The letter to the editor printed last week from those in control of the OBEN PTA asserting their opposition to the higher academic standards for all high school diplomas proposed by the NY State Education Department coincidentally appeared the same week as three other education-related pieces of news.

President Clinton devoted a considerable part of his March 5 news conference discussing the need for American educators and parents to encourage students to opt for more challenging and advanced courses in math and science in view of the recent announcement that American youngsters' test scores lagged significantly behind students in other industrialized nations. Mr. Clinton commented that mastery of mathematics and science will better prepare the next generation of American workers for the technology-dominated economy of the next century.

The front page of today's The New York Times Real Estate Section (March 8) featured an article about education-conscious parents who are home purchasers. These families select homes in communities that value high academic outcomes and academically rigorous, coherent school curricula.

Today's Newsday published excerpts of school district data taken from the NY State "Report Card" for the 1996-97 school year showing OBEN among the least successful Nassau County school districts in such critical areas as sixth grade reading, ninth grade mathematics and the number of Regents diplomas earned by high school graduates.

Ours is a community that has not demanded academic excellence from its schools. The school board and the PTA that elects and controls it cannot seem to comprehend the difference between bigger and better. Our superintendent of schools has been unwilling or unable to exercise the leadership necessary to educate the community and motivate the professional staff to improve the quality of learning programs offered to our youngsters.

The NY State Education Department has undertaken a long-term program to improve learning for every student in New York State. The plan is not perfect, but it offers OBEN students a real chance for significantly improved academic standards -- a chance that has not been offered by the local group that controls the district. The mandate will be gradually phased into operation over several years and detailed guidelines have been produced for education professionals to bring districts into conformity with state requirements.

The letter from the PTA has put the community on notice that in addition to annual dramatically escalating school taxes that they have made a way of life, those who control the OBEN PTA and our school board are now working to ensure that OBEN students will continue to contend with educational mediocrity into the next millennium. If the PTA power brokers succeed in defeating the policy that makes educational improvement mandatory, OBEN parents need not fear that their children will be intellectually stimulated, challenged to improve their academic performance, or be concerned with such trivial matters as qualifying for an academically rigorous Regents diploma.

As surrounding school districts improve academic performances that already exceed those of OBEN's students, OBEN property values, which are already lower than those in surrounding communities where academic achievement is valued, will continue to decline. If community apathy allows this special interest group to succeed in its stated goal, families in which a premium is placed on children's educational achievement will continue to move elsewhere.

What can the community do to change the course of the school district? For starters, the upcoming school board election will give voters a choice and a chance to elect more responsive and responsible trustees. Public budget hearings give residents opportunities to question expenditures for programs. Are the programs evaluated? Are they working? If not, they should be changed. It is essential that we make elected officials and district employees accountable to the community for student achievement. Community apathy is the best friend the status quo has.

Oh yes, the OBEN PTAs -- they are certainly not about milk and cookies. Milk and cookies taste good, are wholesome, make kids happy and don't do any harm.