PHOTOS: Close to 75 Tiny Tots parents protested in front of the home of BOE member Chesky Seitler late last night following the closure of the pre-school, until police were called in. The protest began about 12:00 a.m. with parents gathering at Bais Rivkah Rochel to organize the protest, in what was to be a forced and surprise meeting at Mr. Seitler’s home.
When the parents arrived however, Seitler did not open the door and neighbors began calling police for the noisy crowd growing outside his home.
“You’re not letting my kids sleep, and they have school tomorrow”, a neighbor told one of the protesters.
“Well my child doesn’t have where to go”, she answered.
Police called for several backup units, and when they 
arrived, the crowd began to disperse.
The protest ended at approximately 1:00 a.m. TLS-CCP
Updated 9:55 a.m.BOE Chesky Seitler submitted the following statement to TLS in response to last night’s protest: “While I definitely did not appreciate the way certain individuals acted last night, I understand that it comes with the territory. What bothers me though, is that 70% of those who came to protest were parents of regular ed children who need a full day day care center. While they were able to have the amenities of TT at a reduced rate due to the profit made by TT from the BOE contract, I don’t think the BOE is responsible to provide them with full day day care. If TT closed down because they can’t turn a profit from that portion of the business, why should we be held accountable? To come protest about it at 12 am is simply mind boggling!! I am beginning to believe that the organizers have personal or monetary agendas, and will stop at nothing to achieve that goal.”
Short video clip of the gathering. (Reader submitted) VIDEO REMOVED UPON REQUEST.
Update 2:20 p.m.PHOTO of the protest which took place at the office of Mr. Seitler moments ago. However, Seitler was not at his office when the parents – many with their special needs children – arrived.
“The preschool program being offered in district is not handicapped accessible” a parent standing outside the office said. “My child can’t walk up stairs or up a ramp there is no way my child can get into a trailer.”
Another parent said “It’s irrelevant who is running the program. Our children have an extremely hard time adapting to change. To change their surroundings can be a serious setback. Our child has come so far in the last few months and we feel like we are back to square one.”
Seriously? they thought anybody was going to listen to them at 12 am? What a chillul Hashem. Cut your losses and get it together…
These ppl were busy for the parents for the last couple of days non-stop, if the parents wouldn’t have buried their noses so deep into the ground they wouls’ve had alternative schoolong by ow, but it’s so much easier to protest than to do.
Two points , many people there were not parents of special ed children , they were parents of regular children who are trying to blame BOE for TT closing their regular ed program ,2) there were people with other motives also there (e. g. TT owners , heads of other special ed program , and general rabble rousers)
They should have gone to all the board members houses. Its ambarrasing what they have done!
I drove by , and was embarrassed to be a member of the Lakewood Kehilla , The protesters were banging on doors screaming derogatory names , and when the police showed up were trying to provoke the cops ( kudos to the LPD for dealing professionally with people who were acting like animals.
I spoke to a neighbors this morning and he told me over 30 children were up crying frightened by the screaming and shouting from the crowd.
What a Chilul Hashem
What a disgrace! I’m embarrassed. Is this what to do when things don’t go your way?
to embarresment:
LIAR!! It was very very peaceful
All you TT parents keep on screaming 1 day before school but in reality this was first discussed publicly at a board meeting two months ago at that point all the tiny tots parents came to complain and the board tried to work out a solution. Unfortunately TT was not able to come to an understanding with the superintendant and like it or not if you are enrolling your children for free special ed (inclusion self contained) your children become public school students under the juristiction of the public school superintendant. This was going on for two months but despite the best efforts of the board members the program had its plug pulled. Would it have been better if it happened two months ago maybe.. robably but you should have thought have that before you stopped them from closing it two months ago. But to protest in front oif someones house at 1:00 am shame on you any pity I had on you is lost.
