The East Ramapo School District finds itself sinking deeper into discord and community angst. Journal News reporter Khurram Saeed interviewed the two East Ramapo School Board members who resigned abruptly this past week — Stephen Price, a 20 year board member, and Suzanne Young-Mercer, elected in 2010, both submitted their resignation letters to East Ramapo District Clerk Cathy Russell on Monday.

Price and Young-Mercer were the only non-Jewish members of the predominantly Orthodox nine member board. Their resignation letters cite, among other issues, a “continuing pattern of harassment and intimidation” from fellow board members. The departure leaves the board facing an increasingly critical community that is growing agitated at the board’s actions and mounting debt.

The following video shows East Ramapo School Board President Daniel Schwartz announcing the resignations of Price and Young-Mercer.

Journal New reporters Gary Stern and Mareesa Nicosia recently put together an informative and detailed multi-media investigative reporting series on the troubled East Ramapo School District. The interactive piece demonstrates an increasingly divided community and school district, where 9,000 students attend 14 public schools. But there are an additional 20,000 school-age students living within the district who mostly attend yeshivas and private Jewish day schools.

A class-action lawsuit was recently filed against the seven Orthodox board members and school administrators, claiming they have misused public money and illegally funneled it to yeshivas.

In September of this past year, ERSD board member Daniel Schwartz, since voted board president, thundered in a fiery admonition of what he considered a community prejudice against members of the board.

According to this report by Journal News reporters Gary Stern and Mareesa Nicosia, Schwartz addressed the room, discussing his “right as a resident — and Orthodox Jew — to hold his seat:”

“I won’t have it. I simply won’t have it,” he said. “To suggest that we lack the moral authority to sit in these seats, let me tell you right now, is absolutely un-American and wrong.”

“You don’t like it? Find yourself another place to live!”

After their resignation, Price and Young-Mercer described to LoHud an insular, secretive and suspicious board that keeps budget numbers tight and information on district business tighter. Currently, East Ramapo owes Rockland BOCES some $2.63 million dollars for services provided to students. The district recently covered $2.37 million of an outstanding $5 million late bill to the educational services cooperative. At Tuesday’s board meeting, part of the agenda was a planned resolution to borrow $7.4 million to help float the debt-ladened district.

The remaining seven school board members, all men, send their children to private schools.

Saeed wrote that according to the East Ramapo School District clerk, the board can either appoint someone to fill the seats until the next election, which would be June 30, call a special election to fill the seats until the terms expire, which, again, is June 30. Or if the board does nothing within a 90-day period, the BOCES superintendent may fill the vacancies.

Video, cover photo and photo of Suzanne Young-Mercer courtesy of LuckyLouProduction.