Monday, November 29, 2010

MO Shabbos Abbas; or, Do Jewish Day Schools Stink?

By now anyone who reads the Jewish blogs even minimally is aware of that controversial Youtube video and the ensuing debates. I was going to post on a topic somewhat related right before that video aired, but for now I will let it rest. Instead I can't resist posting a different video, which I had to keep on pausing because I was laughing so loud. Seriously, don't watch this at work. (I imagine that some viewers will alternate between laughing and crying.)


The main message is that MO families are suffering from a financial crisis, in part due to the tuition burden. There is also an accusation of kiruv deception, but this is of little interest to me from my vantage point. Furthermore, I think it detracts from the more important message of the video. (In fact, while I'm not at all a fan of kiruv deception, I think this video is itself deceptive in blaming the woes of MO BTs on kiruv deception.)
Again, anyone who reads the Jewish blogs even minimally is well aware of the so-called "tuition crisis" and the oft-debated proposal to move Orthodox kids to public schools. However, I've found that those most serious about turning to the public schools, i.e., those are willing to do so rather than comment on blogs about how it would be a great idea, are not primarily motivated by finances.
It ends up there is actually another observant child in David's class and since we transferred him to public school we've found some other former-day school parents who've made the same switch. I'm sure that for many of them finances was an important consideration--how can it not be?--, but what I find interesting is that when speaking with them none cited finances. Rather, they were all concerned with the quality of their children's former schools and they were all motivated by a desire to provide their children will the educational opportunities they felt they themselves were deprived of in the day school/yeshivah world. (This provides for an interesting implication that I won't get into now.)

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