On his first night back as a Lehighton Area School District board member, David Krause called Monday for harassment to be stopped during the public comment portion of board meetings.

He added that he wants the district to uphold its policy of fostering a positive learning environment for students.Krause, who last served from 2005-13, was appointed last week by Carbon County Judge Roger Nanovic to fill a vacancy left on the board by the passing of William Hill on Jan. 1.Two other candidates for the open slot, David Bradley and Frank Tamburri, spoke of their disappointment in the decision, which came after the school board deadlocked 4-4 on selecting Hill's successor."Four board members circumvented democracy to have their crony Krause placed back on the board he was voted out of office just a few years earlier," Bradley said.Krause's appointment means five members of the nine-person board have said in public meetings they would support building an elementary center, while the remaining four favor repairing and renovating four existing elementary schools."I just think we should enforce the board policy we have on the books regarding our public comment," Krause said. "This board should be one that everyone respects and that provides a good example rather than allow the personal attacks and nasty comments that happen here."Tamburri thanked the taxpayers who supported him over the last year.He tallied the cost for the middle and high school renovations, multipurpose athletic stadium, proposed elementary center, architect's fee and bond interest at $93.7 million."By not paying off the original high school construction bond and continuing to extend it for over 20-plus years with new bonds, these past board members have deprived the town of their legal right to a referendum vote," Tamburri said. "To that cause, I am truly sorry I did not get appointed as a school director."Mahoning Township resident Wilmer Everett said he felt a former school board member viciously attacked board President Hal Resh over his delinquent property taxes and that teachers viciously attacked Vice President Richard Beltz during a public comment session of February's meeting.He also said he's hearing that district employees are afraid to make comments for fear of losing their jobs."I can tell you I'm a high school English teacher, and I am not in fear of losing my job," countered David Hauser."In fact, I want to finish my career here over the next 20-plus years. Just before the meeting, my son read a 25-page book to me and he's in kindergarten. That is something I couldn't do in kindergarten. I owe his success to the staff at Mahoning Elementary."Lehighton Superintendent Jonathan Cleaver said he maintains an open-door policy and anyone can approach him or a school board member at any time with any concerns.On an unrelated note, Cleaver said he was excited to have Krause as part of the school board."You have received lots of praise in your short time as our representative on the Lehigh Carbon Community College Board of Trustees and I know you'll assist us in moving this great place forward," he added.