Dr. Frank Tassone recently wrote a letter to The Roslyn News to plea for the public to consider his hard work in light of his $1.1 million theft from the school district. None of the good deeds he touted compensate for the biggest school system theft in U.S. history.

In response to Paul Vitello's Oct. 2 New York Times column, Tassone states, "I plead guilty to taking $1.1 million not $2 million." I do not care if he stole $5; he, along with the hundreds of Roslyn School District teachers and administrators tell students to embrace honesty and avoid stealing if he does not receive heavy punishment, his case will send a message to children that people can steal without serious consequences. Although he defends himself by saying that drug deals and rapists have served less time than his possible four- to 12- year sentence, punishment depends on the severity of each case. Tassone's immoral actions hurt and disrupted students' education and the community's reputation. It also caused uproar at PTA and Board of Education meetings. The best end to this story is to demonstrate that stealing does not pay.

Why did you, Dr. Tassone, think you could steal from the people who pay your salary? You claim, "much of those monies were spent on school expenses." Even if this were true, you cannot justify lavish expenses such as a Jaguar convertible car lease or trips to Great Britain and Las Vegas.

Tassone stated, "My last year has been quite painful: I lost my job, reputation, career and license and I am receiving a prison sentence of four to 12 years." I agree with him here; he has had a difficult year, but so has the Roslyn community. Unlike Dr. Tassone, we did not gain anything from this scandal. In 2004, the school budget failed for the first time in over two decades. The Board of Education dropped programs at all levels: elementary level Spanish and before-school help with teachers. There has also been mention of dropping particular sports. Our national reputation plummeted. Newspapers mentioned the story throughout America. Some of my professors at the University of Maryland, College Park, knew about the scandal. While students' test scores have remained high and student acceptance rate at universities has not suffered, all university administrators know of the scandal.

Dr. Tassone mentions a faculty exchange program with the Harrow School in Great Britain. An administrator confirmed that this program existed when I attended school. I would have liked to taken advantage of this program. For a program that cost so much it was not promoted well.

Tassone states that the student population increased by 33 percent during his 12 years in the district. So, while the percentage of students increased, he helped to take away money that should be spent on the increased amount of students.

I will not deny that Dr. Tassone helped the school district. I remember him walking through the halls of the schools, sitting in on classroom discussions, and graduation ceremony speeches. I now find it difficult to remember those things when images of him stealing hard-earned money from Roslyn taxpayers fill my mind. I enjoyed my years in the Roslyn school system, and my teachers were supportive, helpful and encouraging. The teachers in our district worked hard prior to the announcement of the scandal, and they continue to do so.

So, Dr. Frank Tassone, before you attempt to challenge the viewpoints of the majority of the community, you should sit back and think about the effects your selfish and unexplainable actions caused to the children you said to have cared so much about.

Melissa Schwartz