Candidates forum takes surprising turn at East Meadow library

A candidate running for one of the open seats on the Board of Education had a trick up his sleeve and shocked the audience as he announced his withdrawal from the race on Monday at a candidates forum, with only days left until the budget and trustee vote on May 16.

With only minutes remaining in the two-hour long forum, David Rosenberg, a professional entertainer who runs his own magic business that includes mind reading and hypnotism, announced to a full crowd at the East Meadow Public Library that he would no longer oppose incumbent Joseph Danenza for his seat on the board.

Alisa Baroukh, a mother of three children who attend schools in the East Meadow School District and serves on the Barnum Woods PTA Executive Board, is also challenging Danenza. 

“I’d like to thank Mr. Danenza for his years of service on the board,” Rosenberg said. “It’s certainly not an easy thing to do, and after hearing Alisa Baroukh throughout the evening, I’d like to withdraw myself from the race, and I lend my full support to Ms. Baroukh.” 

A few audience members gasped and then erupted in applause after the sudden announcement. Baroukh’s mouth was agape with shock as she looked to her husband, Anony, sitting in the crowd. Only two seats are up for election this year, Danenza’s and that of incumbent Scott Eckers, who is running unopposed.

“As of 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Mr. Rosenberg officially signed a form stating his withdrawal from the race,” Superintendent Leon Campo told the Herald.

“It may be too late to change the ballot listing,” District Clerk Jeanne Puma said on Tuesday. “But at this point, we are waiting for confirmation if the printers can omit Mr. Rosenberg’s name or not.”

Puma said that regardless of whether Rosenberg’s name can be omitted from the ballot, voters would be notified of his withdrawal at the polls.

The forum was organized by the East Meadow PTA Council and members of the League of Women Voters. Danenza, Baroukh and Rosenberg each took turns answering questions from audience members, who wrote their queries on cards.

“It’s apparent that this crowd feels strongly about the topic of the relationships between the superintendent and the board members,” the moderator said. 
 
Late last month, the district announced that Dr. Kenneth Card Jr. would take over as the district’s leader this summer, allowing Interim Superintendent Leon Campo to finally retire. Campo was brought out of retirement in 2015 after the previous superintendent retired, leaving the community “in a dark place.” 

“It’s no secret that when Mr. Campo was brought back, this community was healing,” Danenza said, referring to a period of district turmoil before Campo took over. “But I am confident that the board has picked a superb superintendent to lead the district in the right direction. This is an accomplishment that I am proud to have been a part of, and I hope that if I’m re-elected, I can help Dr. Card become better acquainted with our community.”

Baroukh said that she, too, felt confident that the board chose an “outstanding” superintendent. She reminded the crowd that she, along with several members of the Barnum Woods PTA, once wore green T-shirts to a board meeting to advocate for full-day kindergarten “when the previous superintendent told us that a half-day program was enough.” She vowed that if she were elected to the board, she would form a bridge between parents and board members to increase district transparency.

“How would you react if the superintendent bullies you to vote for something that you don’t believe in, or feels like the district should go in a different direction than what the rest of the board believes it should go?” one audience member asked. 

Danenza reminded the audience that the superintendent does not have the power to unilaterally determine the district’s direction, and that he or she works for the board — not the other way around. “If a superintendent has that attitude, then they simply should not hold that position,” he said. “But as someone who has been on the board for seven years, I’m confident that the incoming superintendent will adapt adequately to our district, and I will continue to work hard to make sure that our children are always put first.”

Baroukh said that, as a parent, she fought alongside others to advocate for children whose parents opt them out of the Common Core State Standards. She rallied against the previous superintendent “and condemned the punitive consequences our children were being subjected to, like sitting at their desks and staring at a wall because parents chose to opt them out.” She added that, if she were elected, she would stand her ground and not allow a future superintendent to lead the district in a different direction. 

Before Rosenberg pulled out of the race, he repeatedly echoed Baroukh’s answers and agreed with her stances on the opt-out movement, along with those of Danenza. 

One library seat up for grabs

Along with Board of Education candidates, the forum hosted two candidates running for one seat on the East Meadow Library Board. Longtime East Meadow resident Michael Turner is seeking re-election after serving on the board for 25 years. Salisbury resident Andrew DeMasters is challenging him. 

Turner taught English for 37 years at Valley Stream Central High School and was on the East Meadow Board of Education for 12 years. He only intended to fill a vacancy on the library board for a short time after a trustee died, but found it hard to leave and has stayed ever since. 

DeMasters has a bachelor’s degree in political science and sociology from Queens College and a law degree with honors from the University of Buffalo School of Law. He is a member of the Nassau County Bar Association. “I believe it’s time for fresh, new blood to serve on the board,” he said. “I believe that new, creative and innovative ideas are needed on the board.”

DeMasters said that, if he were elected, he would improve the library board’s transparency so that anyone who wishes to look at the minutes could do so freely.
“Our minutes are available for the public to see here at the library, and we cannot be any more transparent than we already are,” Turner fired back. “I find it insulting that my opponent says that the library board is not transparent.” 

Turner said that if he were re-elected, he would work to implement the $14.6 million bond to make sure improvements to the library are carried out. “This [bond] vote has proven to be the capstone of my 37 years of involvement in the affairs of our community,” he said, adding that his experience on the library board is an advantage he has over his challenger. 

If elected, DeMasters vowed to work toward implementation of the bond. Neither candidate received any questions from the crowd.