeed. The problem is leadership -- leadership that values improved test scores (no matter how obtained) over real learning -- leadership that values political connections over almost everything else. The Hoboken public schools have had a long tradition of this kind of leadership. A tradition broken every decade or so by well intentioned 'reformers' (of which I was proudly one). These 'reformers' try to force change upon an unwilling system for a year or two, until a coalition between the leaders of the teachers union and the displaced politician/educators can reassert control. Which brings me to this election - based on their records NONE of these candidates can fairly be called reformers, though many aspire to the title. In fact, on both slates two of the three candidates played key roles in ending the last reform challenge, in the early 1990's. The third member of each slate is a political neophyte, seemingly concerned with the children, but aligned to the political powers that have long dominated the Board. So how to choose? I had planned to vote for both neophytes and leave it at that, but the tone of the campaign has changed my mind. I served on the Hoboken Board of Education with Sandra Ramos and Perry Belifiore. Honestly, I did not agree with them that often. Both ran against, and defeated honorable people trying to make the schools better, and both took support from folks whose motives and tactics were questionable at best. Their records on the Board of Education are a long way from perfect. But nothing they have ever done comes close to justifying the horrific attacks that have been leveled against them in this campaign. Perry's attendance was, in fact, generally excellent, and he was always there (often to my dismay) when a key vote was required. He and I often battled, but no matter how wrong I thought he was, I never doubted his fierce commitment to Hoboken's children, or to his job as Board Trustee. Sandra has, over six years, missed 17 meetings. Less than three a year. Not too bad, all other things being equal, but things were not equal. Sandra suffered, for much of this time, from a serious and painful medical condition. Because she has chosen to keep a private condition private, she has not gotten headlines and political mileage from her condition, but is instead left open to cruel attacks from people who should know better. Worst of all has been the orchestration of the publicity to try to turn some neglected summonses into high crimes and misdemeanors. PERRY DIDN"T PAY A TICKET! OFF WITH HIS HEAD! Oh yes, and he has a mortgage on his house. This is a crime? It is a crime. It is a crime when running for public office subjects you to attacks such as these: Unfair, Untrue, and Unconscionable. Will electing Perry Belifiore, Sandra Ramos, and Francis Rhodes-Kerns make a real difference on the Hoboken Board of Education? I honestly don't know. They are currently talking a good game, and at least that is a start. But not voting for them will reward the mudslinging tactics that destroyed the last real hope for Reform in Hoboken's schools. Until the purveyors of such lies learn that they are no longer effective, good people will continue to be attacked, and hope of real improvement in our schools will be stymied. The only way to teach them is at the ballot box. See you Tuesday - 2 pm to 9 pm. Michael Lenz Hoboken Board of Education Trustee 1991-1995 Hoboken Board of Education President 1993-1994