The parents did the right thing. For 200k of local tax dollars our frum board members threw 100 special needs kids into public school. They should throw all of our board members kids out of yeshiva and they should send their kids to public school
a disgrace! this is not the torah way to express your feelings!
The comments are absurd. Yes they should not have done this. I was there it was wild they were banging on the door and screaming. To comment number 1. I tried everything I could, I went to three boe members, I went to boe meetings, I called the superintendant several times, I went to members of the township commitee. None of it helped. They had a plan and it worked. Forget about the money my child will not be able to get the appropriate group therapy she despratly needs, unless she goes to the public school.
By the way my child was not in TT she was in Ready set grow.
They didn’t throw 100 special needs kids to public school the parents enrolled 100 kids into public school and the board of ed is creating a publis school program for them in house instead of outsourcing it. If the parents don’t want public school then enroll in private school an pay for it. I am also entitled to free public school I make the choice to insteat pay for Cheder.
I agree with these Parents 100 percent the BOE should approved the Tiny Tots because now many hard working Parents had lost place for their childrens.. You people should realized that these children have no place to go now. I feel awful for them and I am also upset that BOE should be shame of themself.. They forgetting they aren’t helping local tax saver money who cares.. But children aren’t they important??? are we human or playing policital on these poor childrens??? They should read this and get the Message it totally unfair to hurt these childrens…
It was not wild it was pretty quiet actually. shame on us for not going all out!!
There are NO nurses in your children’s schools. Catapult, etc. has been shut down.
it seems like everything in Lakewood is falling apart the only thing that hasn’t allen apart is our Taxes.
We need to demand to Public Officials in Lakewood should be up or election in November as “Lakewood needs complete change”
Close to 75 parents? Maybe including the neighbors and cops.
There seems to be many posters on this board who seem to think the boe members of our kehilla are in it for themselves. They omly want what is best for us whether we agree with them or not. There are always going to be 2 sides to everything. If we keep these shenanigans up, no qualified people will take up public office.
Your choice to send to public school preschool system. The public school system provides for the students how they feel fit. The BOE is looking out for the students and taxpayers. The students can go to PS . Those are the rules you dont like it? Take what you get. dont like it? Then send to a paying private playgroup I can get you a few tel numbers if you like.
I don’t call banging and shouting and waking up neighbors peaceful , I guess you define peaceful as no one getting hurt .
get a life people, why don’t ya’ll call ready set grow or catapult , I know ya’l like free stuff but Gee whiz people , not everything goes our way, move on or oe your own daycare
I don’t believe the neighbors called the police…we the neighbors are not so selfish when others are going through such a hard situation…it is not true-it was very peaceful. CS should have just come out, no one would get violent with him they were probably just looking for answers!!
Its time for the community to GROW UP
IF I RECALL CORRECTLY IT IS VERY QUESTIONABLE TO ENROLL IN A PUBLIC HIGH SCHOL. DID R’ ELYA SVEI ZT”L OR PAST GEDOLIM ALLOW THIS (AS A GROUP)? DID ANYONE ASK THE GEDOLIM IF THIS IS OK AS A LARGE GROUP OF 100 KIDS TO ENTER THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM EVEN WITH SEPERATE FACILITY FOR THIS PROGRAM.
WHAT DID R’ SHMUEL KAMENSTZXKY SAY?
I’m sorry this is disgusting to say the least!! People become wild when things don’t go their way. You people will stop at nothing!! I have zero pity for you anymore. ZERO! Chutzpah and Chillul Hashem is what it’s called. Of course it’s all l’man Hashem right?? Chas V’Shalom your heilige children should step foot on the BLOCK of a public shool,separate or not….frum teachers or not! Guess what-wha you did last night shows my you fit just fine in public school!
You should be at the doors of the heads of TT not the BOE members. It was TT that caused this all to end so last minute. Now go back to your holes. It is YOU people who are a disgrace to your grandparents not the BOE members.
