New York – DOE Probe Into Brooklyn Yeshivas Over Secular Schooling Draws Skepticism From Local Groups

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    Brooklyn, NY – Local watchdog groups are expressing skepticism over the DOE’s plan to rely solely on data provided by 39 Brooklyn-area yeshivas currently under investigation in determining whether or not the schools are meeting state requirements regarding secular education for students.

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    THEJEWISHWEEK.com (http://bit.ly/1IZgYrv) reports that the state opened an investigation into the yeshivas—located primarily in Williamsburg and Borough Park—upon receipt last week of a letter signed by 52 Jewish community members who charged that schools routinely fall dramatically short of meeting DOE guidelines.

    In announcing its probe, reps for the DOE said that a “set of requests” will be issued to the schools in question “soon” and that based on the information the yeshivas provide superintendents will then make decisions as to whether or not state guidelines on secular education are being met.

    Norman Siegel, a civil rights attorney for the group Yaffed (Young Advocates for Fair Education), questioned the DOE’s approach, saying that the plan will likely fall short of meeting the criteria of being “thorough, independent, and fair.”

    “I’m not discounting anyone’s credibility, but it’s easy to say something on paper. It’s important for the DOE to see what’s actually happening in yeshivas,” Seigel said.


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    40 Comments
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    thegreatone
    thegreatone
    8 years ago

    Nice to see how some losers are concerned about yeshiva education.
    Once the Yeshivas will start following what these losers are requesting that orthodox kids should get a good secular education they will behave much better. Orthodox kids will be educated and thought that guns and knives are wrong to walk around with. No more drugs will be sold in Yeshivas. No more of rampant stealing cars.

    What a bunch of losers these off the derech people are.

    OntheOtherHand
    OntheOtherHand
    8 years ago

    A bunch of Misyavnim!

    OscarMadison
    OscarMadison
    8 years ago

    The yeshivot provide an excellent education in how to commit fraud, run hustles, hate others not like you, and grammar for dummies!

    8 years ago

    stick to facts ther is anogh colort propogande against yewish religjes schoolsreminset of of the stormer and Pravda my English is from public night school as a 19 years emigrant and working by day compare the civility from our school and your public scholl you and you r acsiates mr. siegal, destroyed the education of generatins of American youth special blaks be anest a hard worker!

    confusedmom
    confusedmom
    8 years ago

    Please do not comment on things you know nothing at all about. My husband grew up in New Square and never brought lunch from home. Neither do any of my children attending 3 different schools in boro park. They all get hot lunches in school. How can my husband have stories about sneaking into the kitchen if there were no kitchens? How can he tell me stories about the cook if there was no cook? Unless, of course, all his childhood memories are really a result of brainwashing and never happened.

    The_Truth
    Noble Member
    The_Truth
    8 years ago

    While I seriously believe that everyone should have a secular education, I have difficulty understanding how many of the top successful real estate agents, managers & many businessmen were ‘educated’ in these yeshivos!!!
    It baffles me and the Menahalim/Rabbeim have told me – A basic secular education may be needed, but look how many successful people there are without more than basic secular education and no college education at all!

    favish
    favish
    8 years ago

    #3 are you for real?! No kitchens in Square or other yeshivahs!? What hateful liar you are! I go plenty times to these Yeshivahs, including Square town, and can have a delicious hot breakfast,lunch, supper anytime, even i’m not from them. Since i’m more in Square, I can say, they not only serve delicious hot food but high class(for Yeshivah standard) breaded cutlet , stuffed chicken with beautiful side dishes AND PLENTIFUL. Your comments and others like you for hate of ehrlicher shomrei torah has no bounds

    Abba_S
    Abba_S
    8 years ago

    Most yeshivas have a decent secular studies program. But you must realize that in the older grades 6-12, yeshiva starts at 7:30 AM and secular studies doesn’t start until 3:00 PM. By this time students are inattentive and have difficulty learning.

    As far a student lunch programs, there are inspectors checking how the food is served and insuring that they meet health code standards in NYC..

    Here in NY state most ( or at least many) yeshiva high schools require their students to take the regents which is a statewide test given in many subjects throughout the high school years to all high school students who want to receive a regents diploma upon graduating. The average students mark can be used to grade the high school without visiting the school. .

    Likewise there are standard tests that are administrated through out the state in third and sixth grade which can be used to grade the school without having to visit the school..

    If the BOE decides to get involved there is the problem of separation of church & state. These kids will require special ed.and the BOE will have to ” rent rooms ” in the yeshivas to provide the special ed, subsidizing the yeshivas.

    Mark Levin
    Mark Levin
    8 years ago

    These faltschaphony chasidish ovsvorfs wouldn’t be able to become educated if their lives depended on it.

    Look at their holy rebbe and spokesperson lipa. He’s in college for three years and still speaks English sounding like he has marbles in his mouth.

    Realist77
    Realist77
    8 years ago

    Not giving these children ( boys or girls) a proper secular education keeps them trapped in their communities. It handicaps many people from ever leaving the community, or obtaining jobs. Many lack basic math or English skills, and many can barely communicate well with others.To those that say many men with no education have become very successful, that is not the norm.

    diemaynstazdiebiztklieg
    diemaynstazdiebiztklieg
    8 years ago

    These people are Self-Hating Jews. I am proof that the system works. I went to a good yeshiva and dropped out of high school secular studies. I then continued my learning Torah, with good solid (limudei-kodesh only) yeshivas, and learned in kollel several years.

    I am now 40+, and have a solid career, without any degrees and I am earning a whopping 250k+/yr.

    No, I don’t own a business, and I am in the financial services/banking industry.

    I can sincerely attest to the fact, that my gemara skills along with the great values, which I received in yeshiva along with the values that I have inherited from my ancestors, is what got me to where I am today. I am b’h better off, than most of my secular or jewish colleagues, which have attended, some of the world-renowned universities.

    jason1974
    jason1974
    8 years ago

    I am not a big fan of the government interveining in private schools. There has to be limits to what the government can mandate. On the other hand the truth of the matter is the lack of a secular education is a serious handicap in todays world. If the intention is to build a community with no job outlook for its members where the population will eventually be destitute and dependant on government handouts then by all means the Yeshivas should continue down the path they are on. Good luck with that.

    OyGevald
    OyGevald
    8 years ago

    There is nothing to worry about.
    NY Schools take mandated tests for certain grade levels and exceed the public school achievement tests overall.
    While perhaps these bitter ex-hassids learnt in a school that had no UPPER education, the NYC dropout rate surpasses the Orthodox Jewish schools by Miles.
    P.S. Even the current Satmar Robbed went to “English” in Satmar. A story was published not long ago by the Principal of the English department describing Reb Arraleh as a student under his care.

    Abba_S
    Abba_S
    8 years ago

    I sent my sons to YTV & Mir which I think are yeshivish and as far as I know they both got a good secular education. The parent choose the yeshiva and so know what type of yeshiva they are sending them to. There are many choices and each year students change from one yeshiva to another. I think who ever reported the yeshivas are Misors and will pay for it in the next world

    Abba_S
    Abba_S
    8 years ago

    38
    A persons ability to eat at a soup kitchen is an entitlement, likewise, welfare and other social benefits are too. While I agree that a person should not rely on the public for support he has the right s to these benefits. Just like it’s an obligation on the father to teach his son .a trade and how to swim so too is it an obligation to give the child a basic secular education so that they will be able to get a job.