Charging that the state's public school system has been ineffective for too long, Heftel yesterday told the Rotary Club of Waikiki that he will challenge incumbent Denise Matsumoto for a seat on the state Board of Education.

Heftel said the public education system has not changed since 35 years ago, when a former school superintendent said that a high school graduation diploma did not mark scholastic achievement but only reflected a student's record of attendance.

"Literally 35 years later, has anything really changed? No," he said.

With the current debate raging about how to improve public schools, Heftel said, "I decided, young or old, perhaps I should run for the school board."

In an earlier discussion with reporters, Heftel also said, "I thought to myself, 'Gee, I'm getting bored doing nothing. Why don't I run for school board?' "

Matsumoto, 43, has been on the school board 16 years, the longest consecutive tenure among current board members.

Reached yesterday on the Mainland where she is on vacation, Matsumoto expressed surprise and unhappiness with Heftel's decision to run against her for the board's Honolulu district seat because she believes at least one of the two O'ahu at-large board members with terms set to expire this year will not be running.

She noted that the Honolulu seat and the O'ahu at-large posts are decided by voters islandwide.

Told that Heftel believes current board members have been ineffective, Matsumoto said that has not been the case with her. Among other things, she said, she led the fight for the board to adopt a policy requiring that all students be reading at grade level by the third grade.

Matsumoto said she will try to convince Heftel to run for an O'ahu at-large seat.

"This way, he could add to our effectiveness and not replace somebody who's been effective," she said.