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YAFFED

@yaffedorg.bsky.social
116 followers 61 following 54 posts

Committed to improving education in Haredi & Hasidic yeshivas in New York. Every child has the right to a sound, basic education. www.yaffed.org

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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
May Hoffman defied her own principal to apply to college—and made it. Now she's a community organizer with YAFFED, fighting for yeshiva students still being denied basic skills, including her own brother. She's speaking out so others aren't left behind. 🔗 www.bkreader.com/local-voices...
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 30/09/2025
YAFFED Executive Director Adina Mermelstein Konikoff joined attorney Michael Rebell on The Capitol Pressroom with Dave Lombardo this afternoon to discuss the lawsuit against the Hochul administration for gutting regulations protecting nonpublic school students. capitolpressroom.org/2025/09/30/n...
capitolpressroom.org
New York sued over relaxed private school oversight
The Hochul administration is being taken to court for relaxing state laws designed to ensure private school students are receiving a basic education.
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 30/09/2025
Newsweek has an in-depth explainer on the monumental lawsuit to undo Governor Hochul’s unconstitutional rollback of education regulations, with a statement from Adina Mermelstein Konikoff and citation of findings from YAFFED’s 2025 economic report. 🔗 www.newsweek.com/orthodox-jew... @newsweek.com
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 19/09/2025
Every child has the right to learn. This lawsuit will guarantee this right – and that means reversing the disastrous dismantling of substantial equivalency by our legislative leaders. We cannot accept a law that shirks the state’s responsibility to educate kids. spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-...
spectrumlocalnews.com
N.Y. Democratic leaders sued over non-public school changes
The legal action, if successful, would undo a loosening of standards slipped into the final spending package in May.
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 22/07/2025
“The promise of affordability and equity that animates Mamdani’s platform cannot be realized without one essential ingredient: education.” - YAFFED Executive Director Adina Mermelstein Konikoff in today’s @nydailynews.com www.nydailynews.com/2025/07/22/m...
nydailynews.com
Mamdani must back yeshiva standards
New York City prides itself on being a beacon of opportunity — a city where anyone, regardless of background, can build a better life. But when our leaders turn a blind eye to educational neglect, …
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 16/07/2025
Statement from YAFFED Executive Director Adina Mermelstein Konikoff condemning an Albany Supreme Court’s temporary restraining order to halt New York State Education Department’s prior enforcement of the compulsory education law against three Brooklyn yeshivas.
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 11/07/2025
Stefanie Coyle, Deputy Director, Education Policy Center at @nyclu.org warns of Gov. Hochul and legislative leaders' political deals: "Failing to ensure that all New York kids are educated on civic participation and democratic values will further damage our democracy." www.nyclu.org/commentary/n...
nyclu.org
New York Is Letting Religious Schools off the Hook
An agreement made behind closed doors is a big win for NY yeshivas, but it will harm their students.
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 23/06/2025
New York's highest court just upheld the State Education Department's right to regulate nonpublic schools. The New York Daily News (@nydailynews.com) argues that the court didn't go far enough in granting the power to hold failing schools accountable. More here: www.nydailynews.com/2025/06/23/a...
nydailynews.com
All schools must teach the basics: N.Y. top court helps yeshiva students, even after Legislature and governor betray them
New York’s highest court made mostly the right decision in upholding the state and city’s ability to regulate religious schools and hold them accountable when they fail to provide an education in s…
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 11/06/2025
Every candidate at a recent NYC mayoral forum agreed that all children, regardless of where they go to school, should receive a sound basic education. When asked for details on how they'd hold yeshivas accountable as mayor, some of their answers told a different story. yaffed.org/nyc-mayoral-...
yaffed.org
Watch: NYC Mayoral Candidates Debate Enforcing Curriculum Requirements On Yeshivas - Yaffed
“is it time to actually resolve the issue rather than continue talking?” At a mayoral candidate forum at B’nai Jeshurun on June 8, 2025, moderator and NY1 reporter Errol Louis asked the candidates wha...
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
"It basically undoes the SED regulations...Our job as legislators is to make sure all children get the best education we can provide, [and] to ensure they can be productive members of our society." - Senator Liz Krueger spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/capital-...
spectrumlocalnews.com
State Education Department: Don't play politics with nonpublic school standards
The stricter rules for nonpublic schools were adopted in 2022.
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
"There is only a very small number of yeshivas who are struggling to meet these standards...This cannot be a political debate — we must be focused on ensuring all children are provided a sound basic education as guaranteed by our constitution.” - Senator Liz Krueger
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
"We've already empowered the State Education Department to have oversight. Obviously, we want every kid in this state to learn to read and write, especially in English, so I'm not sure why it's coming up at this time." - Assembly Member Harvey Epstein spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-...
spectrumlocalnews.com
Easing New York nonpublic school standards still on budget table
Hochul and legislative leaders will make the final decision.
