Opinion

Opinion: Poll finds public support for educational standards in yeshivas

A new survey shows that regulating ultra-Orthodox Jewish schools is popular in New York.

A man walks past the Yeshiva Beis Hillel of Krasna in Borough Park, Brooklyn.

A man walks past the Yeshiva Beis Hillel of Krasna in Borough Park, Brooklyn. lev radin/Shutterstock

In New York, enforcing secular educational standards in ultra-Orthodox Jewish schools, known as yeshivas, is politically difficult because of the vocal opposition from ultra-Orthodox leaders. But here’s something that should make it more politically palatable: the overwhelming majority of New Yorkers actually believe that all students deserve an education that meets basic standards. The New York State Education Department and the Board of Regents, who are currently in the process of developing new regulations, would be backed by the public if they approve strong regulations to address the rampant educational neglect in these schools, which leaves its child victims uninformed about essential subjects like biology, math and English.

YAFFED – an advocacy organization dedicated to improving secular education – commissioned a poll from Charney Research, a firm that has conducted numerous surveys in New York and around the United States, as well as in more than 45 countries, to see if data supports what we have heard time and time again: New Yorkers believe all students have the right to a basic education. On the issue of enforcing secular education in ultra-Orthodox yeshivas, it is clear that common sense prevails.

The poll finds that 84% of registered New York voters support requiring non-public schools to offer students an education in secular subjects that is “substantially equivalent” to what public schools offer, in accordance with New York state law. 

It is also notable that 93% of all New York’s registered voters, 97% of private religious school parents, and 95% of Catholics support requiring that all private school students are taught English, math, science, social studies, art and physical education. It makes perfect sense – these skills and experience are vital to finding a career or trade with a living wage, or pursuing further education. New Yorkers want all students to have the opportunity to be active, contributing, financially independent and civically-engaged members of society.

The vocal opposition from some in the ultra-Orthodox community contradicts the public’s belief that not only should substantial equivalency standards exist, but they should be strongly enforced—and that requiring up to half the length of a typical secular school day, and conducting inspections are reasonable elements of making regulations that actually achieve their stated purpose. The poll shows 76% of New Yorkers believe in requiring students in private schools to get at least 3.5 hours of secular education daily. Nearly three in five (58%) favor unannounced inspections to ensure students receive the education to which they are entitled under the law.

There still will be loud opposition to regulations from yeshivas and private school interests. There will even be accusations of religious oppression and antisemitism, even though plenty of private Catholic and Jewish day schools have long demonstrated that religious and secular studies can coexist to create a quality, well-rounded education. Despite this pushback, the state should fulfill its duty of putting an enforcement mechanism in place to ensure substantial equivalency is enforced.

This fall, as NYSED drafts regulations for the Board of Regents’ consideration, they should know the public stands with them. New Yorkers believe in developing strong regulations to ensure students in ultra-Orthodox yeshivas and in all schools across the state receive the basic education they deserve.

Naftuli Moster is the founder and executive director of YAFFED.

NEXT STORY: New MTA map goes back to the future

X
This website uses cookies to enhance user experience and to analyze performance and traffic on our website. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. Learn More / Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Accept Cookies
X
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect information. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences or your device, and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to and to provide a more personalized web experience. However, you can choose not to allow certain types of cookies, which may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings according to your preference. You cannot opt-out of our First Party Strictly Necessary Cookies as they are deployed in order to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting the cookie banner and remembering your settings, to log into your account, to redirect you when you log out, etc.). For more information about the First and Third Party Cookies used please follow this link.

Allow All Cookies

Manage Consent Preferences

Strictly Necessary Cookies - Always Active

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data, Targeting & Social Media Cookies

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, you have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. Additionally, you may contact our legal department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My Rights link

If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences.

Targeting cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.

Social media cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.

If you want to opt out of all of our lead reports and lists, please submit a privacy request at our Do Not Sell page.

Save Settings
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Cookie List

A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website – when visited by a user – asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies – which are cookies from a domain different than the domain of the website you are visiting – for our advertising and marketing efforts. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking technologies for the following purposes:

Strictly Necessary Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Functional Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Performance Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Social Media Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Targeting Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.