One day after a Department of Investigation inquiry revealed that in 2017, the Mayor had delayed the release of an interim report into the quality of the education received by Ultra-Orthodox Yeshivas students in exchange for the Legislature extending his control over the public schools, the NYC Department of Education finally released its letter to the State Education Department, summarizing the results of its long-awaited investigation into ultra-orthodox Yeshivas.
Even as the DOE letter reported that only two of 28 Yeshivas they visited provided anywhere near a substantially equivalent education compliant with state law, as found via pre-announced visits that ended last spring, they also soft-pedaled the results, with the Chancellor writing that, "The DOE recognizes and applauds the significant progress made as a result of the proactive steps many schools have taken. The DOE is committed to working collaboratively with the schools to assist them as they continue on the path of providing improved instruction." More on the letter from the Forward, Gothamist and Politico.
In response, Yaffed held a well-attended press conference this morning. Here is a story about today's presser from the Daily News.
Abbreviated excerpts of the points made are below in the form of tweets; first from Naftuli Moster, Executive Director of Yaffed, who organized the formal complaint of Yeshiva graduates issued four years ago and has been pressing the state and the city to take action ever since.
Then David Bloomfield, professor of education policy and law at Brooklyn College, who maintains that by interfering in the Yeshiva investigation the mayor himself violated the law, as well as important support expressed for the city and the state to take strong and immediate action, expressed by State Senator Robert Jackson, former Manhattan Borough President Ruth Messenger, and Beatrice Weber, a mom and a grandmother, who is suing the DOE and the Yeshiva that her son attends for educational neglect.
I spoke briefly about the fact that though it is nearly 2020, it is shameful how thousands of NYC children are still receiving schooling that was basically designed in the middle ages - with high school students consigned to study the Talmud 12 hours a day, with no instruction in English, math, social studies or science -- and with the mayor refusing to take steps to address this for the most selfish of political reasons.
Below the tweets are the full, powerful statements Naftuli and Ms. Weber made at the presser.
Even as the DOE letter reported that only two of 28 Yeshivas they visited provided anywhere near a substantially equivalent education compliant with state law, as found via pre-announced visits that ended last spring, they also soft-pedaled the results, with the Chancellor writing that, "The DOE recognizes and applauds the significant progress made as a result of the proactive steps many schools have taken. The DOE is committed to working collaboratively with the schools to assist them as they continue on the path of providing improved instruction." More on the letter from the Forward, Gothamist and Politico.
In response, Yaffed held a well-attended press conference this morning. Here is a story about today's presser from the Daily News.
Abbreviated excerpts of the points made are below in the form of tweets; first from Naftuli Moster, Executive Director of Yaffed, who organized the formal complaint of Yeshiva graduates issued four years ago and has been pressing the state and the city to take action ever since.
Then David Bloomfield, professor of education policy and law at Brooklyn College, who maintains that by interfering in the Yeshiva investigation the mayor himself violated the law, as well as important support expressed for the city and the state to take strong and immediate action, expressed by State Senator Robert Jackson, former Manhattan Borough President Ruth Messenger, and Beatrice Weber, a mom and a grandmother, who is suing the DOE and the Yeshiva that her son attends for educational neglect.
I spoke briefly about the fact that though it is nearly 2020, it is shameful how thousands of NYC children are still receiving schooling that was basically designed in the middle ages - with high school students consigned to study the Talmud 12 hours a day, with no instruction in English, math, social studies or science -- and with the mayor refusing to take steps to address this for the most selfish of political reasons.
Below the tweets are the full, powerful statements Naftuli and Ms. Weber made at the presser.
Good media turnout for @yaffedorg press conference pic.twitter.com/SEpwITDJ6n— leonie haimson (@leoniehaimson) December 23, 2019
— leonie haimson (@leoniehaimson) December 23, 2019
Naftuli Moster recounts long trail of political deal-making and cover-ups led by @NYCMayor that delayed real investigations into sub-par education of Yeshiva students & how pre-announced visits of DOE led to superficial improvements cc @yaffedorg pic.twitter.com/jL1WUE7PIZ— leonie haimson (@leoniehaimson) December 23, 2019
.@BloomfieldDavid says there was illegal collusion between @NYCMayor & Yeshiva leaders. It’s time for action & it’s time for NYS to step in @yaffedorg pic.twitter.com/pbyqQuU1so— leonie haimson (@leoniehaimson) December 23, 2019
.@RJackson_NYC here to say when it comes to children I will fight for their rights. And if Yeshivas don’t follow the law public funds should be denied them. pic.twitter.com/JXijdJjC02— leonie haimson (@leoniehaimson) December 23, 2019
Ruth Messenger says it’s Hannukah which means light and we must shed light on this denial of children’s rights . Four years is too slow for all these children denied their basic human rights pic.twitter.com/pbrBGfueDq— leonie haimson (@leoniehaimson) December 23, 2019
As a mother and grandmother of boys receiving an inferior education in Yeshivas - she saw how her older sons as adults couldn’t attend college or get the job he wants. So she sued on behalf of her youngest son. Her son’s school wasn’t even mentioned in the DOE report. pic.twitter.com/j8lWwoP2nC— leonie haimson (@leoniehaimson) December 23, 2019
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