Lawrence Approves School Budget, Board Remains Dominated by Frum Members

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lawrence-nyIn a school district where residents were still voting 45 minutes after polls closed, unofficial results showed the Lawrence school district budget passed and the Board of Education will remain dominated by Orthodox Jewish members with children in private schools. Official Lawrence results were not available this morning, and district clerk Mohinder Bharaj said she would not disclose numbers until after another tally. “I want to give the proper number just to be 100 percent,” she said, adding that she had counted ballots until 2:30 a.m.Unofficially, she said, the budget proposal passed and candidates Uri Kaufman and Abel Feldhamer won board seats. There has been controversy over the makeup of the board, with a majority comprised of Orthodox Jewish parents of children who attend private schools. Some parents of children in Lawrence public schools say the board’s agenda is to downsize the district.

That controversy, along with the many write-in ballots for public school parent John Kinder, is why Bharaj said she opted to do a recount before revealing official numbers.

“The paranoia in me wants to me wants to make sure everything is correct,” she said.

Tuesday’s election also brought a higher number of voters than in the past, Bharaj said. Last year, the budget passed 2,683 to 494.

On Tuesday afternoon, public school parent Steve Jackson saw hope in the high turnout he noticed at No. 2 School. “This is the most I’ve seen since the presidential election,” he said.

{Newsday Inc./Matzav.com Newscenter}

 


2 COMMENTS

  1. As someone who was born and bred in Lawrence, I can tell you how the public school parents are delusional at best. When my family first moved in, there were two orthodox families on our block- now almost the entire Lawrence is frum yidden.
    The only reason this is an issue, is because the school district stupidly includes Inwood, and parts of atlantic beach (more then 10 minutes away), which should have their own school districts.
    How can the y complain about their children’s education, when the whole school budget is funded by the astronomical Lawrence taxes.

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