I read the parental letter about their child being unable to continue in yeshivah and being welcomed in public school.
In NY, for example, there is or was a movement to stop public schools from sending kids in third grade and below out of their school. When I saw that, I agreed.
You see, in my opinion, yeshivos should spot difficulties early so children can get tested by an OT, speech pathologist, or whatever through the Board of Ed. They could make sure that a child is set up with a tutor in academics and limudei kodesh and help the child so the child isn’t dropped out completely while the child could be out of school for a three-month period to attend evaluations and form a plan of support for that child.
It should feel to the parent like the yeshivah cares about the student and the parent and can reenter with supports for the child.
For parents new to the special ed parsha, the school needs to provide, recommend, and help out proactively to support that child so they can reenter in the three or even six months that this is occurring.
Because, in truth, when you have a record, you are not wanted by other yeshivos. Personally, I have observed kids having to change schools, even far away from where they live, as a result of a problem that was fixable. It is traumatic to the child and the family.
I also wish for, like we have for kashrus for food, an agency for the health and wellness of the students—a board of retirees publicly listing the schools that use their services and writing about the support or services provided.
There needs to be accountability. Public schools are protected by laws regarding expelling students. Making kids leave school entirely for undiagnosed issues is not done in the interest of the child. It is in the interest of the school and other students, but they are doing this in the wrong way.
By the way, there are kids who misbehave because they have a vision issue that the ophthalmologist missed, which is why there are behavioral optometrists with vision therapy, for example. This is correctable, and to traumatize the child and parents over this is wrong, but this is what is being done, and there is no accountability here for the principals and menahelim who do this.
It would be nice for Rabbanim to get together to formalize a decree, since we are “above” the laws that public schools follow, outlining the process exactly for parents and schools on how expelling or even suspending a child should be done.
Why can’t we have a regulating body over yeshivos, please?
Name withheld upon request.
The views expressed in this letter are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of YWN. Have an opinion you would like to share? Send it to us for review.