First of all TT always had non-Jewish Special Ed students in some of their classes. Stop getting caught up with “public school”. You are not entitled to free preschool – this comes from our tax dollars. STOP BEING FRUM ON YENIM’S CHESHBON. If you don’t want to send your kids to “public school” then send them somewhere else.
It seems that some parents would benefit more from there own therapy than all this tax payer funded therapy for their children.
And waking up an entire neighborhood is not “questionable”?? What did Moshe Rabbeinu say about that?! Hypocrites is what has become of this town! Vote the members so they should cut BOE spending. What do you expect that only the funds from the Hispanic…. community will be cut?! As soon as one dollar gets taken from us we yell and bang on doors!! Where were you all when the BOE budget was voted down by these same members??? That’s right,the same place I was. That’s because they were voted in by people such as myself to CUT WASTEFUL spending. If that includes your holy TT then so be it!!
To Anonymous at 9:26 am
“Just looking for answers” At what time?
I am embarrassed to live in such a (moderated) town where people resort to such horrible tactics.
I dont protest at 1 am on members doors but if these members had any care for the community they would resign. It is not about taxes its about their timing and what kind of polticians they are. They call the state in and then play dumb. If you want the program out then do it 3 months ago! I have my kids home today and need to go to work! If tt is not up to par why do u offer to take over their program in their location with their teachers!
Why is everyone screaming at the BOE members .TT could have gotten if he would have given in to a few things . (moderated)
The Boe members had nothing to do with the state coming in.There must have been an indavidual who had a personal agenda to bring in the state.
I know you are right that the banging and noise were not right. But when it come across to BOE excuess to save the Taxpayer Money is crazy. People would be happy to spend their taxes on Education instead of Public School where they don’t teach proper behavior..The BOE is very hurtful this is biggest issues.. You all forgetting the children need education not us.. Remember when you went to school this was big day for you.. Now they all find out their school shut down.. What are the children thinking about??? Anyone think of this?? I think the BOE is making a big mistake here and those who suppose work there now lost a job… Hello people if you lost a job how would you people feel?? How would you feel if you lost a right?? I agree with these parents.. They were no violence here and they were all upset that they worked hard to get their children in…Now think about if something shut down on you won’t you complain?? So NU?? Think people see how upset they are I think we should protest and walk out on School Campus today and show support to Tiny Tots issue…. I think BOE need to see our support to Tiny Tots..
When will people realize, that they can’t force the whole town to fund their business or pay for their children’s education, however special needss they are.
Almost all of Lakewood is strugling paying their own tuition & bills, & you cannot tax them for your special program. You could collect tzedokah, & those who could pay their bills & have extra after helping their own family members could chip in.
You also have a public school option that we all have if you chose not to use it so be it,but I don’t have to pick up your bill, however needy you maybe. There are a few simonim in Yoreh Deyah on Hilchos Tzedokah, there are times when they could sieze tzedakah from people, but according to my understanding this isn’t one of them.
There was no thank you for the favor that lasted so many years, but instead a protest when they stop entitlements. Now if this is hotzoas bnoi letalmudoi & you have bitochon, borrow the money & Hakodosh Boruch Hu will pay.
BTW, I don’t see why you are better then Betzalel yeshiva, Keter Torah, Or Beis Hatorah, the tzibur has as much chiyuv to them as to you. In this rescession there is no room for favors, however bad they are needed.
Only based on what i read here, I don’t know the real story.
The state pulled the funding what do you want from BOE. I have a hunch that the owners of TT are spreading disinformation. Shame.
Even if it was BOE decision if it costs the tax payer an extra 500K you can’t force the tax payer to give tzedaka to these trully unfortunate parents. If you don’t like what your getting for free pay for it and do it as you like. Maybe go demonstrate in front of the owners of TT that they should continue even though they won’t make so much money. Force them.HA!!!
To tt parent
Why do you think I should pay for your child’s day care? Where did you get this attitude from? Why should the members resign they are helping out the whole town!
