Rabbi Chaim Rosenstein, CFO of the Law Offices of Zev Goldstein P.L.L.C. in Monsey, NY, and owner of a wealth management business, wrote the following follow-up letter on Monday:
Dear Reader,
The letter that I wrote on August 29th expressed the points that needed to be conveyed to the New York State Department of Education. I received a tremendous amount of positive feedback from most of the readers on COLlive.com. There are some readers however that seemingly failed to understand what I was attempting to convey.
My main point is: I reject having a government agency without any experience in running a yeshiva dictate our children’s educational requirements! The purpose of the government is to serve the needs of the people, not infringe on our rights to make decisions. The government has the right and obligation to step into schools in instances of abuse. Teaching a curriculum of Judaic studies does not constitute abuse.
New York parents have the right to choose how they wish to educate their children. A parent’s choice to have a full or partial day of Judaic studies for their children should remain the parent’s prerogative. If a parent wants their children to have an education dictated by the New York Board of Education, choose the free option: Public School.
My secondary point is:
A public school education often does not prepare children for success in the workplace, does not teach children to innovate, and does not teach children the skills of critical and independent thinking.
Yet, the public school standards are the basis for the proposed guidelines for Yeshiva’s and private schools?
The following data was published on the state’s Department of Education: https://www.schools.nyc.gov/about-us/reports/doe-data-at-a-glance
The 2018 results for NYC students were:
Less than half “(46.7 percent) of NYC students are proficient in English Language Arts with NYC students continuing to outpace their NYS peers in 2018. 42.7 percent of NYC students are proficient in math, narrowing the gap with NYS in 2018.”
Are we supposed to be impressed by these numbers? If this is the outcome of what the public school system offers, are we supposed to use the public schools as a model for our children’s education? Does the New York Department of Education have statistics on Yeshiva graduates that reflects a higher or lower illiteracy rate than those that graduated or dropped out of public school?
My previous letter shows that success in the workplace is not necessarily dependent on the type of education provided. Success is achieved by using our G-d given talents, abilities and strengths to pursue our passions. It is achieved by hard work blessed by G-d.
In addition to articulating my previous points, I wish to add that Yeshiva graduates, Private school graduates, and Public school graduates can each succeed or fail. Some people are blessed with higher intelligence while others are less intelligent. However, the vast majority of my Yeshiva classmates are Doctors, Nurses, Lawyers, Rabbis, Dentists, Accountants, Real Estate Developers, Financial Professionals, and Business Owners.
Lastly, Naftuli Moster of YAFFED who is championing for the Department of Education regulations to apply to the Yeshiva system, has risen to prominence despite the education he deplores.
If you have yet done so, please go to https://voice.yeshivosbychoice.org/#letterText and submit a letter. If you have already signed, please ask your family and friends to do so as well.
The deadline is tonight at 11:59 PM.
Wishing you all a happy and sweet new year,
Rabbi Chaim Rosenstein
Having standard secular education is a rule on the books for a long time The NYS chose not to enforce – probably due to a myriad of reasons, which are irrelevant to the matter at hand. You operate something you want seen as a school – it must include what the society in which you’re in calls a school. And that must include certain basic curriculum. You want to add stuff, religiously, go ahead, but no taking away what we consider basic. All arguments against this, seem to mix lies, misconceptions, misdirections, etc. and seek to protect the illegal infrastructure… Read more »
If so, let us know who you are and what position you hold.
The writer address your two points and made made a very compelling case at that.
1) Yes this about meaning of an old law. the exact interpretation of this law is quite vague. The State Education Dept is proposing a very literal meaning to this law and are soliciting for public comment.
Much to you chagrin Mr. Rosenstein made some very persuasive arguments that A literal interpretation of ” Substantial equivalence is not necessary! and can be damaging.
Please give some personal background! Where did you grow up? Which schools and high schools did you attend? Did you have a tutor? The cfo job is that family? And ps you answered your own question just because your successful it dosnt mean it works for everyone since, you may be a lot smarter then everyone else but the average students need a proper education.
There are many frum chabad day schools and high schools with english. The question is not english or no english, the question is, allowing nys to make requirements on education.
I grew up going to a high ranking public school through 12th grade. Afterwards, I got a degree magna cum laude from a respected university, and I also went to yeshiva and got semicha (rabbinical ordination). Rabbi Rosenstein makes a very good point here: the public schools are NOT a good model! The opponents of yeshiva education present it as being inferior to public education, and they speak as if the public system is the model to strive to. This is simply false! Yeshiva education serves its students better than the public system. Yeshiva is an excellent system, and DOE… Read more »
Dear Writer, I wish to be a part of great educational systems. Near and far. The possibility exists. While growing up in Crown Heights, and attending Oholai Torah had its great benefits – there is so much to improve. The basketball court has been an awesome improvement. I believe that having courses where children are educated by qualified educators (!!!), not just really really nice people – would likely have an impact on the current curriculum, AND this impact would empower children with knowledge across all the boards. There is a saying “A rising tide lifts all boats”. I can… Read more »