New York – Despite assurances of “zero tolerance” from city and state elected officials and promises of transparency from both the DOE and the very yeshivas they are investigating with regard to whether or not the schools’ boys are receiving secular educations in accordance with state guidelines—insiders say reformers are facing an uphill battle.
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THEJEWISHWEEK.com (http://bit.ly/1No2anD) reports that assurances and promises aside, the man who has spearheaded the DOE investigation, 29 year-old Borough Park yeshiva graduate Naftuli Moster, is likely facing the same roadblocks that have guaranteed insularity within the community for decades “including the separation of church and state, the cozy relationship between local politicians and powerful chasidic leaders thought to control significant voting blocs and questions about whether, in fact, those leaders are purposely neglecting secular education as a way to keep their followers in the fold.”
Since the DOE announced its investigation into 39 city yeshivas on the heels of Moster’s 52-signature letter, it seems almost everyone involved has been delicately tip-toeing around the issue, with few offering up answers to the myriad of questions currently floated.
The JEWISH WEEK’s lengthy piece detailing the issues surrounding the DOE probe is perhaps best summed up in the statement from Moster’s Young Advocates for Fair Education, or, Yaffed’s attorney Norman Siegel, who said, “This is a hot political issue. It’s radioactive.”
But Moster, Yaffed, and Siegel remain steadfast in their effort to shine a light on the real victims in the matter, the community’s children who are being shortchanged educationally.
“When it comes time for elections,” Siegel said. “this should be an issue that people should be aware of. And for elected officials in high positions who ignore the violation of civil rights, history says that sooner or later, they’re held politically accountable.”
Education is dangerous – every educated person is a future enemy.
Hermann Goering
Such a shanda. The kids can’t read past fourth grade and have no math skills. They can’t even find New York state on a map.
If we called this travesty by its real name, “child abuse”, than maybe there would be more willingness by the politicians to investigate and take action. To keep cranking out thousands of dysfunctional talmidim each year with little or no secular education or vocational skills is indeed a form of abuse that should be severely punished. Instead the politicians keep doing these photo ops with heilege rabbonim and roshe yeshivos who want to keep their talmidim in the dark and ignorant of the world around them.
Without a university education today, the Haredim are destined for a life of poverty, misery and desperation. Which will lead to couples fighting each other over money, no sholoim bayis, hardships for the family, even divorce.
# 5
Who owns b and h someone who went to college? And son many other big corporations owned by chassidim. Yes its being managed by college graduates working hard.
there is too much anger in some of the above comments- there is always a happy medium
surely you must admit that the public schools do NOT produce students that are prepared for the world. At least these Yeshiva kids are learning Torah and Halacha but as mentioned, there is always a happy medium and things can be worked out where everyone can be more or less satisfied.
This bunk about not making it unless one has a college degree is ‘shtuss’
a bissel seichel and motivation makes for success. I know many financially struggling adults with college degrees.
If they are all indeed wealthier, why do New Square and KJ have the highest per cent of people in NYS on Medicaid and welfare?
Reply to #6 , terrible misconception. If there all so rich then why is it only chasidim doing the collecting in middle of davening? Most are living off social programs
I agree a boy must get atleast some basic secular education enough to be able to understand and complete a form. To all those hockers, us yidden have a mitzvah of tzedukah, who said they’re collecting for themselves?? How many homeless people are living in shelters with going thru the secular education? It’s a person’s choice as to what they choose, do they pursue or the blame the world for their problems…
A gut gebentched yur!!!
No Yeshiva need worry. Not now and not for years to come. The BOE statistics for average NYC public schools students are not better than the targeted yeshivos.
However you analyze “education” by studying success of student financial well being, be it time spent on the three R’s at any level, few people need Algebra in any business position. Thousands of CPA’s can’t claim their elementary education was lacking and therefore they couldn’t attend college to become certified. There are standard courses to boost ones level of education if they were really capable in the first place. Sure there are a few that could’ve done better but society today hasn’t perfected that education model for the masses.
As one being involved previously in school administration, I’ve seen the State reports of how the public schools student averages are compared to yeshivos teaching the required third and fourth grade math levels.
Shockingly the State can’t disclose seventh and eighth grade comparisons to the lower grade results perhaps due to the dropout levels in the public schools.
Bottom line, the PS education is very poor and teaching more courses to match the PS wouldn’t guarantee anythin..