Cynthia Nixon + Zephyr Teachout Stand Up for Yeshiva Students

ALBANY, NY (05/23/2019) (readMedia)-- Today progressive leaders, Cynthia Nixon and Zephyr Teachout, sent a letter to the New York State Education Department and the Board of Regents, calling for emergency regulations to make sure yeshiva students are receiving a secular education in compliance with state law. The letter comes a month after a judge in Albany struck down the state's revised guidelines to provide reasonable oversight for nonpublic schools, siding with yeshivas, catholic, and private schools on procedural grounds. Despite Governor Cuomo's public comments that, "my attorneys are now talking with NYSED, reviewing the court's decision because it is vitally important that the law we passed be followed which is that the yeshivas are held to the substantial equivalency standard," the state has yet to take any further action.

The Board of Regents is meeting as soon as June 3rd-4th when they could potentially make a decision to proceed with emergency regulations.

In the letter, Nixon and Teachout write:

"For far too long, politicians have put their own interests ahead of students with devastating consequences for individuals and whole communities. We urge the New York State Education Department (NYSED) to enact emergency regulations now so yeshiva students can finally get the education they deserve."

Certain Ultra-Orthodox yeshivas have long eschewed the statutory requirement to provide an education that's "substantially equivalent" to public schools, leaving graduates woefully unprepared to succeed in secular society. Currently, students receive only 90 minutes of secular education in Hasidic boys' elementary schools, and none in high school. Emergency regulations are necessary to address the ongoing crisis and systematic neglect of secular education at certain yeshivas.

Read the full letter below and attached:

To Commissioner Elia and Chancellor Rosa:

Under New York State law all non-public schools must provide a "substantially equivalent" education to public schools. To that end, the New York State Education Department (NYSED) correctly established reasonable, revised guidelines that would have provided much needed oversight to ensure that non-public schools are in compliance with state law. However, on April 19th, an Albany Supreme Court judge struck down the guidelines on administrative grounds, after a consortium of yeshivas, catholic and elite private schools sued to evade oversight.

We are now writing to urge the state to pursue emergency regulations under Section 202(6) of the New York State Administrative Procedure Act ("Notice of Emergency Adoption").

The decades long neglect of secular education at various ultra-Orthodox yeshivas is a crisis affecting tens of thousands of students each year.

All children, regardless of religion, deserve equal access to a fair and basic education. And yet every year students graduate from these yeshivas without the ability to read or write in English, and little to no understanding of science, math, history or civics. According to a report produced by YAFFED, students currently receive only 90 minutes of secular education in Hasidic boys' elementary schools, and none in high school. Most yeshiva students graduate without a diploma, making it nearly impossible for them to obtain a secondary degree or obtain employment.

For far too long, politicians have put their own interests ahead of students with devastating consequences for individuals and whole communities.

We urge the New York State Education Department (NYSED) to enact emergency regulations now so yeshiva students can finally get the education they deserve.

Their futures depend on it.

Sincerely,

Cynthia Nixon

Zephyr Teachout

Background

In early March, the New York State Association of Independent Schools filed a lawsuit to stop the state from enforcing its revised guidelines. These guidelines are designed to make sure that nonpublic schools are meeting the legal requirement to provide an education that's "substantially equivalent" to public schools. The guidelines do not differ significantly from previous versions, requiring the teaching of the basics, such as English, math, science, and social studies. A consortium of yeshivas and Catholic schools also filed two similar lawsuits claiming religious freedom from oversight. The judge did not rule on the basis of merit, but rather on procedural grounds.

The revised, minimal guidelines, issued on November 20th, 2018 would've required:

• Nonpublic schools and religious schools to be inspected minimally: first within 2 to 3 years, then once every 5 years thereafter.
• Academically rigorous instruction in the required subjects including the five core courses: English, History, Science, Mathematics, and Civics to develop critical thinking skills.
• The local school board or the Chancellor to determine whether a substantially equivalent education is being provided in religious or nonpublic schools
• To work with the religious and nonpublic schools to review textbooks and ensure that each student is receiving a sound education while respecting the school's culture.

Cynthia and Zephyr's letter joins various other ones from Yaffed, Michael Rebell, and six Rockland County groups that all push the NYSED to enact emergency regulations.