To #12, You wrote that “If parents don’t want public school then enroll in private school and pay for it.” You appear so proud to have “made the choice” to send your child to the Cheder – Hooray for you, what an accomplishment! Obviously you have no idea what it is like to have a child with special needs. The Cheder would not accept a child with unresolved issues no matter what I offered to pay them. It is the hours of speech, occupational and physical therapy that I could never afford to pay without being homeless, and even then.
To: Parent at 10:11
You still have the option of sending your child to the now “in house program” What do you think the children in NY do? They have programs “in House”…. Where do you want the 4 Million to come from? Maybe check the tree on your front lawn….
i dont understand we sent to tiny tots last year this year they raised the prices i work and my wife works tiny tots was expensive so we sent our kid to a mora in the house?
ty #37 i ges #12 is a lucky guy that his pecious kid gets to go to the cheder!! you obviously dnt know from special needs!! pls keep your brilliance to yourself!
Why should my taxes pay for someone else’s day care OR therapy? I have a family member who unfortunately has to go to a psychotherapist. There are COUNTLESS people in our community that have the exact same expense. Do I expect you to pay for that expense?? Being children entitled to an education,they deserve and will get just that. Why should it be funded by LOCAL taxes which are exorbitant when it can be funded by the state???
Is Lakewood sinkimg ?, drowning? every day another situation ! why??
Chesky You are the king , for running Elmwood and the BOE and all your askanus without pay all you get are taynus from people who are looking out for their own pocket . Your neighbors support you 100% .
BTW i didnt take these pictures.
To #35 and #34 if you were a parents you would realize how much you would pain you would be going through. Now, I would like to help these parents who don’t have a place for their kids to go.. I have many people who don’t have Job who now would be willing to take kids from Tiny Tots like the regular one.. You all forgeting the Special Ed children are one who need attentions and they are purely Jewish..That what the reason they need state permisson to run it .BOE Support is very importants for the parents now all of you just realize this is the fact the state and BOE suppose to help Tiny Tots for those chidrens.. I am shocked and I do support the children..I will announce the info later today keep watching and I am making call of the people who don’t have job to see if they willing to take the cerfication of watching children until futher notice…
It is the hours of speech, occupational and physical therapy that I could never afford to pay without being homeless, and even then.
As a parent of a special needs child, I understand where you are coming from. I am certain that your district offers the services your child needs. Do you feel entitled to special services in a yeshiva environment? That is not a benefit that the government is required to provide.
I feel NOW is the time and place to THANK all members of the BOE (especially the newly elected members) for KEEPING their PROMISE to the KLAL. In a situation like THIS, most people would have folded under pressure – but B”H these guys (who don’t get paid, and volunteer so much time on OUR behalf) are doing their job, by keeping an eye on the corruption – and saving us from additional tax burdens.
Up until now, TT and others may have taken advantage of the corrupt (unsupervised) system etc and got their way causing us this huge tax burden. NOW thanks to the BOE – they have come out showing that NO MORE games, if your up to par (both on your contract price & education credentials) you will have a shot at our tax money, if not goodbye!
THANKS: FINK,SITLER,ZLATKIN, SILVER – you guys are REAL.
Stop spreading lies. TT was funded for the past five years with local tax dollars for the special needs kids. These members came in and crossed oFf tiny tots from the budget in order to get a zero increases without understanding what the program is and who it services. When they woke up and realized that they did not have the dollars to fund the program they tried to fund it thru the state grant for early childhood. The state says they can’t fund special needs kids with the grant. However if there are special needs kids mixed into a regular class then they can use part of the state grant. So the boe members were faced with a choice spend a few more local dollars and keep the program or try to create a program in the ps where they can use part of the state grant. They obviously chose to close a successful program and put the kids into the failing public schools. This is what the special needs parents are so mad. For a few dollars the boe members are playing with these kids lives
I understand that TT has a special needs program that is funded by the state, but for its regular program, in which parents pay tuition, why is that part of the school closing?
