A former Westbury High School principal fired for drug possession in 2003 is running for a seat on the school board.

Pless Dickerson was arrested three years ago for possession of crack cocaine after serving as principal for 18 years. A stay in a treatment center got his felony charge dropped, and now he works as a drug abuse counselor at the Phoenix House. Dickerson says everyone falls at some point, but the key is how a person gets up from that fall.

Many Westbury residents say they are wary of having a former drug user on the school board, saying it sets a bad example for students. Dickerson says he knows he will have to face cynics, but believes that he deserves a second chance.