Roughly 20 years ago I graduated from a
Hasidic yeshiva high school that failed to instruct me to read or write
in English, or educate me in basic math, science, or history. Today,
yeshivas are suing to continue their decades long pattern of educational
neglect, without any regard to the suffering of their students. And
like Sun Tsu famously wrote, “all warfare is based on deception,”
they’re masters at manipulation. But the state and courts must not be
blinded by their tactics.
Last November the New York State Education Department revised its
guidelines for non-public schools to make sure that all students in New
York receive an education that’s up to standard, as required by law. For
many years, Hasidic yeshivas have been violating the constitutional
rights of their students, ignoring state law, and systematically
neglecting the education of their students. Subsequently, over the
years, thousands of young Jewish Hasidic boys have been left without
even a rudimentary education. Thanks to the efforts of Naftuli Moster,
the executive director of Yaffed, and a group of former students and
parents, the state finally stepped up its commitment to reasonable
oversight.
But what started as an advocacy effort over a social, ethical, and
civil injustice has now spiraled into a political and religious battle.
In March, a group of Catholic and elite private schools—like Brearley
and Spence—filed
separate lawsuits
to prevent the state from enforcing the guidelines. What is most
appalling here is that the Hasidic yeshivas with severe educational
deficiencies will benefit while the better private schools battle it out
with the state.
One of the basic principles in conflict
resolution is remembering to maintain focus on the problem at hand. The
court and state must not be sidetracked by these lawsuits. It is
unfortunate and even shocking that the elite private and Catholic
schools which value education actually filed these lawsuits even though
they’d likely easily pass any state inspection. But by fighting these
guidelines they are providing cover for non-compliant Hasidic
yeshivas and thereby enabling the ongoing and systemic educational
neglect of Hasidic children.
Seth Godin, the prolific author, points out
that it’s important for organizations not to forget who they are and to
continuously reexamine their cultural DNA. In other words, they must ask
themselves questions such as who do we serve? And what do those we
serve need? His focus is on marketing, but the concept applies here as
well. Hasidic yeshivas ought to ask themselves what their goals are and
how they define success? Do they really want to be in the business of
fighting to keep children uneducated? Do they want to be defined as
fighting to weaken educational standards? Do they want to push for a
position that will ensure that their graduates are unable to communicate
effectively in English? Do they want to create an atmosphere where
graduates are limited or fearful to navigate through the world?
No doubt that there is a parental right to
educate their children according to their preferred religion and parents
should certainly be able to send their children to schools of their
choosing. There is also no doubt that many private religious schools are
in compliance with the law and do an excellent job in terms of
balancing a religious and secular curriculum. But we can’t use the
defense of parent’s “right to choose” to defend yeshivas that severely
disadvantage graduates like myself. There is no parental nor communal
right or defense for neglecting a child’s education.
