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Saturday, 13 Adar II, 5784
  |  March 23, 2024

Let’s Pay the Teachers – Directly

From the COLlive inbox: Faced with another teacher's strike, one parent suggests withholding tuition from the school administration. Full Story

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Student
April 6, 2017 7:51 pm

If you’re all so nervous, why don’t you make a donation.
For you to sit here and bash my school is an utter disgrace.
It’s people like all of you with brilliant ideas that make our school the way it is. Why bother speaking when you physically do nothing.

Respect
April 6, 2017 6:50 am

No pay, no teach!

Getting the Facts Straight
April 5, 2017 11:25 am

Everyone has theories, everyone knows how to run schools, everyone is an expert……But until you know the FACTS, you know nothing and wasting time, to be better spent preparing for Yom Tov.

A novel idea…..Let the Board convene a community meeting with parents and walk everyone through the school’s line-by-line budget. This should include all expenses and income ( including loans).
Once you all know and understand the facts, then you can spend your precious time criticizing, hypothesizing and giving brilliant ideas.
The ball is now in the Boards court. Sink or Swim. It’s time!

what about non-teaching staff?
April 5, 2017 10:48 am

do secretaries, librarians, specialists, cleaning, cooking, and other staff get ignored?

what is the question
April 4, 2017 9:42 pm

If we really want Rebbe’s mosdois we need to support them. Otherwise enjoy your own basement with a teacher paid on time and socializing on your own risk. 4Chabad

to 68
April 4, 2017 4:59 pm

For sure it is maiser but if you want it to be tax deductible, it must appear as a donation rather than tuition, otherwise, why isn’t the tuition that the parents pay deductible?https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-you-need-to-know-if-grandma-pays-the-tuition-1433518570

to 68
April 4, 2017 2:40 pm

good for u.
It doesn’t work for everyone though

kid
April 4, 2017 2:39 pm

yay, no school!

florida
April 4, 2017 2:38 pm

agree with 55!
why don’t parents stop saying what they WILL/SHOULD do and actually do something to solve this utter disgrace!
If my child was in BR than i would do something, instead of writing here.

#56 Get a good accountant
April 4, 2017 12:33 pm

I pay so far $100.00 a month for 5 of my grandchildren’s tuition. I’ve been doing this for years and was told by a Rav that this is considered Maiser. The school then sends me a tax receipt with every payment and I get a refund for taxes.

#66
April 4, 2017 12:28 pm

Dont assume every single frum person in the community is poor. Obviously some of us are very luck and support our grandchildren’s education and our children’s chabad houses.

Just because your child is an adult we are still financially responsible for them, at least thats how I was raised. Even helping out $1 helps.

Again a lot of kvetchers only seeing problems and not solutions.

Grandparent pay?
April 4, 2017 9:28 am

If the average set of grandparents have ke’h, 20 grandchildren (think this is unreasonable number?) and all they contributed was $1000 per kid, per year which is a fraction of tuition, where do you expect the grandparents to come up with this $20,000 a year?

I dont live in CH
April 4, 2017 9:22 am

Is BR a community school or a private endeavor? If it is a community school, then “the community” (beis din, someone else) should have a look at the books to find out where the problems are and make attempts to fix them. If a private institution, and people think they have all the answers and can do it more efficiently, then band together, and open a competing school.

It's the parents fault, lol
April 3, 2017 9:56 pm

I’m sure some parents don’t pay, but how come every other school isn’t mired in dysfunction on the scale of BR?

Idea
April 3, 2017 9:39 pm

If a grandparent or anyone gives money for a child’s tuition. That money goes into a scholarship fund and the school is free to give the person a receipt and give the funds to any child it wants. Btw. Let’s remember that out of town yeshivas( any where out of Crown Heights) tuition is many thousands more without any government funds. Don’t tell me CH is more expensive, not true. Just no one expecting handouts and actually having to work. Of course there are exceptions but you don’t see men on the streets at 11 am.

To #45
April 3, 2017 7:00 pm

I’m #15. I don’t mean anything specific by “fix the system”, my point is that once teachers’ salaries are paid the rest will fall into place.

I agree with #31… after all the excuses, BR keeps finding itself in trouble over and over and over. EVERY school struggles with overhead and tuition stragglers, even the “posh” ones, and yet somehow only BR is a trainwreck every year. Something drastic needs to change, and fast.

#58
April 3, 2017 6:10 pm

it is great to say things….. so why don’t you actually make a petition?

