By Rebecca Shalomoff
The signs were urging voters in the May 21 election to vote for Mel Lifshitz and Jay Gelman, candidates backed by ALERT, the Association for Learning and Education with Responsible Taxation, which is comprised mainly of private school parents.
Police said the suspects were riding around Copper Beach Lane at 1 a.m. on Sunday, May 12 and stealing signs when Lifshitz caught them doing it, officials said. Police were contacted and arrived at the scene, charging them with petit larceny.
I think it's a very unfortunate situation that we are in, Lifshitz said. Over 50 signs have been stolen over three days. It doesn't surprise me that kids are doing this with all the lies that have been spreading around.
This latest alleged incident further raised the temperature of the already scorching-hot campaign for two seats on the Lawrence school board.
Lifshitz, Gelman and members of ALERT are blaming its competing community group, ALPS, the Alliance for Lawrence Public Schools, which supports candidates Anthony Licatesi and Rose Harris, for creating a negative campaign.
I think it's unbelievable that they will take any opportunity to point a finger at us, said Bruce Scher, ALPS founder. They are looking to create scenarios which will sway public opinion.
Scher, who ran for the board unsuccessfully last year, said dirty tactics such as stealing campaign posters are common in school board elections, and happened to him last year. Furthermore, he said a handful of ALPS posters were also stolen recently.
It's so very sad what has been going on in this campaign, Harris said. My heart just aches because this community, which is so beautiful, is so divided.
Licatesi said neither myself nor Rose Harris are anyway responsible for any ALERT signs which have been taken down. As a matter of fact, we have vehemently discouraged such behavior and would like to point out we are not pointing fingers when ALPS signs come down.
A parent of one of the students charged with stealing ALERT's campaign posters said that her son meant well by his actions. She said word has spread around the Lawrence schools that Lifshitz and Gelman, who propose a zero percent tax increase, are going to make times harder for teachers and the public school system. She said her son was acting out based on fears increasing among Lawrence faculty and students.
Some community members say they fear Gelman and Lifshitz, if elected, would join Asher Mansdorf and David Sussman to comprise a majority on the seven-member board which would favor the interests of private and parochial schools over the public schools.
