 
Orthomom And Apple Pie
From The Editor’s Desk
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By 5TJT Staff
Published on Thursday, February 22, 2007 -
COMMENTS (0)
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Jewish writers, manufacturers of opinion pieces, rabbis, and molders of public opinion in general frequently differ in their positions about any number of issues. Every once in a while, however, an issue arises that seems to bring everyone together and all lined up on the same side. One of those issues came to the fore this week, when Lawrence School District trustee Pamela Greenbaum filed papers in Nassau County court seeking to have Google, the hosting company, identify the Internet blogger known as Orthomom. It seems that Ms. Greenbaum believes that she has been maligned and libeled by Orthomom, saying she has been called a bigot and an anti-Semite on some of the blog postings. Blogs have evolved over the last several years into forums that allow views to be exchanged on sometimes controversial issues, with the blog hosts along with many of those commenting upon the issues they raise doing so behind the opaque veil of anonymity. Blogs have served to facilitate in-depth discussion on some difficult subjects, and some rabbis and community leaders have gone so far as to say that Jewish blogs are severely undermining the foundation of today’s Jewish community.
In Orthomom’s case, Ms. Greenbaum apparently senses, as many others do, that the only way to stop Orthomom’s rising popularity is to reveal her identity, which would most likely put an end to her well-written and carefully-thought-out daily blog presentations. While some bloggers cannot wait to be identified and others offer their names and contact information as a matter of course, that’s not the case with Orthomom. She lives in a little bit of fear that she may be unmasked someday, which she believes would be her undoing. And Ms. Greenbaum obviously knows that.
Apparently the large number of people who visit Orthomom’s and others’ blogspots has finally gotten to Ms. Greenbaum, as her neighbors and colleagues seem to use the sentiment expressed on that blog as a barometer of Jewish community opinion, particularly here in the Five Towns. Needless to say, by virtue of the constituency Ms. Greenbaum and her colleague on the board, Stanley Kopilow, represent, they are forced to take positions on educational issues in the community that grate on the nerves of many members of the Five Towns and surrounding community, the majority of whom now send their children to private schools, mostly yeshivas.
As a result of this demographic reality, Ms. Greenbaum and Mr. Kopilow find themselves consistently at odds with the majority of the board. So bizarre have the machinations of the school board become that the point has been reached where barely anything gets done aside from the constant name-calling and bickering. For those who have followed the history of this board over the last decade, you know that the board members—like some bloggers—counted on the fact that they could practice their craft in virtual secrecy in a community becoming rapidly populated by people who gladly paid their property taxes while just as gladly sending their children to private schools and not being involved in the district’s educational or budgetary process. About seven years ago, all that changed, and things have never been the same for the school district or the board. Except for those receiving special-education services, students who attend yeshivas have not received enough of their fair share of access to educational tools and facilities that should be available to all district children, regardless of what school they attend.
At the same time, district spending was excessive and employee contracts were beyond generous—while class size was shrinking annually. Reducing expenditures voluntarily would have been the prudent thing to do. Instead, the old board went looking for a scapegoat for the district’s financial woes, accusing Orthodox Jewish families of usurping district funds through elaborate bussing schedules, special-education services, and other state-mandated services. The old board worked hard to create the impression that students who live in the district but who attend yeshivas are creatures from another planet and should be treated as such. There wasn’t anything—the lack of teachers’ or administrators’ contracts, low test scores, fewer students graduating or attending college, etc.—that took place in the district that wasn’t blamed on an influx of yeshiva families. To remedy these perceived woes, the board tried for more than two years to pass a local law that would not allow buses to run past 5:30 p.m.—an attempt to leave Orthodox high-school students reliant on car pools or some other way to get home from classes that routinely finish at a late hour.
The great shame was that those who carried those attitudes and worked relentlessly at creating this false reality did not see that they would soon be a minority in the district and ultimately a minority on the education board. If only they would have been more accommodating, friendly, and facilitating, this could have been one of the greatest school districts in New York State. It could have been an example of great unity and harmony for the sake of the children, instead of the opposite. As a result of this type of behavior, as well as irresponsible spending, the district’s budget has been rejected by the voters four consecutive times. What’s going to happen this year? Will there be a meeting of the minds prior to this year’s election, or will it be more of the same antagonism and verbal swipes at one another while the budget goes down to defeat?
