Brooklyn, NY – Report: DOE Plans To Visit Yeshivas As Part Of Investigation Into Secular Education

    21

    FILE - An Ultra Orthodox Jew walks by a Jewish school bus, which has a Yiddish sign on the front, in the Borough Park neighborhood of southwestern Brooklyn, New York City on January 1, 2014.Brooklyn, NY – In response to criticism over its announcement that it would initially rely solely on reports and data submitted by 39 city yeshivas amid charges that the schools are failing to meet state guidelines with regard to offering secular education, DOE officials are changing course and now say school visits will be conducted as part of the probe.

    Join our WhatsApp group

    Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email


    THEJEWISHWEEK.com (http://bit.ly/1VIlcok) reports that at a press briefing last week Deputy Chancellor Josh Wallack revealed that superintendents will in fact be visiting the yeshivas, but stressed that visitations will be to “offer support” and “partner with those programs, to learn more about what they’re doing.”

    Echoing that sentiment, Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña said, “We’re not coming in as chief inspectors, we’re coming in as chief supporters, and I think that’s where we can do something.”

    Reaction to the DOE’s announcement from the public and city activists has been tepid.

    Naftuli Moster, whose Young Advocates for Fair Education or YAFFED have been major players in forcing the probe, said, “The news, if accurate, is encouraging. It’s the right thing for DOE to do, and so I’m cautiously optimistic now that this investigation will be the kind of investigation we’ve been asking for.”


    Listen to the VINnews podcast on:

    iTunes | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Podbean | Amazon

    Follow VINnews for Breaking News Updates


    Connect with VINnews

    Join our WhatsApp group


    21 Comments
    Most Voted
    Newest Oldest
    Inline Feedbacks
    View all comments
    misslydia128
    misslydia128
    8 years ago

    No word yet on whether the visits will be pre-announced or not.

    CHANA1
    CHANA1
    8 years ago

    My son’s school has not yet even started secular studies this year, he’s in 6th grade!

    bennyt
    bennyt
    8 years ago

    It’s very simple to figure out what they’re doing; they’re taking the money for secular education and using it for something else.

    ralph1527
    ralph1527
    8 years ago

    As the parent of a former public school student , I think they should concentrate on the public schools .they can’t get that right ,how are they going to advise the Yeshivas ????

    ModernLakewoodGuy
    ModernLakewoodGuy
    8 years ago

    haha this reminds me of when I was in yeshivah back in BP. Every few months we would have food inspectors. We knew it was inspector day because instead of a pile of slop in a dirty bowl, we would get clean trays, clean bowls, fresh veggies, fruit, protein and choice of milk or juice. The next day it was back to spoiled milk and some kind of blob of spaggheti. I felt bad for the schools – once a month they would actually have to spend the money they were given for food, on food!

    yaakov doe
    Member
    yaakov doe
    8 years ago

    If the Department of Education has schools under it’s direct control public where only 10% of the students are reading at grade level, and high schools where fewer than 30% graduate, how can they advise anyone about anything.

    LionofZion
    LionofZion
    8 years ago

    #7 , you honestly feel that none of the people shnoring and living on section 8, and others falls my to temptation to engage in unlawful ways to make a Parnosa would not have benefited from learning how to make an honest living? This idea of doing nothing to prepare children to work is a new phenomena. In Europe people either went to school or learned a trade. The Rambam is very clear about what happens to people who do not. But what did he know, he was just a doctor, and doctors believe in vaccination.

    MarkTwain2
    MarkTwain2
    8 years ago

    What they need is forensic accountants to first identify monetary fraud. Then use that as leverage to force yeshivas to educate value added secular studies during the times it has set aside for such purpose.

    8 years ago

    I am reading this in absolute shock here in Israel. My school just outside of Jerusalem is completely private at the moment, although we hope to obtain our isshurim from Misrad HaChinuch before Chanukah. But our parents don’t pay! They totally ignore bills, reminders, & phone calls. Yet we hired the best teachers, we have a luxury dorm fully stocked with nutritious food, all with the top hechscherim, choices of cereals, fruit, vegetables, fleish – you name it, they have it. We are even paying now for private security to protect YOUR daughters.

    And you object to inspectors coming in? Halevei they come in to our school! The principals work for free. We don’t even have an office computer or printer. We use our personal ones & our own cells, even to call overseas parents. If your yeshivot have government support, use it wisely, in accordance with requirements. If not, close down OR SEND IT TO US, in the same way you send your children over here to “learn”. As for keeping going – we will as long as we can, because it is not the girls’ fault their parents are cheating us.

    8 years ago

    The comparisons to public schools are all straw men arguments. This isn’t about public schools or college. This is about ensuring that children have a good grounding in reading and writing English and competence in mathematics. There is no excuse whatsoever for denying children those essential skills.