Westbury school board meets to unite rival factions

In the midst of a heated public battle, the leaders of rival factions of the Westbury school board at least found themselves in the same room at the same time - at a special board meeting last night.

Pless Dickerson and Karin Campbell, the former board president, have been fighting for control of the board since last month, when Dickerson and three newly elected members named Dickerson president.

Campbell attended last night's meeting, the first to bring the two factions together since the dispute erupted. A restraining order issued last week, ordering two Campbell allies who lost their board seats in May's elections to stop posing as board members during meetings, eliminated any chance Campbell could hold onto control of the board.

But when the roll was called, she said she was present "under protest."

Campbell cast the only no vote against entering executive session, the first and only item on the agenda, and left during the session to take care of her children, board members said. Stanton Brown, an ally of Campbell, attended and abstained during each vote. Rocco Lanzilotta, the third member of the faction, is on vacation according to Dickerson.

Dickerson, acting as president, said after the meeting he hoped they have come one step closer to reconciliation, but acknowledged a full resolution might have to wait until pending litigation is sorted out. "I hope we get past that and work together toward our common goal - providing for our children," he said.

Last night, the board shifted meeting dates from Wednesday nights, when they were held last year, to Thursdays, to accommodate Dickerson's responsibilities as acting school superintendent in Wyandanch. In June, the board, then led by Campbell, attempted to remove Dickerson and two other members for missing three consecutive meetings. That action has been on hold, pending a decision by the state commissioner of education. Brown said he hopes the board will get past the drama, while saying he is unsure whether last night's meeting was lawful.

The board also approved retaining a public relations firm and sending out a mailer to district residents explaining recent events.