Will New York Haredi Schools go the Way of England?

In London, our friend, The Guardian questions:

Where are the Boys? "On a warm afternoon on a recent visit at the heart of London’s Hassidic Jewish community, fathers with people-carriers are collecting their children from pre-schools and primary schools. Little groups of teenage girls link arms in the sunshine and chatter together in Yiddish as they walk home from the Yesodey Hatorah voluntary-aided secondary school in Stamford Hill. Strikingly, though – in a community where large families are the norm – there are no teenage boys on the streets today. [...] It is no secret – from the age of 13, many boys in this community attend religious yeshivas, which focus on study of the Talmud and the Torah. These schools start early and finish late – according to some accounts, continuing until 10pm. They do not teach the national curriculum, and according to former pupils there is little tuition in basics such as English or maths."

Some other London articles on the topic:

• Jewish school ordered to close after 40 years of illegal
• Thousand boys disappear from school system
• Stamford Hill Charedi School Ordered Shut Down For Failing To Meet 'Minimum' DOE Standards
• Muslims in England, "we'll teach Judaism" WHICH MEANS:  Rabbi Ephraim Mervis, Britain's Chief Rabbi, called on Jewish schools to choose Islam as a second religion, and teach Islam.

While in New York, The Jewish Press writes:

Last July, New York City Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina and seven district superintendenets in Brooklyn and Queens received a letter sent by some 50 concerned parents, former teachers, and former yeshiva students, expressing ‘concern’ over the lack of substantial secular education in at least 39 yeshivas. [This was initiated by a disgruntled former yeshiva boy who blamed NY for his not having learned secular subject, and thus became unqualified for many jobs he was seeking. Disgruntled to put it mildly.)

[NY] State law stipulates that education in non-public schools must be “at least substantially equivalent” to that provided in public schools. In response to the letter, the DOE said it would investigation the potential violations. However, [the letter-writers, members of *YAFFED] warned the group might end up taking the city to court over the issue.

In what seems a smokescreen for the introduction of curriculum change via new textbooks: One commenter wrote, These parents and Yeshiva educators need to know that curriculum ALL over this state and country and probably city is from publisher; PEARSON.  PEARSON is partly owned by MUSLIMS and changes U. S. History in subtle ways that are anti American. Also this curriculum is PRO MUSLIM, talks a lot about how GREAT it is. And ignores Christianity and Judaism.
Most school districts WONT ALLOW Parents or concerned citizens to view these textbooks!!



*“Young Adults for a Fair Education” (sic!)