Mother of 10 says her kids didn’t learn basic reading, math, science at …
Posted By admin on November 6, 2022
Earlier this month, New York Times reporter Eliza Shapiro told Here & Now about an investigation into New York's Hasidic yeshivas, or schools, that offer so little non-religious education that students get to high school without basic reading and math skills.
These schools are not required to give standardized tests but some do. In 2019, the Central United Talmudical Academy tested 1,000 boys in reading and math. All of them failed. While many Jewish schools have been recognized for excellence, these ultra-orthodox Hasidic schools, which serve about 50,000 students across Brooklyn and the lower Hudson Valley, offer a very different education.
Yeshiva school administrators and attorneys representing them dispute these claims and statistics. They say their schools reflect the community's values, and many parents agree. But others, and former students, say the schools violate state laws guaranteeing an adequate education.
Among those parents is Beatrice Weber. She has 10 children and her three youngest kids still live at home. She filed a complaint against her son's yeshiva in 2019. And she works for Yaffed, a non-profit trying to improve education in Hasidic schools.
That investigative report shocked a lot of people, Weber says, but not me and not any of the parents in the community. We know this.
Webers 9-year-old son started attending his yeshiva in Williamsburg, Brooklyn located a block away from Central United Talmudical Academy at age 3, but didnt start learning secular subjects until second grade. Weber taught her children English as their first language at home, so some of her kids found themselves helping their Yiddish-speaking teachers with reading
Students at these yeshivas spend long 8-hour days in school with only the final hour dedicated to academic studies like English and math. By the time they leave for high school, the kids are generally reading at a third-grade level, unable to write an essay, or do math beyond long division. That means no fractions, no algebra, no advanced math, Weber says.
Recently, her sons teacher told the class that all the planets revolve around the Earth, and drew a picture to illustrate
My son, who's a little bit of a space geek, raised his hand and was like, No, that's not how it works, Weber says. And the teacher was actually surprised and actually paid a lot of attention when my son explained it to him. And I was like, Wasn't he angry that you disrespected him? He's like, No, no, no. The teacher was very curious. He said he had never learned that before.
Most teachers at these particular yeshivas dont have teaching certifications or even high school diplomas, Weber says, adding that they were also educated in these schools.
When Weber read the New York Times investigation, seeing the story told publicly brought her pain, trauma and fear of antisemitic response.
I'm a grandchild of Holocaust survivors. That fear is always there, even though I know logically that the only way to improve something is to expose it, she says. I've written my own experiences of living in the community and leaving. So I know the value logically of exposing these kinds of stories, yet having it exposed felt really scary.
But Weber wants things to change for kids like her son a bright young boy who cant read at his grade level. She says shes hired a tutor, at the end of his long school days, to help him overcome the limited secular education hes getting at school.
Weber says shes particularly frustrated because this lack of non-religious education doesnt reflect Jewish values. Many Jewish schools teach strong Judaic and secular curricula. But Weber says shes forced to send her smart, curious son to his yeshiva despite all the shortcomings because it's mandated in her divorce agreement.
She counters the argument that the right to religious freedom gives these schools the right to deny secular education.
[Yeshivas] have a right to teach their religious subjects, but I don't think that that gives them a right not to teach the academic subjects. Children should be able to graduate schools being able to know how to read and write, she says. There is nothing in Judaism that would dictate that a child should not be able to do that.
When it comes to gender equity, Weber points out that boys and girls go to separate schools from about age three. And while most of the non-religious education girls get is similar to that of their male counterparts, they do learn slightly more English and writing. Weber says thats because theyll be expected to manage a household, take care of bills and other formalities like filling out paperwork at the doctors office. Still, they will not be exposed to literature, anything beyond rudimentary math or other staples of secular education.
Webers children also experienced corporal punishment and humiliation as a form of discipline at these schools. She recalls going down to one of her sons schools about 15 years ago to talk to the principal about alternative methods of discipline but her ex-husband told the principal he agreed with the methods the school was employing.
Two years ago, Weber says she tried to file a complaint regarding a corporal punishment incident involving her son, but the police wouldnt write a report, she says.
Recently, he has not been getting hit. And I think they know maybe that I speak up and that it would not be wise, Weber says. But he still sees it happening as recently as this year. He said there was a classmate taken to the front of the classroom [and] punched by the teacher. The principal was called in to hit him. I mean, there's no words.
Weber notes that outside of the Hasidic community, parents can choose whether to send their kids to public or private schools. After breaking out of this insular world, she says shes learning she deserves the right to make the same choices as other mothers.
