The School Crisis

[AbeGrouss]

Please provide your input, why are so many kids not accepted or thrown out of school in the chassidish communities.

1. Is it we do not have enough schools.

2. Is it we need additional type of schools so we have better selection for different level parents and kids.

3. Is it parents who are putting kids in inappropriate schools, either they or their kids are not up to the standards of the school of their choice.

4. Is it parents of the good boys at the school tattling against others to kick them out or to not accept kids they don't like.

5. Is it something else.

[Mordyk]

Please provide your input, why are so many kids not accepted or thrown out of school in the chassidish communities.

1. Is it we do not have enough schools.

2. Is it we need additional type of schools so we have better selection for different level parents and kids.

3. Is it parents who are putting kids in inappropriate schools, either they or their kids are not up to the standards of the school of their choice.

4. Is it parents of the good boys at the school tattling against others to kick them out or to not accept kids they don't like.

5. Is it something else.

All of the above

[mmgfarb]

All of the above

Well put, very succinct.

[ShlockDoc]

What's the background on this, what's the crises?

[yesitsme]

Sorry we're not accepting your child this year since "you dont have vouchers"

[Abebee]

Please provide your input, why are so many kids not accepted or thrown out of school in the chassidish communities.

I don't think anyone is aware of this crisis, and if there is really a crisis is it only the chassidish community?

[WhatNot]

How about: I'm sorry but your family does not belong to this chasidus.

[Abebee]

How about: I'm sorry but your family does not belong to this chasidus.

Are we talking about teenagers or younger children?

[WhatNot]

Are we talking about teenagers or younger children?

Both.

[stbaum]

My daughter got accepted into a school end of August. Let me tell you I have A LOT to say on the subject. She is a 4 year old kid with nothing missing in her brain, her home, or her life in general Bh. Our problem? We simply don't 'belong' I grew up one way (that I despised and the feeling was mutual), dh went to a certain school, a different yeshiva, and another different mesivta. Therefore we don't belong to one certain type. Everyone only wants to accept their own kind. Unless you have buckets of money or an inside man. The situation is brutal. You try a nuetral school and they feel no responsibility to accept you. Mrs B from BYBP may she rot in hell set the standard for my 4 yr old so high that of course it was impossible. She really did a number on me. Sleepless nights. Gray hair on us (we're both in our 20's)... The schools make you go through hell and jump through their hoops before they say no. One letter in particular said (quote) 'we understand how difficult it must be to place your child. Unfortunately we are unable to assist at this time. We wish you much Hatzlocha.' Not even a meeting. Not an ounce of research on me and my family. No reason whatsoever. And then the so called rabbis cry that kids are going off the derech. Well those same hanhalas will have to answer some very tough questions when their time comes. 

[nathan13]

There is no clear answer. There are some schools that really do not have space. But there are schools that have the space but won't except kids because there parents/homes don't fit the parent body/homes of the school. I don't think we can blame them for that. Where we can place the blame is that the Rabbonim don't open a school for parents that are not excepted into the average chassidish school, what are see parents supposed to do? I know a parent that got so frustrated with all the rejections it turned them away from yiddishkiet and there kid is currently in public school. Who takes responsibility? If there was a school for such parents/homes there kid and them would be............ You get the point.

[JayR]

IME, regarding litvish crowds,

Lakewood takes a socialist view on this where you don't choose which school your child goes to, but your kid gets into a school.

Monsey takes a democratic/capitalist view where you choose a school but your child might not be accepted.

The Monsey way angers some people who feel that when it comes to Jews, we should be more like a community/socialistic.

[stbaum]

IME, regarding litvish crowds,

Lakewood takes a socialist view on this where you don't choose which school your child goes to, but your kid gets into a school.

Monsey takes a democratic/capitalist view where you choose a school but your child might not be accepted.

The Monsey way angers some people who feel that when it comes to Jews, we should be more like a community/socialistic.

Monsey has a different crisis. There's simply not enough space. Lots of people move there to have a suburban life and they just can't accomodate.

[grodnoking]

So happy my parents never had to deal with this BS. They chose the school and we all got accepted, they changed the school and we all got accepted. When the school ran out of room they quickly doubled the size of the building. Twice. And it was no easy feat of engineering. But if you care about what you do you make it happen. Yes, the reason my parents changed schools is because the first one accepted people it should not have, but at least they tried to help those kids. The never kicked a kid out without finding them a new place. They learnt from their mistakes and now are back on par with what they should be, vetting out the veeyqfew that definitely wont work. And I never heard someone complaining that they couldn't get thier child accepted into the right place.

[cholent]

Monsey has a different crisis. There's simply not enough space. Lots of people move there to have a suburban life and they just can't accomodate.

Lakewood has the same problem. The community is growing so quickly, there are tons of schools and new ones opening every year but it's still hard to accommodate everyone.

IME, regarding litvish crowds,

Lakewood takes a socialist view on this where you don't choose which school your child goes to, but your kid gets into a school.

Monsey takes a democratic/capitalist view where you choose a school but your child might not be accepted.

The Monsey way angers some people who feel that when it comes to Jews, we should be more like a community/socialistic.

Lakewood starts with the democratic/capitalist as well, you apply and the school may or may not accept your child. Only after acceptances are done does the Vaad step in as "socialist" to divide up kids without schools among all schools. I don't think the system is perfect by a long run, but at least they are doing something to ensure that every child has a school

[sky121]

We didn't experience so many of these  problems when I grew up but I also didn't grow up in a large community.

At the end of the day it's not worth fighting to get your kid into a school that doesn't want him/her.

@stbaum story sounds awful. I hope she is somewhere where she's happy now.

[sky121]

And then the so called rabbis cry that kids are going off the derech. Well those same hanhalas will have to answer some very tough questions when their time comes.

+1

A lot of the stories I hear aren't even so much the rejection but the way it's done.

[stbaum]

+1

A lot of the stories I hear aren't even so much the rejection but the way it's done.

+100

we walked out in tears after being told that basically we weren't good parents and we've set up our 4 year old for failure

[Work-for-ur-muny]

No way in the world will "a school for all the rejected from other schools" method work. That will be officially stigmatizing every student in that school. In other words, those for whom the school was intended would never send there, so no point in opening it in the first place.

[David Smith]

In general, when there's a school willing to accept everyone, nobody wants to go there.