If u didn’t open the door how would u know who was there??
Never before did we have this problem….I was there as a parent last night I wasn’t screaming or yelling I just needed answers…..my wife did not go to work today…….michael I beg of you to do something……help us like you helped us in
the past……please anyone that can help please do.
Speak for yourself, don’t say everyone thinks your way – it is simply not true, the OILAM does not agree with you!!!
How about making TT a non profit organization.
Its the law that you have to fund special needs children’s education. Its not tzdokah. The boe members have to first worry about the education and then the tax dollars. That’s not what they did now.
There’s this new thing they just came out with, called “windows”. It enables you to see what’s happening outside without actually opening your door.
Weird, I know.
The special needs program was never funded by the state it was always funded by the local tax dollars, that’s the law.
The BOE is not to blame here. They have been acting accordingly trying to stop wasteful spending and saving us the taxpayers’ money. Yes I do feel sorry for the parent but Tony Tots is to blame forcing the BOE to take action. Way to go BOE keep up the good work!!!!
My child is special needs, and I really need the program to help my child. Now I’m not sure that it will. I hope he didn’t do this purposefully, but we suffer nonetheless.
Will Ready Set Grow be affected by this? Are they closing down too?
Many of you can be helpful by helping these parents find a playgroup… If anyone know people who don’t have job or lost a job here time to help Kal Yisroel to turn around let help each others. There are people are stuck with their children got no place to go.. So encourge people who don’t have job or lost job let wake up and help them out but they must be good with children that is important.. Since TT Closed down it your chance to make the different ..
What are the prospects of R’ Shloima Kanerek taking over TT’s
i think that it should be mandetory for every askan to be at least fifty years old, and to be someone with a more derech to ask from.
We love the new Boe members!!
– south side of the Lake
To #44,
One thing you don’t get, if someone is short of money for basic needs they don’t have a right to break in to the neighbours house & raid their pantry, they do have a right to knock on their door & beg.
Smae here.
That does not mean I don’t pitty the starving neighbour, who feels desperate enough to do that.
The fact that the BOE played Robbin Hood with our money, & now stopped, doesn’t make them guilty of those starving, those who played robbin Hood are thieves.
That said , how about those [ I am included] who have no children, should the municipality start paying Shadchanim & fertility doctors out of our tax dollars, for us very pittyful childless or single human beings?
I guess there are a set of rules in place, & the fact that they were rigged for so long is no reason to continue.
I do understand the pain of losing business, jobs & entitlments, but unfortunatly all of us are suffering that to some degree in these times.
Of course we must support & give tzedokah if we could afford to,but it we may not be taxed with out justification.
If we tax without rules then be fair & help those who have no children get children from your tax dollars.
How about Lakewood township paying any shadchan who makes a local residents shidduch 10K a local to a local 25K. Wouldn’t that be well spent tax dollars?
Would anyone even dream of using tax money for that? How about the pain humniliation, discrimination the singles in their 30s 40s 50s & so on feel?
While they were able to have the amenities of TT at a reduced rate due to the profit made by TT from the BOE contract, I don’t think the BOE is responsible to provide them with full day day care
I dont think $575 was a reduced rate, someone please explain!
Any parent that protested last night that did not have a child with special needs (and there were a number of you–I saw and know some of you) should be (moderated) as far as I’m concerned for “disturbing the peace.”
When I say “special needs” I do not mean a child that just needs some speech therapy or the like. I mean a real special needs child. I was not sure but after last night, I am behind the BOE 100%!
I still haven’t quite grasped the entire situation. But as far as I can tell the only motive for the newest members of the BOE – is to look out for the benefit of the entire tzibbur (save us taxes). If anyone could give me a different motive of theirs I would maybe see the other side of the story. However the motive for all others involved is obvious.
