04 May 2024

Good News

Despite an aggressive push by the Orthodox Jewish community in New York, the requirement for all private schools in the state to offer equivalent education in subjects like, English, math, science, and social studies remains on track for the school year starting in September.

This is an unalloyed good. 

Far too many students leave the Yeshiva system basically lacking the basic skills required to function in the greater society, which is something that Judaism eschews.

They end up on the public dole, and do little beyond studying Torah.

This is not only a drag on society, it is forbidden by Jewish law, as noted in Pirkei Avot 4:5, "On studying Torah, "Rabbi Zadok said: do not make them a crown for self-exaltation, nor a spade with which to dig."

A push to delay when private schools must demonstrate that they offer adequate secular education failed to make it into New York state budget legislation, three state senators told Shtetl.

Despite the behind-the-scenes campaign to extend the timeline by at least one year, all New York private schools will still be expected to demonstrate during the 2024-2025 school year that they offer education that is “substantially equivalent” to public school education in subjects like math, science, English, and social studies, as part of a New York State Education Department regulation that passed in 2022.

The budget bill that includes education was one of the last parts of the budget to be released. The state’s budget was due on April 1, but that deadline is often missed as lawmakers seek to use the budget to address policy issues.

The substantial equivalency negotiations were part of what caused the delay, the Albany Times Union reported. According to that news outlet, Governor Kathy Hochul’s office may have hoped that by extending the deadline, it could help preferred candidates win U.S. congressional races in districts with large Haredi communities, including ones currently represented by congress members Pat Ryan, Mike Lawler, and Anthony D’Esposito.

Hochul really is a horror show. She makes me nostalgic for the days of Andrew "Rat Faced Andy" Cuomo ……… almost.

………

A push to delay when private schools must demonstrate that they offer adequate secular education failed to make it into New York state budget legislation, three state senators told Shtetl.

Despite the behind-the-scenes campaign to extend the timeline by at least one year, all New York private schools will still be expected to demonstrate during the 2024-2025 school year that they offer education that is “substantially equivalent” to public school education in subjects like math, science, English, and social studies, as part of a New York State Education Department regulation that passed in 2022.

………

The substantial equivalency negotiations were part of what caused the delay, the Albany Times Union reported. According to that news outlet, Governor Kathy Hochul’s office may have hoped that by extending the deadline, it could help preferred candidates win U.S. congressional races in districts with large Haredi communities, including ones currently represented by congress members Pat Ryan, Mike Lawler, and Anthony D’Esposito.

One hopes that the Yeshivas will be forced to comply, as opposed to simply being the subject of reports outlining their noncompliance.

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