Yaffed to Little Red Grads: "Congrats! Join Our Cause"

Yaffed passes out information about Little Red's lawsuit against yeshiva students

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protesters talking w/ Little Red grads

NEW YORK, NY (06/13/2019) (readMedia)-- Yesterday, yeshiva graduates stood outside the graduation ceremony for the Little Red School House, passing out information about the school's successful litigation to stop the state from imposing reasonable oversight on non-public schools. Little Red School House is a member of the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS), and a named plaintiff in a NYSAIS lawsuit to stop the state from enforcing revised guidelines for nonpublic schools. 10 other elite privates schools were named as plaintiffs in the suit.

Yaffed also launched an online petition calling on students, alumni, and parents from the elite private schools to stop covering for yeshivas that refuse to comply with the law and enabling the educational neglect of tens of thousands of students.

"We congratulate the graduating class of 2019 and urge them to use their outstanding education to support others who have been denied the same opportunity. We recognize that many graduates may not know about their school's litigation and have the right to make their own decision about the matter. We hope that they will join our cause and stand up for yeshiva students," said Naftuli Moster, Executive Director of Yaffed.

Yeshiva graduates held signs that said: "Why is Little Red covering for yeshivas that teach zero secular studies and handicap children for life" and "Congrats on your graduation! Did you know that your school is covering for hasidic yeshivas that are depriving kids of a basic education?" (Photos attached).

The state's revised guidelines were 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 did 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. In late April, an Albany Supreme Court judge ruled in favor of the elite private schools, striking down revised guidelines for nonpublic schools from the New York State Education Department (NYSED).

Last week, the NYSED proposed new regulations for substantially equivalent instruction at non-public schools that would not go into effect for several years.

Background

In response to an Albany judge's ruling in April which struck down the state's revised guidelines to provide reasonable oversight for non-public schools, Yaffed sent a letter urging the New York State Education Department (NYSED) to enact emergency regulations. Yaffed's letter includes affidavits from former yeshiva students about the devastating and debilitating effects of being denied a secular education. Since then, others have echoed that call including leading voices for educational reform like Cynthia Nixon and Zephyr Teachout, Michael Rebell, Common Cause/NY Executive Director Susan Lerner, and Columbia Professor Ester Fuchs.

Pursuant to Section 202(6) of the New York State Administrative Procedure Act ("Notice of Emergency Adoption"): "if an agency finds that the immediate adoption of a rule is necessary for the preservation of the . . . general welfare and that compliance with the requirements of subdivision one of this section [requiring the submission of a notice of proposed rulemaking and inviting public comments] would be contrary to the public interest, the agency may dispense with all or part of such requirements and adopt the rule on an emergency basis."

Yeshivas receive millions in state funding, but for years have eschewed the statutory requirement to provide a substantially equivalent education, 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.

The revised, minimal guidelines, established on November 20th, 2018 would've allowed:

  • Nonpublic schools and religious schools to be inspected minimally: within the first 2 to 3 years, then once every 5 years thereafter.
  • Academically rigorous instruction in the five core classes: 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
  • The Commission 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.

About Yaffed

YAFFED is an advocacy group committed to improving educational curricula within ultra-Orthodox schools. They fervently believe that every child is entitled to a fair and equitable education that is in compliance with the law. Their work involves raising awareness about the importance of general studies education, and encouraging elected officials, Department of Education officials and the leadership of the ultra-Orthodox world to act responsibly in preparing their youth for economic sufficiency and for broad access to the resources of the modern world.

In 2017 YAFFED released a 90-page report, Non-Equivalent: The State of Education in New York City's Hasidic Yeshivas, which includes updated data on the amount and quality of secular education in New York City yeshivas, a detailed examination of funding provided to yeshivas, new demographic projections of Hasidic school enrollment in New York City, recommendations for the New York City Department of Education and New York State Education Department, and more.