If a mob came to my house at 12:00am and pounded on my door, they would have a serious problem if the police didn’t arrive quickly. To protect my family, I would’ve taken drastic action. That’s totally uncalled for and these people should’ve been arrested for harassment and disturbing the peace. I have no sympathy for such boorish behavior.
It all boils down to if you want specail school for your kids pay for it like the rest of us.
It is my honor to consider myself a friend of a rare individual who is suffering on behalf of his trying and successfully helping his fellow jew.Very few people merit to be a sacrifice on behalf of the Klal. Lakewood is B”H not lost when we have a fellow like the beloved Chesky Seitler living in our midst who throws himself in selflessly in all situations for his felow friends.He has done so much for Coventry and iyh will always be there for us with the help of Hashem . We will always support him and should all express our boundless gratitude to him by any and all means possible.
Chesky,
There are tons more people who are behind you!
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!
Face it: Normal tax-paying G-d fearing Tea Party American citizens, don’t protest in front of people’s private homes. We protest against the government. This protest, whether right or wrong, should have taken place at the offices of the BOE.
The liberal mobs, like ACORN and Obama’s henchmen, are the ones that protest in front of people’s homes (like the AIG protests in 2009).
What is the difference between them? Simple, the second group, the ACORN people, want to instill fear in the hearts of those they protest against. They want the children to wake up frightened. Just like in third-world countries. They cannot win through dialogue, and debate, because all they want is more government and more money and more programs and benefits and more taxes. So they win through intimidation and sowing fear in the hearts of children of those they protest against. They protest against their homes.
all peolple out there who understand the chesed that that these selfless BOE members ar doing -kindly reach out to them in every way possible
Reb Chezky,
Chazak Veamotz! Don’t get intimidated by these (moderated) protesters. We stand with you 100%!
May Hashem pay you back for your askonos leshaym shomayim
The system is finally working.
The BOE, in a courageous move, understood that TT did not meet minimum requirements to care for the students. The state was looking out for the health and welfare of the children and the parents. The Administration was ready, willing, and able to take on the additional responsibility, and promised to be culturally sensitive to the needs of the children and parents.
The issue is with the ownership and management of TT. Everyone else was doing their best to remedy the situation. When it became clear that TT could not or would not rise to the occasion by providing all of the essential standards, required for funding by the state, the decision was made to save the funding and the program.
Do not think that everyone involved did not believe that there would be some that disagree. They did, however, they had the courage to pursue the best course available for the children and the parents.
These dedicated people should not be held responsible for the failure of others.
I send my best wishes and sincere THANK YOU to the state, the Administration, and the BOE, with a very special thank you to BOE board members Misters Fink Sitler, Zlatkin and Silver who all worked together for the betterment of the educational process in Lakewood.
I also compliment #46 on a very astute observation.
Bill Hobday
How can we as a tzibbur be so insensative to these hielige parents of special needs children.
do they have to bike 125 miles, make a fancy dinner, mail flyers & sell lemonade in order to raise these funds, or cant we as a tzibbur just agree to pay 100-150 more in taxes to fund this program?
where is your achrayus to your brothers?
I would beg for a bracha b4 the yom hadim from any special needs parent!!! respect them- help them- dont add salt to their wounds!
Lets not forget a superb individual ,someone that can teach all of us what ahavas yisroel means – aka Yoni Silver – who has been on the BOE before there were enough members to help out and he was there on his own for our sake.May Hashem repay him as only he can. Signed by- one of the thousands of indebted Lakewood residents.
Thank you Mr. Silver
welcome to payback the public school teachers were not given a new contract (and the raise that comes with it)and people are looking for nekama this is just the beginning
Its not just tiny tots….the public high school alternate school ( kids that are hard to manage ) closed also, those kids are being put back into population. The cuts are across the board. They laid off several para aids in June also. Its a mess across the board. Taxes keep going up so where is the money going..examine the paper trail…and maybe you’ll get answers.
