By Andrew Coen
According to police officials, the threats to the school board president and three other trustees, who were not identified, were mailed to the home and office of Dr. Mansdorf. Police said the letters included threats against Mansdorf's children and grandchildren.
Dr. Mansdorf, who in 2001 was the first District 15 trustee to be elected from the Orthodox Jewish community, said he's acting on the advice of detectives and would not comment on the threats. Mansdorf became school board president in July following the election of Orthodox candidates Michael Hatten and Uri Kaufman as trustees, which for the first time created a school board with a majority of Orthodox Jewish parents who send their children to yeshivas instead of the public schools.
According to police, the letters threatened harm against the board members and their families should any more schools be closed in District 15. The Number One School in Lawrence was closed in June 2004 as part of a consolidation plan to save the district money, and the current school board has requested that superintendent Dr. John Fitzsimons draft a proposal to close another elementary school.
Police officials said they are handling the threats as a case of aggravated harassment, which would carry a misdemeanor charge. Fourth Squad Detective Sgt. Ronald Nesbitt said detectives have submitted the papers and envelopes from the letters to the Nassau County Police Department's forensic evidence lab to look for both DNA and fingerprint clues to determine who sent them. He said he hopes to have the lab results in the near future.
"Hopefully, we'll get something we can act on," said Nesbitt. "We're examining every possible angle."
As a result of the threats, precautions will be put in place for the Nov. 21 school board meeting, which was held after press time, as well as all future public sessions. According to district officials, on the advice of law enforcement officials, for the near future the front door of the school building will be the only means of access to the meeting, picture identification must be presented at the door and each person must sign in. A uniformed police officer and school security personnel will be present at the meetings.
"It's very disheartening," said Fitzsimons of the threats. "I hope it's just anger and there aren't any intentions."
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