The members of the board who represent the numeric minority in the district should come to grips with this reality and deal with it legally, properly, and professionally. Filing a frivolous lawsuit against a blogger because you don’t like the sentiments expressed on the blog is not the way to go. The Internet is a free-wheeling forum and an outstanding example of the fashion in which free speech functions. It’s as American as motherhood and apple pie. And one of the great things about our country is that free speech is for everyone—all of the people, all of the time.
I know that it troubles some of the board members when they are heckled and lectured to in harsh and condescending language at the public comment portions of the board meetings. Many of them, including the board president, Dr. Asher Mansdorf, continue to sacrifice much in attempting to deal with the concerns of all students and their parents. But despite a great effort, he can’t seem to catch a break with the public-school constituency. As far as they are concerned, he can do nothing right or good. Earlier this year, someone wrote a letter to another newspaper, wishing that “Dr. Mansdof be replaced on the board by a human being.” Not a nice thing to write—or to publish—despite the fact that uttering or writing those words are protected in this country by our right to freedom of expression.
Orthomom, whoever she is, did not call Pam Greenbaum a bigot or an anti-Semite. In fact, she has so far been unable to locate comments using those words by any of the thousands of visitors who have left comments on her site during the last year. It’s important to note that even if those words are found in reference to Ms. Greenbaum, they are nothing more than hyperbole. Pam Greenbaum is definitely neither a bigot nor an anti-Semite. She’s just in a tough, frustrating position as a member of a volatile and highly charged board that has to deal with a very unusual situation—a school district where the majority of the children attend non-public schools.
As far as Orthomom is concerned, she is in an odd situation, too. She very much wants to defend herself against this type of attack while maintaining her much-prized anonymity. Ms. Greenbaum knows that because of this preference, Orthomom is at a disadvantage. Attorneys consulted on this matter have expressed the opinion that Ms. Greenbam’s charges are baseless and will most likely be thrown out of court.
Earlier this year, in the aftermath of death threats received by several board members, Dr. Mansdorf instituted a system at meetings where those who wanted to attend had to sign in and present photo identification. Both Ms. Greenbaum and Mr. Kopilow were indignant, saying that people who want to express their feelings at meetings would feel somewhat intimidated and be less likely to express themselves freely. They both insisted several times that the new policy would accomplish only one thing—what they referred to as “chilling free speech.” What the ID system did accomplish, if anything, was greater safety for everyone present and a little bit less of the inflammatory and ridiculous comments from the public.
In the meantime, Orthomom has had more hits on her website since this story broke than in the last three months combined. Talk about a strategy backfiring. This is an important free-speech issue that needs to be dealt with, but, once again, at the expense of other important school-district issues. Additionally, it should not be lost on anyone that it is at this time—on the threshold of the holiday of Purim—that forces are at work seeking to unmask Orthomom, a popular well-read blogger. The story will probably eventually just float away into a place where all stories that lose their zip seem to go. And that’s because the entire episode is nothing more than a little steam that gets generated at our regularly scheduled school-board meetings.
They Seek Her Here
A Song By Mark Choizek
(a pseudonym, of course)
They seek her here, they seek her there
That Greenbaum seeks her everywhere
Will she succeed? Or will she bomb?
That elusive, blogging, Orthomom!
She meddles with the school-board meetings
Blogging in and out each week
Spoiling every lovely legislation
La, what cheek!
They seek her here, they seek her there
That Greenbaum seeks her everywhere
Oh, Orthy, how Greenbaum does implore you
Simply to stay home in bed
With all your freedom of speech
It’s a chore to chop a head!
They seek her here, they seek her there
District Five seeks her everywhere!
She gives Greenbaum nothing but frustration
Sink me! She’s a spoilsport
Each and every attempted legislation
She cuts short
They seek her here, they seek her there
That Greenbaum seeks her everywhere
Will she succeed? Or will she bomb??
That elusive, blogging, Orthomom! ♦
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