School Board Shakeup

The Lawrence District School Board selected longtime board member, Heshy Blachorsky as the new president of School District #15.

The board president is selected by an internal vote of the seven elected school board members. For the last many years, Murray Forman has served as president and was almost automatically re-elected with each passing year.

Forman built a reputation as a strong and popular leader who was usually unanimously elected as he ran the board with strength and authority while keeping the budget steady and managing to keep taxes down while the budgets and tax bases of surrounding Long Island school districts continuously and annually increased. School officials in the district only had accolades for Mr. Forman, who will most likely continue to serve on the board.

To some district insiders, the sentiment most often expressed was that it was time for a change and that no one should serve as president for 15 or more years as was the case here. It appears that the board was split between those who thought it was time for a change and those who wanted to see Mr. Forman re-elected.

The Lawrence district is unique inasmuch as the private school population over all these years now outnumbers that of the public school population. Over the last decade and more, a number of school buildings that were once filled with district students have been sold to private schools or yeshivas that now serve the majority population, reflecting the demographic shift in the district.

Forman, who observers say was willing to continue serving as president, was to an extent a victim of a generational population shift that seemed to want representation of the younger families with school age children that have made the district their home over all these years. The election of newcomer Tova Rosenfeld, who attracted 1,400 votes in the May election, was seen by some as an indication that the district residents were ready for a shift or a change.

The policies are expected to remain mostly the same with perhaps just a change in style rather than substance as the balancing act between private and public schools continue. The choice of Mr. Blachorsky represents that exact change. The choice simultaneously expresses a shift in generational leadership while maintaining and continuing the same or at least very similar policies.

The board president is a volunteer position that requires a significant commitment of time to address myriad complicated issues and as of this year a $105 million budget. The fact is that the public school population is dwindling while the yeshiva community continues to increase annually. That’s just one of the unique challenges of a district like this.

We will continue to cover the matter of the new leadership and any changes that are instituted as a result. 

Read more of Larry Gordon’s articles at 5TJT.com. Follow 5 Towns Jewish Times on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for updates and live videos. Comments, questions, and suggestions are welcome at 5TJT.com and on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.