The Orthodox Jewish candidates will retain control of the East Ramapo school board, winning three seats in a bitterly fought race against so-called “public school candidates.”
Before the election, the nine-member board consisted of six Orthodox members, one of whom recently resigned. All of the Orthodox trustees educate their children in private religious schools called yeshivas.
Their opponents and critics in the community contend that the Orthodox board members give priority to the district’s overwhelming number of private school students. The opposition candidates were hoping to win back a majority on a school board that has been controlled by Orthodox members since 2005.
Situated about 35 miles northwest of New York City in Rockland County, the East Ramapo district faces an unusual situation. Its public student population of roughly 8,100 is dwarfed by a private student population of about 20,000. The majority of private students are educated in yeshivas.
The Orthodox slate won by about 2,000 votes each, according to unofficial results from the district clerk. Incumbent Moshe Hopstein beat Peggy Hatton, Yehuda Weissmandl defeated Antonio Luciano and Daniel Beno Schwartz edged out Brenda Carole Anderson.
JoAnne Thompson, who was appointed to the board last year, ran unopposed. Hatton, Anderson, Luciano and Thompson had campaigned together as part of the East Ramapo Stakeholders for Public Education.
One of the issues driving critics is the closure of two public schools in recent years. One has been leased to two yeshivas, another was slated to be sold to a yeshiva before a complaint was filed with school officials. The sale is on hold pending a review of the complaint.
Members of the Orthodox community complain about high property taxes and say they have a vested interest in ensuring private schools received mandated services.
District clerk Cathy Russell said about 18,000 out of 50,500 voters turned out for the election, a relatively high turn-out compared to previous years. Voters also defeated the $200.5 million budget for the 2011-12 school year.
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