Its funny how so many people are giving “dayos” without even knowing the facts
but everybody would agree 12.00 am is not the right time
why cant they make a meeting with Mr. Seitler and discuss this and figure a way out
also are all thersee really special ED, or people looking for a free ride?
mr. simple
Lots of propoganda is what this is all about. Doesn’t impress me anymore.
What a sad day for klall Yisroel.Lets hope Hashem send us a Sheleach to help out
Can’t Camp Simcha be utilized?
Its time for us in lakewood to get real be legit. Understand the real world. These parents dont understand who to blame for the failure of the tiny tots program. Its time to wake up & relize things have to be done with yashrus. We cannot always get away with cutting corners.
In the long run i think everyone will relize the boe members will do a lot of good for us.
Hershel Herskowitz for board of ed!
To #45, actually this district does not provide my child with the services he needs since the law requires that a least restrictive environment be made available. Right now the only inclusion opportunity in district is in a regular ed preschool where just about the entire student pop. is Spanish speaking. The children are not appropriate peers for an inclusion experience for my speech delayed, often unintelligible English speaking, child (complete with Yiddish phrases). Secondly, They may not be required to provide a “yeshiva” environment but they are obviously making it their business to provide a culturally and language sensitive program for children of other cultures. I sat through an orientation Monday where the presenters often forgot to translate what they were saying from Spanish back to English. It is required of the district to provide an appropriate education with appropriate inclusion/ mainstreaming opportunities for all special education children. As it stands now they cannot provide this vital service.
#85 Lets be real your not ready ready to send the ps system even if they were on american english speaking kids there.
I never postet before but after seeing this horrible fiasco.
I just want to thank the BOE members for having the guts to do whats right for the community at large. In order to lower taxes we all have to make cuts not just your neighbors. This is on TT’s head they shut down the regular program because they were greedy. Good luck to the BOE members and thanks.
why is it that the same few names always come up as running businesses on the taxpayers money?
After reading all the news regarding Tony Tots as well as the many posts, I think I now understand the disconnect. Let me start by saying that interestingly enough last night I received a call from someone doing a survey for Agudath Israel. The thrust of the questions revolved around if I though Agudah should continue to focus their attention on lobbying for more aid for private schools (in our case, Yeshivos). It then became very clear to me what the problem is and where the disconnect is. There is no question in my mind that people who are in favor of more funding for Yeshivos and for programs like TT truly believe in their cause and have the best interest of the children in their hearts. However, people who are against this type of funding have the same best interests in their hearts. Here is the difference. In a large community like NYC where the overwhelming percentage of children being educated are in the public school system and the overwhelming people paying into the system are public school parents, it makes perfect sense for the Frum community to lobby the Government to maximize what they can get out of the system that they pay into. After all, there is very little that the average Frum taxpayer gets in return for the dollars that they pay into the system. Even seniors, though they no longer use the public school system, they did at one point and their children and grandchildren still do. The Frum community never did and never will so finding ways of redirecting money that they pay into the system back to the Yeshiva makes perfect sense. It’s called Taxation with representation.
The situation in a town like Lakewood is much different and we can’t blindly replicate what is done in Boro Park, Flatbush, and Monsey. In Lakewood the overwhelming majority of the students are Yeshiva students and not public school students. The overwhelming majority of taxpayers are the Yeshiva community and not the broader community at large. By replicating the NYC system and fighting for all these services, we are not getting back dollars that would go elsewhere, we are getting back the very same dollars that we are putting in and then some. All we are doing is ballooning the budget and thereby ballooning the taxes the “we” need to pay. It is a failed strategy and one that should be reviewed by Agudah and everyone else who is acting in our name with our best interests at heart but I believe to be misguided. I welcome your comments.