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
“This appears to be an attempt by some legislators to go around our state’s courts and dismantle a law that has been in place for over a century. Access to a high-quality education for every child could be traded away as part of a political deal." - NYSED nysfocus.com/2025/04/03/n...
nysfocus.com
Bill to Loosen Education Standards Quietly Circulates in Albany
Yeshivas and other nonpublic schools face a looming deadline to prove they offer an education similar to the state’s public schools. A proposed bill would…
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
"This is not policymaking — it’s sabotage. And it’s being done at the expense of children who lack the political power to defend themselves." - David Bloomfield, Professor of education leadership, law, and policy at Brooklyn College and The CUNY Graduate Center. www.nydailynews.com/2025/04/22/y...
nydailynews.com
Yeshivas must keep teaching standards
As New York’s budget negotiations drag on, a dangerous backroom effort is underway. Being targeted are New York’s “substantial equivalency” regulations — rules that ensure private schools, includin…
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
"I think we should be making as informed a decision on this as possible...I think it's in everyone's interest, including the students and the families and yeshivas, that people receive a substantially equivalent education." - Senator Zellnor Myrie spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-...
spectrumlocalnews.com
Hochul won't rule out nonpublic school regs rollback in budget
The budget is now 25 days late
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
"[NYSED] has worked hard to bring all of New York's schools into compliance with basic standards. By countermanding that work at this late date, the governor and the Legislature are betraying education officials as well as the students they claim to care about." www.timesunion.com/opinion/arti...
timesunion.com
Editorial: Dumbing down private schools
State leaders are poised to roll back efforts to require all schools to prepare their students for life in modern civic society.
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
“Watering down this issue does not serve our children well. My hope is we all think about not a political situation, but an educational situation on behalf of all children.” - ​​Betty Rosa, Commissioner of the New York State Education Department gothamist.com/news/new-yor...
gothamist.com
Religious school reprieve from NY education standards to be included in state budget
Yeshivas and private schools would get up to seven more years to comply with education standards.
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
“It’s three-dimensional chess — with the yeshivas as just a pawn,” - David Bloomfield, Professor of education leadership, law, and policy at Brooklyn College and The CUNY Graduate Center. www.nydailynews.com/2025/05/02/n...
nydailynews.com
NY lawmakers may weaken, stall tougher educational requirements for yeshivas
New York lawmakers are brokering a deal that would delay and weaken educational requirements for religious schools — a major setback for yeshiva reform advocates.
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
"Albany is on the cusp of weakening state oversight of religious schools...that would be a shanda...If it happens, it’ll be because it got slipped into the state budget, not hashed out in an intelligent and open process. Double shanda." - NYDN Editorial Board www.nydailynews.com/2025/05/04/p...
nydailynews.com
Protect religious school oversight: Ultra-Orthodox yeshivas must met state standards
Albany, where the one true religion is political expediency, is on the cusp of weakening state oversight of religious schools, including Hasidic yeshivas where thousands of kids get scant education…
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
“If this secret, behind-the-scenes deal is, in fact, accepted by the governor, we are going to have to challenge it publicly..we will also consider bringing a constitutional litigation to oppose it.” - Michael Rebell, Executive Director, Center for Educational Equity, Columbia Teachers College
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
“We would be truly compromising the future of these young people. As the architect of education in this system, how could I possibly support that decision?” - ​​Betty Rosa, Commissioner of the New York State Education Department www.nytimes.com/2025/05/01/n...
nytimes.com
New York May Weaken Its Oversight Over Religious Schools
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
“[I am] deeply uncomfortable with what is happening here. At best we are being asked to sign off on a major policy shift at the 11th hour without any real public discussion. That happens more often than it should in Albany, but here, the future of thousands of children is at stake.”- AM Micah Lasher
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
​​“When people wonder why so many Americans have so little faith that those in elected office make decisions for the right reasons, I would point to this as a perfect example,” - Senator Liz Krueger www.nytimes.com/2025/05/08/n...
nytimes.com
Hochul, Looking to 2026, Pushed to Weaken Oversight of Religious Schools
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
At a time when children’s education is already under threat federally, Governor Hochul failed the test of leadership by weakening education oversight in New York through a budget bill negotiated in secret - against the urges of top education officials and experts, and her fellow legislators. 🧵:
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
“Although the education department has vehemently opposed weakening its regulations, the new state budget contains language that loosens restrictions for [nonpublic] schools and delays implementation for one of the pathways to compliance until the 2032-33 school year.” nysfocus.com/2025/05/09/n...
