Mailer Calling Two Bedford Board of Ed Hopefuls ‘Radical’ Denounced
An anonymous mailer sent to some Bedford School District residents this week accusing two candidates in Tuesday’s Board of Education race as “radical” was denounced Friday by its targets as well as their opponents.
Although never mentioning Rica Mendes and Elizabeth Goldman-Sider by name, the mailer called them “woke activists recruited by a radical PAC” and urged voters to support Kristine Stoker and Betsy Sharma, the other two candidates in the four-person race for two seats on the board.
In addition, Mendes said the mailer blatantly lied, stating that one of them couldn’t prove that she lives in the district and that neither one has ever been inside a district school. Mendes, who moved into the district in 2021, is a 1992 Fox Lane High School graduate and their petitions were accepted by the district.
The women agreed that the nasty political climate that has been seen regularly at national-level politics for years has trickled down to local races and school board elections, including in Bedford.
“They’re trying to make that interfere with the process instead of looking at who are these people, what do they bring to the table,” Mendes said.
Neither candidate had any idea of the person or individuals who might have been responsible.
Goldman-Sider said there are some district residents who have had difficulty accepting the increasing diversity of the district. When the superintendent’s proposed budget was publicly introduced in March, statistics on demographics showed that 50.5 percent of the district is white while 39.4 percent is Hispanic.
The district has faced a number of difficult issues in recent years, including harsh criticisms about its special education program and lagging test scores in the standardized ELA and math scores taken by students in grades 3-8. Several years before the pandemic, the district’s 2015 financial crisis and debates over the Dual Language program has also frayed nerves.
“The point of a board of education is making sure that every child can receive the absolute best education that they are capable of receiving,” Goldman-Sider said. “I assume that that would be everybody’s goal because isn’t that the point?”
Both women said they were contacted by Stoker before they knew of the existence of the mailer, which they did not receive, and appreciated her reaching out to them registering her concern and support.
On Friday, Stoker said she was upset that whoever was responsible for the mailer included her name without her permission. She released a statement late Friday, which she asked to be made public in its entirety.
“It is impossible for anyone but the creator of the flyer to know the intent. Some think it was meant to help me, while others have suggested it was meant to harm me – to put the focus on other candidates and provide them with a unique platform just before the election. I have no idea.
“I knew that by running for the Board of Education, I was opening myself up to public comments, which I have no control over. The only control I have is to act in a way that is authentic to me – to treat others as I want to be treated. I contacted Liz and Rica because I wanted them to know that I had no part in the mailer and that I was there to support them.
“I respect everyone’s First Amendment right to Freedom of Expression – even when I disagree with it wholeheartedly. If elected to the board, I want to encourage more participation from the community and this may mean uncomfortable dialogue, but the community has a right to speak. I hope by discussing issues in a productive way we may be able to bring what seems like two sides, closer together. Healthy open dialogue at the district level might help us to be more unified.
“I will continue to work on my campaign as I have over the past month – by focusing on issues and following my personal principles.”
Sharma also denounced the mailer on social media, calling it “disgusting behavior.” When reached Friday, Sharma initially directed The Examiner to her Facebook page to provide comment, but then reached back out to provide a brief statement. On social media, she called the mailer “disgusting behavior,” then later added that she was against “the message, the strategy and everything it stands for.”
Mendes said she and Goldman-Sider will use the final few days leading up to Tuesday’s election to get their message out. She said the mailer is the type of behavior that the district tries to guard against.
“Our students encounter bullies, and the district does not tolerate bullying on the grounds,” Mendes said. “Words can hurt – if you let them. What this most recent situation has illustrated is that bullies can be any age, they are not limited to the playground. But bullying has no place in our district. Not in our schools, not online, and not in our mailboxes.”
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
