Lawrence school board candidates chiseled battle lines deeper into the political landscape Saturday at the first major forum of the primary campaign.

Eight candidates literally stood together in opposition to closure of Riverside, East Heights and Centennial elementary schools as well as the current board’s request that voters approve a $59 million bond for school construction.

“I don’t see that closing schools is the answer,” candidate Cille King told more than 150 people at the forum sponsored by Lawrence Neighborhood Assn. and League of Women Voters.

King was joined by candidates Ron Powell, Michael Pomes, Leonard Ortiz, Rich Minder, Eddie Lehman, Samuel Gould and Brent Garner.

The five other candidates — including three incumbents — stood to demonstrate their endorsement of the bond and consolidation.

“I’m not going to squander the future of our children because we’re afraid of making change,” said Scott Morgan, school board president.

His view was shared by candidates Cindy Yulich, Sue Morgan, Mary Loveland and Gordon Longabach.

The primary is Feb. 25, with eight candidates advancing to the April 1 general election. There are four open seats on the board. The bond issue is on the general election ballot.

The two-hour forum suggested the primary election for school board will boil down to the polarizing issues of consolidation and construction. The daunting challenge of pulling together money to properly operate the district also will be a point of interest.

Many of the candidates agreed the Kansas Legislature had damaged public education by adopting a flawed school-finance formula that underfunded schools.

School board candidates, from left, Brent Garner, Samuel Gould, Cille King, Eddie Lehman and Gordon Longabach take turns explaining their positions on key issues for the Lawrence school district to a crowd gathered at Lawrence High School. The district's proposed bond issue was the main topic discussed by the 13 candidates who attended Saturday's forum.

Longabach said the state public education budget could be improved by merging many of the 303 districts in Kansas for more efficient operations.

Lawmakers ought to consider pulling in money for education by increasing the state tax on liquor, Gould said.

“People are not going to stop drinking,” he said.

Incumbent Sue Morgan said the state shouldn’t be allowed to shirk its constitutional responsibility to finance the cost of educating public school children. She’s hesitant to let the state off the hook by adopting a local sales tax for education.

“They have to fund the basics,” she said.

Pomes, secretary of the Park Hill Neighborhood Assn., said school board policy ought to be more reflective of values expressed by Lawrence neighborhoods.

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“Particularly when you start closing schools within a particular neighborhood,” he said.

Pomes invited candidates to a listening forum he’s organizing for 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vt.

Two other upcoming forums:

l 7 p.m. Wednesday at East Lawrence Center, 1245 E. 15th St., organized by Brook Creek Neighborhood Assn.

l 7 p.m. Feb. 18 at Quail Run School, 1130 Inverness Drive, organized by the school’s site council.