I seriously don’t understand what all the fuss is about if ur child needs full time help therapy in a self contained class then he should be in the public school system like the bi y programs in brookly that work very well and if u only need certain therapies then place your child in a regular playgroup and bring them back and forth from the BOE for the therapy there’s no need for you to get free playgroup for the two hours of therapy that they receive I know its not convenient but why should the taxpayers pay for full day daycare and transportation when all u need is a few hours of therapy and for the parents of regular kids who were paying full price I can hear where you are upset to find out last minute that your kids have no place to go but you are just like parents of all the other schools in town that just closed down and you should be blaming TT owners for that not the BOE as it was they charged you way more then you should have been charged.just so that they can milk more from the BOE for the therapy kids so maybe you’ll get lucky and you will find another morah with same schedule for less money good luck
If they were in the children’s, parents and the Employee shoes they would be suffering. and they weren’t helping anyone side they are one who to blame…They should done something at right time and not wrong time..
#86 Yosef, that is not the point.I was responding to someone who questioned the legal responsibilities of the district.
#92 you are not making anyone happy here. If something like this happen to you how would you react?? Tell me?? You understand you people aren’t making any sense at all..
To 85: Understood given your explanation. There is no appropriate placement for your child. I’m sure that given the large frum population in Lakewood that there are many other parents with children who have similar disabilities to your child. Where are the other frum disabled kids in Lakewood placed if not in the public system?
Once again we get to discuss only half the picture. We all agree the town is struggling financially and that we want to lower taxes. The new BOE members say they did this to save us 200k. At the same time 45 families lost their parnassah in an instant. After the dust settles we will tally up our gains and losses. Gains 200k saved.
Losses:
Frum Children in a public school setting.
45 families lose their parnassah.
150 reg ed kids parents have to scramble to make other arrangements.
We never believed that frum BOE members could do this to us and feel betrayed.
An excellent option for parents that have to work full time is no lo0nger in existence.
Was it worth it
Did anyone ask themselves why TT decided to close?
one answer is that they actually did not make ANY profit last year.
I do feel the BOE members should resign.
Unfortunately, I agree with everything #95 said. However, don’t forget about the fact that many of these 150 parents will presumably not be able to find adequate arrangements, resulting in at least several of them losing their jobs. I already know of one mother in this position.
there is no free frum daycare the boe needs to provide special ed kids with services so 5 years ago michal insalbuch worked very hard to make tiny tots a place where frum children can integrate with other frum children and get the help they need now the board went after tt and tried to shut it down in the name of saving tax money the only prob was they did not realize (bec of there inexperience) that if they start up with the program and ask tt to match the money the boe says they can run it in house (and tt did 1.3 mil cheaper) they opened a can of worms. (moderated) said hay i can really run that tt program so she fought for it and “snitched” to the state that tt is no good (which is a fat lie) and then the state shut tt down when tt when to trenton to solve the lies the state agreed BUT NOW THEY SAID NO FUNDING FROM THE STATE ITS EXTRA, DO IT IN HOUSE. SO NOW TT GOT SCREWED ALONG WITH ALL THE PARENTS
at the end of the day the board is trying to save money but they have no clue how to.
I agree with you 100% that this was done with good intentions to try to save money. At the end of the day it most likely will cost the Lakewood Community much more than TT did. It is highly unlikely that the chronically failing PSS can get anything straight. Chalk this up to the inexperience of the new board members who mistakenly assumed that TT would give in to the threat of moving the programs in district. They should have realized that running a quality program costs serious money and TT was maybe slightly profitable. If it was a major money maker why won’t someone else take it over. But once again i am sure that the current BOE is serious about cutting wasteful spending.
This is the second time today I have asked that non-English words have a translation adjacent to the non-English word.
My first post was not printed.
What in the world does “your comment is awaiting moderation mean”?
This is the United States of America. We must communciate in one language. A prior post complained that a teacher did not translate Spanish into English simultaneously. I need to understand all of the the Orthodox vocabulary used in the comments.