Open up your eyes!!! #53
April 3, 2017 6:09 pm

The system is broken and #50 gives suggestions for ideas that have worked for them but you only see problems not solutions. Why not help instead of bash! We need a new way of thinking! I used to teach but can’t afford to do it because of consistently not being paid and it’s sad because I loved teaching, but my family comes first. These teachers deserve more than their pay. A lot of my friends and family had to stop teaching too, this is not only BR my sibling out of country has not been paid in months as well.… Read more »

The real problem is....
April 3, 2017 6:09 pm

The landlord’s…
crazy rent prices…

If ppl didn’t have to give entire salaries for rent, thered b lots more for tuition.

TIME FOR BR PARENTS TO SIGN A PETITION
April 3, 2017 5:26 pm

IT IS NOT OK FOR THIS BE HAPPENING AGAIN!!! THE TEACHERS DONT DESERVE IT ANF NOR DO THE STUDENTS.
CAN WE SIGN A PETITION TO GET RID OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATORS????
HOW MANY MORE TIMES DOES THIS HAVE TO HAPPEN BEFORE THERE WILL BE CHANGE???

tuition
April 3, 2017 4:43 pm

many girls do pay full tuition.what is happening to that money?

to #50
April 3, 2017 3:47 pm

Your ideas are good but remember one thing; paying for a grandchild or other specific child is not tax deductible. Only disinterested generosity is tax deductible.

.....
April 3, 2017 2:15 pm

if everyone is paying the teachers directly, than who will be paying for the electric, water, or kitchen bills. Or the janitors, cooks and supplies!

Can we please just recognize the underlying problem...
April 3, 2017 1:29 pm

Girls are receiving an expensive top secular education they don’t use at all, and men the breadwinners and broke non tuition payers arent given any education or trade expireance at all, go figure, beis rivkah can go collect my tuition from oholei Torah who supposedly “educated” me and “prepared me for life”…

To 50
April 3, 2017 1:14 pm

The anonymous post is troubling to me. Also the theme of your post is there’s dishonestly with the admin/board which your starting as almost a fact all unjustified and uncalled for. Additionally you don’t state if you do indeed live in the community and the school your a board member of is indeed a CH learning institution. I’m not sure all of these suggestions would work in this community, being the poorest of all the forum neighborhoods, having “grandparents /friends/extended relatives” pay tuition balances may not be realistic in our kehilia, although it sounds good on paper e.g. your ANNOYMOUS… Read more »

Where IS the money going to?
April 3, 2017 12:50 pm

Pray tell, if the government funds food and some other basic necessities in the school, including English studies books, with parents paying a sixty dollar deposit for them still, and parents also paying for extra curricular programs then besides for cleaning help and general staff, where can so much money be landing? Even if some students receive scholarships from the school, where is the rest of the money going to? How can teachers not have been paid even one cent for so long? It’s unfathomable…

Easy to bash administrators
April 3, 2017 11:43 am

Harder to justify that bashing. I’m cuious, if everyone paid their tuition to teachers just how much money would the teacher walk away with every month? How many students are paying full tuition and how many are getting scholarships from the school? The teacher will certainly know now! It is only a matter of time till people start complaining Sarah is getting more attention than my Chana, but, one can argue, if Sarahs parents give the teacher more, then why not! Dont suggest things you didnt think all the way through.

There's a lot of reasons for this crisis and a lot of solutions
April 3, 2017 10:41 am

As an OOT, who sits on a school board, it does sound likes there’s plenty of dishonesty on the administration’s end that might have been going on for far too long for a quick fix. As an outsider, clean house completely the only way to move forward is start over. This might mean shutting things down for a few months but this seems to be a drastic situation that won’t get remedied without real action/sacrifice. Higher an outside professional team to review the books and cut the fat from the school too. As far as scholarships, it’s unfortunate but prices… Read more »

Menachem-How DARE you use the term "pocketing money"
April 3, 2017 10:33 am

How coy of you to assume that’s the root of all of BR financial issues. Paying check month after month? If so it may be a fraction of what the actual tuition is! If not you probably many others! Did you ask a Rov before you had the audacity to write this let alone print this for thousands to read? Before damaging the reputation of these hardworking and sincere people who may be trying all they can with the task they have!

