Here we go again: Cross vs. Touré in Hempstead

The rematch between ousted Hempstead school board member Betty Cross and challenger Maribel Touré ought to be lively.

Still, there's a chance that the contest between the veteran and the newcomer could split the already racially divided school district -- the last thing Hempstead's children need.

The winner of the Oct. 28 special election would do well to assist the board in ushering Hempstead toward a stronger future, and supporting an active coalition of community residents to bolster the district.

Changing district demographics are helping to fuel the current power struggle. According to state Education Department statistics from 2012-13 -- the most recent available -- almost 60 percent of district students are Latino.

That proportion likely is even higher given the number of children who crossed the border into the United States unescorted and ended up in Hempstead, which has one of the largest concentrations of such immigrant students on Long Island.

Already, Hempstead has had to accommodate the change -- which amounts to an unfunded federal mandate -- by adding English as a Second Language classes and adding an extra class period at the beginning and end of the high school day, said Susan Johnson, the district superintendent.

The district also has a new high school principal. He got the highest score possible from Hempstead's selection committee, which included community residents.

"Don't let him out of the building," Johnson quoted committee members who came to see her after meeting with Roosevelt High School Principal Stephen Strachan, who will move over to Hempstead in the next few weeks.

Cross is seeking to regain the seat she lost after the state Education Department, acting on a complaint from Touré and other critics about alleged irregularities in their last contest, ousted Cross. However, the state did not bar her from running again.

In May, Cross and Touré were among several Hempstead residents vying for board seats. This time around, it's down to just two -- Touré, the newcomer, and Cross, the veteran.

Cross' entry into the special election was no surprise. Her supporters, weeks ago, picked up the necessary paperwork to begin gathering petition signatures.

Cross likely is relying on her long history in the community to once again see her through.

Indeed, some supporters support the view of Cross as a victim, unfairly dumped from office by outsiders, including Education Commissioner John King. That pitch may resonate with some Hempstead school district residents, but it will not resonate with all.

For one, the district remains under investigation by the Nassau district attorney's office, which is sifting through allegations of impropriety before and during the last election. The DA's office has not specifically identified anyone as a target.

Wednesday, a spokesman for the DA's office would say only that the investigation is continuing.

All of which makes this special school board election -- a rarity on Long Island and in the state -- different from earlier contests. In addition, the victor will gain only a one-year term before having to seek office again.

Nonetheless, both candidates would do well to campaign on how they would address the district's myriad pressing issues -- and do it well enough so that the ranks of interested, engaged voters continues to increase in Hempstead.