nysfocus.com
Albany’s Blueprint for Schools: Cell‑Free Halls, Looser Yeshiva…
Hochul’s budget includes $37 billion for education, but the state Education Department is slamming one policy change as “educational malpractice” and a…
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
"Systems everywhere protect themselves first. Whether it’s religious authorities or political leaders, a beis din or the New York State Legislature, the instinct is the same: preserve power, maintain control, and silence dissent." - @bweber.bsky.social www.nydailynews.com/2025/05/08/n...
nydailynews.com
N.Y. just betrayed Hasidic children
I am horrified and heartbroken. The New York State Legislature is passing a bill to dilute and delay the implementation of education standards at yeshivas and other nonpublic schools across the sta…
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
This is a direct assault on the futures of tens of thousands of Hasidic children. “When people wonder why so many Americans have so little faith that those in elected office make decisions for the right reasons, I would point to this as a perfect example" - Senator Liz Krueger tinyurl.com/mr3h3x9f
nytimes.com
Hochul, Looking to 2026, Pushed to Weaken Oversight of Religious Schools
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Alliance for Quality Education @aqeny.bsky.social · 02/05/2025
Gov Hochul is considering a budget deal that would lower education standards and weaken oversight for private schools. We’re speaking out because every student - no matter where they go to school - has the right to a full, basic education that sets them up for life actionnetwork.org/letters/tell...
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 03/05/2025
“It’s three-dimensional chess — with the yeshivas as just a pawn” - David Bloomfield, professor of education leadership, law, and policy at Brooklyn College and The CUNY Graduate Center, on lawmakers’ proposed deal to weaken education requirements on yeshivas www.nydailynews.com/2025/05/02/n...
nydailynews.com
NY lawmakers may weaken, stall tougher educational requirements for yeshivas
New York lawmakers are brokering a deal that would delay and weaken educational requirements for religious schools — a major setback for yeshiva reform advocates.
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 02/05/2025
In today's @nytimes.com: "Legislative leaders acknowledged that changes to the educational standard were being considered, but declined to provide an additional detail." Why won't our legislators divulge any details? Because they know New Yorkers would be outraged. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/02/n...
nytimes.com
How a $254 Billion Budget Deal Might Become a Battle Plan for Democrats
Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York insisted that the state budget, now a month overdue, include measures to increase public safety and lower taxes for all but the wealthy.
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 01/05/2025
“We would be truly compromising the future of these young people,” by weakening the law, State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa said. “As the architect of education in this system, how could I possibly support that decision” www.nytimes.com/2025/05/01/n...
nytimes.com
New York May Weaken Its Oversight Over Religious Schools (Gift Article)
A potential last-minute addition to the state budget would amount to a major victory for Hasidic Jewish leaders.
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 01/05/2025
Please make two phone calls TODAY before the Budget Bill passes: Gov. Hochul (518-474-8390) Sen. Stewart-Cousins (518-455-2585) Our elected leaders must STOP their assault on children's educational rights and school accountability with their budget deal to weaken nonpublic school standards.
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Reposted by YAFFED
NYCLU @nyclu.org · 29/04/2025
Weakening education standards for nonpublic schools should be a nonstarter. But the handshake deal announced by the Governor yesterday could dilute existing law and undermine every child's right to a sound education, no matter where they go to school. We must keep fighting these proposed rollbacks.
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 29/04/2025
DON'T BELIEVE HOCHUL'S BUDGET ANNOUNCEMENT! Yesterday's "handshake deal" was just a facade to cover up the ongoing effort by our state's leaders to weaken substantial equivalency laws and allow failing yeshivas to avoid requirements to teach basic subjects. Please call Governor Hochul today.
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 28/04/2025
Lawmakers continue to play politics with children's education: Gov. Kathy Hochul confirmed she is still considering making changes to the substantial equivalency law during final budget negotiations, as Kate Lisa reported over the weekend for Spectrum News. spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-...
spectrumlocalnews.com
Hochul won't rule out nonpublic school regs rollback in budget
The budget is now 25 days late
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 24/04/2025
​​​​​We need your help! Please take a moment today to make two phone calls to NYS legislative leaders as they finalize the state budget. Education is a right, not a bargaining chip to be traded away! ☎️ Speaker Carl Heastie: 518-455-3791 ☎️ Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins: 518-455-2585
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 22/04/2025
Talks of slashing education regulations "are happening quietly, far from public scrutiny - because their backers know most New Yorkers would be outraged if they understood what’s at stake." Read more from CUNY Professor David Bloomfield in today's NY Daily News 👇 www.nydailynews.com/2025/04/22/y...
nydailynews.com
Yeshivas must keep teaching standards
As New York’s budget negotiations drag on, a dangerous backroom effort is underway. Being targeted are New York’s “substantial equivalency” regulations — rules that ensure private schools, includin…
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 10/04/2025
While tens of thousands of NY students are denied their rightful basic education, shady backroom deals in Albany continue: no lawmaker will even claim ownership of a bill to weaken education standards. Every child deserves an education, and we all deserve better transparency from our legislators.
