ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Parents cannot be required to pull their children from private schools in New York that fail to meet state-designated standards, a judge decided, striking down a key provision of rules recently passed to strengthen oversight of such schools, including those specializing in religious education.
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The ruling in a state trial court in Albany came in response to a lawsuit brought by ultra-Orthodox schools, called yeshivas, and related advocacy groups over education rules enacted last fall. Under the rules, the state’s 1,800 private and religious schools must provide an education that is “substantially equivalent” to that of a public school.
Opponents in the ultra-Orthodox community say the rules improperly target yeshivas, some of which focus intently on religious instruction with far less teaching in secular subjects such as English, math and science.
Judge Christina Ryba on Thursday rejected an argument that the state regulations were unconstitutional. But she said state officials overstepped their authority in setting penalties for schools that don’t adhere to them.
Specifically, she said education officials lack legal authority to make parents take their children out of schools that fall short of the requirements, and they don’t have the authority to order that those schools be closed.
Ryba said parents of those children could still receive required instruction in combination with sources, such as home schooling.
A co-plaintiff cheered the judge’s rejection of the “draconian penalties.”
“In striking those provisions of the regulations, the Court agreed with parents and non-public schools across New York State who opposed these regulations,” read a prepared statement from the group Parents for Educational and Religious Liberty in Schools.
It was not clear if the ruling would be appealed. An email seeking comment was sent to the state Education Department.
Just an off comment: there are many yeshivos which are not ” ultra Orthodox “
forget about the state they are dangerous, but will we continue to teach our kids nothing only kollel? what happened to the gemara that a father must teach a child an easy and clean/honest career/job?
Home schooling is required for substantial equivalency , according to this ruling . Home schooled kids are heavily regulated , unless of course you shmear the inspectors . .
Yidden fighting for less education. I must be living in a parallel universe where everything is upside down.
But is it good for the Jews?
Keep voting for the Democrats as they work to destroy you and your children.
All in all, I am beginning to think I am opposed to the whole idea of private and religious schools. I am still considering it. I may change my mind again.
CHASDEI HASHEM!!!!! The evil plans of the haters have been thwarted. big yasher koach to all the heroes who fought for our heliger yeshivos.
Major egg on the face to all those who posted here that this lawsuit would never accomplish anything.
There is a valid claim to take to the Supreme Court that requiring secular studies at all violates Religious freedom.
Certainly everyone should be able to speak and understand the language of the country and do basic addition and subtraction, yet these are not “secular”.
It remains that secular education is unnecessary and invasive; especially social studies/history and science. For all the reasons one might argue that these are “beneficial”, they would not trump Religious freedom, and one can anyway argue that no supposed benefit justifies them as compulsory. Case in point, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Amish that high school altogether cannot be required by law. Note, the SC did not rule the elementary school is required; the case was simply addressing them not providing high school education.
and what does looser moster say now?
Sorry Beatrice all your fake news and lies got you nowwhere. You come from a holy family, eniiklach of the chashm sofer, gestetners, the late Moshe riechman zt’l (who without an education built those fancy Manhatan buildings where educated people work in). Do teshuva.