People don't really understand how the community operates, she says. And I think people don't realize the sense of helplessness that you have in the community and the few choices that you have.
In 2019, Weber filed a complaint with her sons school and with New York City about the lack of adequate secular education in these Hasidic schools. It went to New York State Court in 2021 and its now in the hands of New Yorks Supreme Court. Weber is waiting for a ruling.
Karyn Miller Medzon produced and edited this interview for broadcast withGabe Bullard.Allison Haganadapted it for the web.
See the article here:
Mother of 10 says her kids didn't learn basic reading, math, science at ...
- Hasidic Judaism | Encyclopedia.com - November 26th, 2023
- Pro-Palestine protesters plan to 'flood' Brooklyn -- near Hasidic Jewish site: 'The louder we will be' - New York Post - October 29th, 2023
- Hasidism: An Overview | Encyclopedia.com - October 18th, 2023
- Plans to form Viznitz Hasidic village in Sullivan County halted by ... - Times Herald-Record - October 18th, 2023
- Rough Diamonds Gets the Details of Hasidic Life Right, but Fails to ... - Mosaic - October 18th, 2023
- I left the Hasidic world three years ago. This time of year, I dearly miss it - Forward - October 8th, 2023
- Democrat congressional candidate and former member walks back calling Kevin McCarthy's meeting with Hasidic le - Daily Mail - October 6th, 2023
- I'm A Queer Woman Who Left My Marriage In The Hasidic Community. Theres One Thing People Don't Understand. - HuffPost UK - September 30th, 2023
- Hasidic Judaism - Wikiwand - September 24th, 2023
- Hasidic | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary - September 22nd, 2023
- Hasidic rapper Moshe Reuven is making history - Unpacked - Jewish Unpacked - September 22nd, 2023
- Yeshivas refusal to enroll a 10-year-old pits a Hasidic father against a non-Hasidic mother - Forward - September 22nd, 2023
- List of Hasidic dynasties and groups - Wikipedia - September 12th, 2023
- Hasidic rockers Why Evolution Is True - Why Evolution Is True - September 12th, 2023
- I led an antisemitism training for workers in a labor dispute with their Hasidic bosses. Heres what I learned - Forward - September 12th, 2023
- Hasidim | Encyclopedia.com - September 5th, 2023
- What Hasidic Boys Learn, An Enlightening Conversation with Moshe ... - CrownHeights.info - September 5th, 2023
- New Hasidic song slams yeshivas that reject students who dont fit in - Forward - September 5th, 2023
- Rap group Three 6 Mafia arrives on TikTok with videos of Hasidic ... - The Jewish News of Northern California - August 22nd, 2023
- Hasid - Wikipedia - August 16th, 2023
- Viznitz Hasidic group petitions for village in Thompson, Fallsburg - Times Herald-Record - August 6th, 2023
- Cardi B Stirs Controversy Tweeting Photo of Hasidic Jews After ... - Algemeiner - August 6th, 2023
- Hasidic life in Uman: A journey across Ukraine to the Tomb of Rabbi ... - Milwaukee Independent - August 6th, 2023
- THE HASIDIC KOPPLE Comes to the Cameri Theatre This Month - Broadway World - July 9th, 2023
- Hundreds protest Hasidic pilgrimages to Haifa monastery - The Times of Israel - June 25th, 2023
- The Belzer Rebbe Has Created A Program To Support Ex-Hasidic Jews - Jew in the City - June 10th, 2023
- The Hasidic Community's Reckoning Over COVID-19 - The Atlantic - May 22nd, 2023
- How the haredi Orthodox are changing Israel - May 22nd, 2023
- When One Parent Leaves a Hasidic Community, What Happens to the Kids? - May 22nd, 2023
- Hasidic Judaism - May 9th, 2023
- Hasidic Movement: A History - May 9th, 2023
- Hasidic philosophy - May 9th, 2023
- Suspect arrested in assaults on Hasidic Jewish men in Outremont - Montreal Gazette - April 22nd, 2023
- Hasidic Judaism Rules & Customs | What Does Hasidic Mean? | Study.com - March 28th, 2023
- How Public Money Goes to Support a Hasidic Villages Private Schools ... - February 25th, 2023
- How the Hasidic Jewish Community Became a Political Force in New York - February 25th, 2023
- Ashkenazi Hasidim - Wikipedia - February 17th, 2023
- What Is Chabad? | My Jewish Learning - February 11th, 2023
- Payot - Wikipedia - February 4th, 2023
- Anti-Hasidic bias claimed in suit over 2,600-home Lost Lake project - January 2nd, 2023