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 07/04/2025
⚠️ ACTION ALERT! ⚠️ NYS Legislators are seeking to undo requirements on nonpublic schools to provide basic instruction. ​​​​​Please take a moment to urge NYS Legislators to say "NO" to weakening oversight: Speaker Carl Heastie: 518-455-3791 Sen. Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins: 518-455-2585
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 03/04/2025
Political backroom deals shield failing schools from accountability. Lawmakers must ensure every child in New York receives the education they are legally entitled to, but every time they weaken this law or delay its deadline, they deprive students of a basic education. nysfocus.com/2025/04/03/n...
nysfocus.com
Bill to Loosen Education Standards Quietly Circulates in Albany
Yeshivas and other nonpublic schools face a looming deadline to prove they offer an education similar to the state’s public schools. A proposed bill would…
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 28/03/2025
Every child in New York has a constitutional right to a sound, basic education. We cannot let legislators trade away those rights as part of a political deal to pass this year's budget. Please call your NY State legislators and urge them to say NO to weakening oversight on schools.
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 28/03/2025
Please keep making phone calls to your State Reps! This proposed legislation "basically undoes the SED regulations that took years, and years and years to get approved and get through court", according to Senator Liz Krueger @lizkrueger.bsky.social spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/capital-...
spectrumlocalnews.com
State Education Department: Don't play politics with nonpublic school standards
The stricter rules for nonpublic schools were adopted in 2022.
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 27/03/2025
Educational rights are at risk of being dealt away as a political bargaining chip in NY State Budget negotiations. Please take a moment to urge NY legislators to say "NO" to weakening oversight on schools: Speaker Carl Heastie: 518-455-3791 Sen. Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins: 518-455-2585
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 21/03/2025
Parents of students in 3 Brooklyn yeshivas were notified this week that their children's schools will lose legal status as a school after June 2025. These 3 yeshivas have refused to engage in the ongoing process of meeting basic education standards. More at @jta.org - www.jta.org/2025/03/20/u...
jta.org
3 more New York City yeshivas lose status and funding over secular education standards - Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Parents are being told to find another school for their children for next year.
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 13/03/2025
"Like millions of New Yorkers, I received an education that was substantially funded by the state. But when I decided to go to college in my 20s, I had to teach myself basic arithmetic." - Zalman Rothschild on his Hasidic education in @washingtonpost.com www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
washingtonpost.com
Opinion | My religious education was unparalleled — and that’s the problem
What I learned — and didn’t learn — from my Hasidic education
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 27/02/2025
In @nysfocus.bsky.social, an in-depth look at the political battle for substantial equivalency enforcement in Hasidic yeshivas, the impact of educational neglect on former students, and how some yeshivas are working to fight enforcement. Read the full article here: nysfocus.com/2025/02/24/n...
nysfocus.com
New York's Ultra-Orthodox Yeshivas Challenge New State Education…
New state education rules will cut funding to private schools that can’t provide the same level of education as public schools. The ultra-Orthodox…
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
YAFFED is proud to join with 36 Jewish Justice organizations today in launching the inaugural Jewish Justice Giving Day! Your gift to our Rapid Response Fund supports our ability to pursue justice by empowering parents to stand up for the rights of their children. giving.classy.org/campaign/665...
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 25/02/2025
We're hosting a Virtual Town Hall tomorrow, February 26 at 5pm. Join us on zoom as we discuss the latest developments in our efforts to hold schools accountable for providing a sound basic education to every student. Register here: us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
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Reposted by YAFFED
Phylisa Wisdom @phylisawisdom.bsky.social · 22/02/2025
This is a huge deal. Kudos to @yaffedorg.bsky.social for your years of advocacy (and proud to have been a part of it). All kids in NY have a legal and moral right to attend a school that is culturally competent AND teaches a sound, basic education. Hopefully others see what happens when they don’t.
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YAFFED @yaffedorg.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
Adina Mermelstein Konikoff, YAFFED Executive Director, told the @nytimes.com today that we hope the NY State Education Department's enforcement serves as a wake-up call for other schools that continue to disregard essential academic standards. Read about it here 👇 www.nytimes.com/2025/02/21/n...
nytimes.com
New York Pulls Funds for 2 Yeshivas That Fail to Offer Secular Education (Gift Article)
The decision is the first time that the State Department of Education has withheld money from private Hasidic schools for not teaching sufficient math and English skills.
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