Wait … What?
Yes, you read right. You have heard of The War on Poverty, The War on Terror, The War on Drugs, but … The War on Education???
Former East Ramapo school board president Wieder was once accused (by Asst. Supt. Joe Farmer) of starting a war on public education
Now he has formally declared war on the NY State Education Department. This is in response to the updated guidelines on equivalency of education in non-public schools.
The Casus Belli
There is no doubt that thousands of children are getting almost no education in many yeshivas in East Ramapo and other parts of NY. The Satmar Rabbi has admitted “we all know the truth, that in our primary Torah schools for boys [before Bar Mitzvah] they studied at most an hour and a half, and in the advanced yeshivas [high schools] there were no secular studies at all”
According to the Rabbi, EDUCATION produces “criminals, who commit all sorts of violence and savagery, murder, theft, drug crimes, and so forth”, whereas NOT EDUCATING produces “beautifully ordered families”. He specifically refers to “public school students in New York City”, which appears to be a racist dog-whistle, appealing to the worst stereotypes of young people of color.
Using the Nuclear Option
What weapons will be used in this war? The Rabbi has urged his followers to “employ all connections that we have to those in places of influence” and to take aim at “the leaders of the Democratic party … to explain to them that it isn’t worth it for them. It wouldn’t pay for them to start a war” with ultra-Orthodox Jews in New York.
How You can Support Peace
Of course, you know that education does not increase crime. Quite the opposite. And our elected officials know it too. But they shouldn’t have to stand up to this onslaught alone. They need to know you have their back.