#33 "look how they live..."
April 3, 2017 9:19 am

The way they live shouldn’t have an effect on your donations. It could be they have a nice house because got an inheritance. Or they are just good fundraisers and the job gives them a percentage. They need to live too. They don’t have to give all their money to the moisad.

the ny law
April 3, 2017 9:17 am

it is illegal for any school teacher (public, or private with ANY public funding) to receive any monetary gift which equals an amount comparable to a salary from any parents

Isn't there room for benefit of doubt!
April 3, 2017 9:11 am

I think these insinuations that money is being mishandled by the board/admin are baseless! Why not assume they are trying with the limited funds they have vs the vast staff and student population that they were sincere concerning their promises in the beginning of the year? Who are any of you author or commentators ppl who are not involved in the daily functions of the school financial or other wise to assume all they do or have? How many of you parents are able to pay the full tuition or even half who are complain? How many of you have… Read more »

#15: What does "fix the salary system" mean?
April 3, 2017 8:16 am

#15, you mention fixing the ‘salary system” what are you suggesting? Offer much less in the way of salary? It is not clear to me what you propose

Teacher salary in our "non profit" exclusive government financed schools. STOP tolerating this!
April 3, 2017 7:49 am

How dare the author insinuate that the his hard earned money is going solely towards admins lining their pockets! How does he actually know this as the absolute truth? With this line of thinking the sole solution according to him lies strictly with the board! If that’s NOT indeed the true source of the problem then his letter and many of these comments are USELESS! All fingerprinting and unproven assumptions ! Did he ask or col ask a Rav before this was written or published? Is it fair to slander the people publicly who have shown as such a sincere… Read more »

Yitzchok
April 3, 2017 6:57 am

Clearly the new board does not have access to the monies coming in. Why not open new bank accounts and have the parents pay into the new accounts? Get a PO box and get the parents to mail in their checks there.

Awesome
April 3, 2017 8:31 am

To all those writing the new board is amazing. Please why is there people related to the current members of directors. We need a complete overhaul, new directors, new board no one with a connection to anything from the past. If people are owed money they should be paid, this goes for teachers and administrators who happened to borrow money to pay for teachers salary. Yes, there should of been fundraisers that collect money to pay for those salaries. But, if someone borrowed money to pay the teachers they should also be payed back. Perhaps there should be an election… Read more »

yossi Stern
April 3, 2017 8:05 am

Paying the teachers directly, although in principle may be a good idea, yet in fact, it will only cause more chaos. The board I believe is sincere in its interest to straighten the school’s financial and administrative issues, so giving them the ability in time and effort is a fair way to fix this mess. I feel the board should hold a meeting directly with all the parents, and they should spell out their plan that they have started to fix this mess, and in return, listen to the parents, and hear the frustrations shared by the parents. Then hopefully… Read more »

BR accepts EVERYONE regardless of finances
April 3, 2017 8:04 am

They always have! To the parents paying “thousands” , I doubt it! Those parents are few and far between so to this written don’t be such a smart Alec! Yes there are smaller schools that pay on time and full BUT they charge over the roof tuition that ALSO is required to be paid in FULL every month by the PARENTS!! Can most of you afford this?? And this is even with scholarships and fundraisers! And yes , it often goes up and up year after year for “expansion” fees etc. Give BR some credit!! In fact a lot of… Read more »

Money problem in Be is Rivka....
April 3, 2017 7:53 am

Has nothing to do with parents not paying tuition!! Beis rivka gets lots of funding, it is a rich school!!!!! Some how the money is being pocketed by some individuals!! Shame. Big Shame!

Thank u board
April 3, 2017 7:48 am

As a teacher I appreciate all the time, money, and effort the board is dedicating to helping our school. May u be successful in this endeavor and in all your business dealings.
Regarding previous naive comments, as long as the old administration is in place, the money given to br goes to a bottomless pit. We need change!

MAJOR PROBLEM WITH BR (to 31)
April 3, 2017 7:46 am

All other schools have some sort of fundraiser. Either an auction, a dinner, something. BAIS RIVKAH DOESNT HAVE ANYTHING, (and barely anyone pays tuition) thats the major problem

Sorry this doesnt really make sense
April 3, 2017 7:45 am

maybe in the younger grades, but how abotu high school, where each teacher teaches multiple classes and sometimes multiple grades, and each class has 10-15 teachers

to 14
April 3, 2017 7:44 am

umm. there is barely any lunchroom staff. max 5 people in both BR elementary and high school

Tav limaysav
April 3, 2017 7:31 am

Seems like everyone is ok with and has accepted the dysfunction. A smaller school in ch just posted fully open and transparent books on what it costs to educate a child. Even those in br that “pay” don’t pay enough

ch'er
April 3, 2017 7:21 am

it was said to me, a long time ago….

before one even thinks of donating to an organization, a mosad, school… etc

go to the home of the one that controls the monies, see how he lives, then you will honestly know what you are giving your monies to..

enough said

Wow yashar koach!
April 3, 2017 6:58 am

Amazing idea! Teachers deserve our best! Now let’s see it happen!