- Why Do Hasidic Jews Dress So Differently? - Seeker - December 27th, 2022
- Hasidic School Is Breaking State Education Law, N.Y. Official Rules - December 11th, 2022
- Zeldin Sees a Path to Becoming Governor. It Runs Through Brooklyn. - December 11th, 2022
- Jeff Wilbusch left his Hasidic community at 13. Now he's exploring his ... - December 11th, 2022
- Hasidic School to Pay $8 Million After Admitting to Widespread Fraud - December 7th, 2022
- Developer claims anti-Hasidic bias in suit over thwarted housing plans - December 7th, 2022
- In Hasidic Enclaves, Failing Yeshivas Flush With Public Money - The New ... - December 7th, 2022
- New York Hasidic School Admits to Benefit Fraud Conspiracy, Agrees to ... - November 6th, 2022
- Upsherin - Wikipedia - November 6th, 2022
- Why The New York Times translated its Hasidic yeshiva investigation ... - October 17th, 2022
- Im not Hasidic, but an afternoon in Williamsburg deepened my appreciation of Sukkot - Forward - October 17th, 2022
- A food truck at Duke University offers a truce to rising tensions on Mideast politics - Religion News Service - October 17th, 2022
- A More Perfect Mediocracy by Liel Leibovitz | Articles - First Things - October 17th, 2022
- Stop saying there's a polio emergency | News, Sports, Jobs - Alpena News - October 6th, 2022
- Where do Hochul and Zeldin stand on education? - Chalkbeat New York - October 6th, 2022
- How concierge IV therapy went from Instagram trend to pre-Yom Kippur hydration hack - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency - October 6th, 2022
- War-torn Ukraine prepares for mass arrival of Hasidic Jews to Uman - September 27th, 2022
- Thousands of Hasidic Jews defy travel warnings by making New Year ... - September 27th, 2022
- Wanted for slapping Hasidic man in unprovoked attack - New York Daily News - September 27th, 2022
- The Civic Duties of Hasidic Schools | Cole S. Aronson - First Things - September 23rd, 2022
- A formerly Hasidic mom who sued her sons yeshiva will head nonprofit advocating for secular education - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency - September 23rd, 2022
- Letters to the editor | | tulsaworld.com - Tulsa World - September 23rd, 2022
- No Soul Is Safe in Teaser Trailer for the Jewish Folklore Horror Film THE OFFERING GeekTyrant - GeekTyrant - September 23rd, 2022
- I read a secret transcript of Hasidic sex advice. Ive read worse. - Forward - August 12th, 2022
- South Blooming Grove finishes review of 600-home Clovewood project - Times Herald-Record - August 12th, 2022
- Jewish perspectives on abortion diverse, often oversimplified | News, Sports, Jobs - Williamsport Sun-Gazette - August 12th, 2022
- Groundbreaking album breathes new life into nearly abandoned Jewish musical art - Forward - August 12th, 2022
- Synagogue plan rejected in Haverstraw; RLUIPA litigation threat looms - The Journal News - August 12th, 2022
- Mormons are being oppressed and mocked on TV. We're not alone. - Religion News Service - August 8th, 2022
- Lufthansa will create a position to fight antisemitism after kicking more than 100 Hasidic passengers off a flight - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic... - July 31st, 2022
- What sort of Yiddish did Jews in Hungary speak? - Forward - July 31st, 2022
- What the Polio Case in New York Tells Us About the End of Polio - Kaiser Health News - July 31st, 2022
- Rockland County police searching for white Ford F-150 truck in connection to recent attacks on Hasidic Jews - CBS New York - July 19th, 2022
- De Blasio quits crowded race for Congress in heavily Jewish district - Forward - July 19th, 2022
- Jewish group sues Long Island beach town over turning its worship land into a lifeguard center - Washington Times - July 19th, 2022
- Progressives Have Abandoned Haredi Children - Jewish Currents - July 16th, 2022
- At this Yiddish music festival, tradition is everything and nothing J. - The Jewish News of Northern California - July 16th, 2022
- How American Jews (stayed) white | David E. Bernstein | The Blogs - The Times of Israel - July 14th, 2022
- At a Yiddish music festival in bucolic Massachusetts, tradition is everything and nothing - Forward - July 14th, 2022
- This couldnt happen anywhere: How coverage of the shooting failed Highland Park - Forward - July 10th, 2022
Comments