Ousted Westbury board member reinstated

A recently ousted member of Westbury's school board who could provide a swing vote to the majority has recaptured his seat - at least temporarily.

State Education Commissioner David Steiner has ordered Pless Dickerson of Westbury returned to his seat on the district board, pending the outcome of Dickerson's legal appeal. The order, signed Monday, was released Tuesday.

Dickerson's reinstatement will allow him to join three newly-elected board members, backed by the local teachers' union, in forming a new majority next month. Earlier this month, Dickerson was ousted by the board's current, more conservative majority, on grounds that he missed three consecutive meetings without a valid excuse.

Dickerson, who also serves as interim school superintendent in Wyandanch, contends that board meetings there led to unavoidable scheduling conflicts. He also asserts he was simply late for one Westbury meeting, as recorded in the minutes, but was falsely accused of being absent.