IT JUST SMELLS FISHY
April 3, 2017 6:57 am

No, I do not have a child in BR. No, I do not live in CH. Yes, I am in business. Yes, I know that in business it is sometimes up and sometimes down, What I do not begin to understand and comprehend is the fact that BR is the only school in CH that is constantly plagued with the need for teachers strikes, Oh, if everyone just paid their tuition all would be fine? NO! I totally disagree, because something just does not add up. All the other Mosdos Chinuch have parents that are required to pay tuition, yet… Read more »

To 28 - yes, some do want the school to close down
April 3, 2017 6:35 am

Many believe (myself included) that the best thing will be to close the school down and let the new board reopen starting new. Why do we have to deal with 50 years worth of problems? Just get a fresh start with new people! It’s the only way!

How?
April 3, 2017 6:35 am

Doesn’t your school take head checks?

DON'T BE A FOOL!!
April 3, 2017 6:23 am

The board is working really hard to fix the no money issue and you want to make this worse? Do you want the school to close down completely? Those bills do not go to the board since they are volunteers or anyone on top pocketing it, contrary, to what you’d like to believe. That money is the little they have to actually keep the doors open. Solutions don’t happen over night. They are working on putting something in place. Unfortunately, they are not genies and can grant your wish overnight. Fixing a school can take some time.

The board is the solution!
April 3, 2017 6:17 am

For those of you who view the board as bad, are really naive and obviously don’t know what’s going on behind the curtain. These guys were given a very very rotten lemon and are trying their best to make lemonade out of it and fix the problem. No! THEY DO NOT TAKE A CENT of your tuition. Frankly these are smart business people who for FREE volunteer their time to help fix the school’s really broken system. It doesn’t happen over night. Your ideas, will only HURT the school further.

Not a solution!! The board is working hard!
April 3, 2017 6:12 am

The board is working very hard to make this work. They got a broken system that they can’t fix over night. The problem is that a lot of parents unfortunately do NOT pay full tuition or any at all, because the Rebbe said to take any child no matter what. They were given a huge task to fix, and I know personally how hard they are working to try and fix the problem. Withholding your tuitions will just cause bigger problems and will be the direct reason that the school will not be able to keep their lights on all… Read more »

What tuition
April 3, 2017 6:11 am

In theory it’s an idea but you would be shocked to know how many people haven’t paid a penny yet in tuition this year , a big part of the problem. If parents would pay on time there may be more money for teachers but I guess some parents feel pesach programs are more important

done
April 3, 2017 6:06 am

I did this

Making it practical
April 3, 2017 3:46 am

If the tuition office makes a statement that once you prove a teacher was payed directly by you, it will be taken off your tuition bill, perhaps it can work.

the new board is the solution
April 3, 2017 3:13 am

as long as old administration is still there teachers will not get paid

@3, 4 & 7
April 3, 2017 2:56 am

Why can’t the teachers just go on strike, automaticaly causing the parents pay them directly and maybe create a homeschool whatsapp chat. Then they can sort it out from there.

Striking teachers
April 3, 2017 2:10 am

The strike is only for grades 1-3 all other grades believe in the new board. The striking teachers want a living wage

Hey
April 3, 2017 2:08 am

The new board is going to be better and stronger and believe me the can do anything.they can fix any problem!

Tuition in arrears
April 3, 2017 1:02 am

Why don’t you talk to the parents who are behind in the tuition they committed to pay this year. If parents would be up to date with tuition, teachers would be up to date in their salaries.

Pesach is Expensive
April 3, 2017 12:39 am

1. Pay the teachers directly.
2. Why pay the administration if they aren’t running the school properly anyways.
3. If the school cannot pay their bills as it is anyways, the school SHOULD be closed down.
4. Pesach is expensive, the parents and the administration should make every effort to make sure their teachers can go home and make a proper kosher seder for their families.

