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A year after one of the most heated Lawrence school board races in recent memory, candidates for two seats will go unchallenged in the upcoming election. Board of Education President Murray Forman and former President Dr. Asher Mansdorf, both private school parents, were the only candidates who filed their petitions by the deadline of Monday at 5 p.m. Forman is running for re-election to a second term, while Mansdorf is vying for a return to the board after sitting out the past year. Mansdorf, a former two-term trustee who did not run in last year's election, would take the seat currently occupied by Stanley Kopilow, a self-described public school advocate. Kopilow recently decided not to seek re-election to a second term. Without additional challengers, it is all but certain that a majority of the school board will continue to comprise trustees with children in private schools. The only public school parent who would remain is Dr. David Sussman, who usually votes with the majority. Andrew Levey, a
public school parent who lost by 300 votes in last year's election, said he began exploring options for challengers back in March, but there were no takers. "There wasn't a whole lot of excitement about it," Levey said. "I think the main thing is that people are tired. People are tired of fighting. You're never going to win, I mean, it's plain and simple." In last spring's election, Levey was backed by the Advocates for Lawrence Public Schools, which also supported former Trustee Pam Greenbaum and challenger Maribel Cancelliere. All three were defeated by slim margins. Sussman and private school parents Nahum Marcus and Dr. Sol Blisko won those seats. As this week's deadline for filing petitions approached, Levey said he was considering making another run. Despite his desire to serve, the Lawrence school district alumnus decided against it. "As it got closer and closer and nobody was trying to rally anybody and nobody was trying to get behind anybody," Levey explained, "I said, 'You know what? For what
reason?'" Mansdorf was first elected to the school board in 2001, and served six years. He was the first private school parent to become president of the school board, in 2006-07, the final year of his second three-year term. When he was informed that he would run unopposed for a school board seat, Mansdorf was surprised. "It's the most perplexing thing," he said. "I don't know what to make of it." Instead of looking to reclaim seats on the board, Levey explained that his group would continue to use the courts to fight the school board whenever it is deemed absolutely necessary. In the fall, several public school parents sought an order from the state education department to reverse a referendum that authorized free transportation for private pre-kindergarten students. Clearly pleased with the chance to serve once again as a trustee, Mansdorf suggested that the current school board is doing what is best for the district as a whole. "It is very clear from the data that if you compare the board's actions to those of years ago, that this board can hold its head up high because it is doing good and right things for students in this district," he said. "And I think it will continue to do good and right things for students in the district." Comments about this story? MCaputo@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 210.