Number 6
April 3, 2017 12:22 am

how naive can you be to truly believe that toiler paper is superior than teachers- hardworking human beings with families who were promised a salary. As a former teacher is a school (Not in crown heights) I remember the time when there was no paper to make photocopies in school. They told us there just were no funds. Or the time when the janitor wouldn’t care to replenish items around the building. Yet iy wouls not cross anyones mind to cut down on the salary which was agreed upon with each employee (teacher, principal, secretary, janitor alike). That and only… Read more »

School Overhead (#2, 6, 11)
April 3, 2017 12:04 am

Without going into detail, I am on the board of a Chabad school outside CH, and I can assure you that the greatest cost BY FAR is salary. Yes, building costs (rent or mortgage), utilities, insurance, janitorial, etc. are all significant, but nothing comes close to the cost of the teachers’ salaries. Fix the salary system and the rest will come.

Pay the teachers
April 3, 2017 12:02 am

You send your child to school to get an education. Lunch and breakfast, either your child qualifies for FREE lunch or send along a sandwich like in the good old days. Lunchroom staff – let the parents take turn serving the mealse meals, and teach the kids how not to make a mess and to clean up after themselves. Playgrounds and gyms – these are luxuries we obviously cannot afford. When my boys were in Chovovei Torah, their class walked to Lefferts park every day to play ball. Just make sure the girls go early in the day, and the… Read more »

I've done this in the past
April 2, 2017 11:57 pm

How about giving any tzedaka that’s earmarked for the school, directly to the teachers.

Teachers 1st
April 2, 2017 11:37 pm

Teachers have to be 1 st on the payroll
Then Principal and then administrators
Why? In this way administrators will do better the job and put effort in collecting the non paid tuitions
It’s the only way it works

@ 2, 6
April 2, 2017 11:13 pm

He isn’t suggesting that the only thing tuition goes to pay is the teachers’ salaries. What he IS suggesting is that teachers have to make Pesach for their families. They haven’t been paid recently. Where do we expect them to pay for Pesach expenses from? If a few parents do this as a one-time thing, it will make many teachers’ lives less stressful. Sounds like a very practical and thoughtful idea. Whether this is the right thing to do or not, I am not in position to judge, since I don’t know all the ins and outs of what is… Read more »

homeschooling is a great idea
April 2, 2017 10:57 pm

Invest yourself completely and you will enjoy the benefits of homeschooling. Just think you could hire your child’s teacher as well. On the off note, I did work for a school in New Jersey and quit around the time they stopped making payments on time. I felt demeaned having to beg for money I had earned. I knew though they paid the principals and the administration first. true someone has to pay to keep the lights on, but someone has to pay to have a place to live and food to give their children. If you can’t pay your teachers… Read more »

The new board
April 2, 2017 10:44 pm

The new board is the only final solution !!!! They are willing to help run the school the proper way .. by putting the teachers FIRST !!! Old administration pay themselves first but not the teachers .. that has been the problem .. teachers should be number 1

Good point
April 2, 2017 10:44 pm

If the teachers are teaching from their homes, then certainly they should be paid directly from the parents. Interestingly, they whould make a lot more money if they would do that all year round.

Or...
April 2, 2017 10:40 pm

A better idea. Call the new board members and see how you can assist them in getting the school back on track.

what?!
April 2, 2017 10:39 pm

how naive can one be to truly believe that the only school expenditure is paying the teachers?

@2.
April 2, 2017 10:38 pm

The building isn’t going anywhere. When the new board is given control the bills will be paid in full at the moment the money isn’t making it to the employees for some reason and that needs to be fixed.

@3.
April 2, 2017 10:36 pm

That’s obvious, this is a temporary fix to major problem. There’s a leak redirect the flow then fix the pipeline.

Question
April 2, 2017 10:25 pm

I assume you mean that we should pay tuition directly to the teachers so that they can get paid for their work and have money to make Yom Tov, but NOT expect them to return to teaching. If so, you should update your OP-ED and specify that.

We can’t expect the teachers to come back unless all paychecks are paid in full to the teachers by the administration. You can’t have some teachers coming back while others do not, as the strike would lose its effect.

Please clarify this.

great idea.
April 2, 2017 10:19 pm

there wont be building for your kids to go …no electric no water no ac or heat! they can learn at home! try it for a day….

biriallant idea
April 2, 2017 10:19 pm

anything to give the teachers what they deserve!!!

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