Last night, the BOE turned down the bid from Bais Rivka Rochel to facilitate the former Tiny Tots program. Bais Rivka Rochel, owned by R’ Shlomo Chaim Kanarek, was the single entity to place a bid on the RFP to host the former program, in hopes of leasing the space to the State in an effort to keep the former TT children at the same location, only now under the State’s program.
After the close of the Tiny Tots program days before the new school year, many parents refused to send their children to the Linden Avenue school, which would include children from other communities.
Keeping the former program in the BRR building, was the last hope for parents of the former program, to send their chilren to the new State-funded pre-school program.
The vote required 5 approvals. Chesky Seitler, Yoni Silver and Meir Grunhut approved the lease. The bid was turned down by Irene Miccio.
Lenny Thomas agreed to approve the bid should Abe Ostreicher approve, but after Ostreicher abstained, the Board President joined Miccio in turning down the bid.
“Chesky and I have worked tirelessly to make sure this new program would get off the ground, it’s a shame and unfortunate that certain members in our Kehilla didn’t have the heart to vote for a program that undoubtedly would have benefited many in our special education community”, says BOE member Yoni Silver.
“Some on the BOE are not quite adaptive to change. However, I don’t see how there is room on the board for Kehilla members who can’t quite figure out the needs of the Kehilla as a whole”, Silver says.
Carl Fink and Isaac Zlatkin were out of town.
The board can’t say now that this can’t be done now. This was the sole solution to the problem that they caused.
What does this have to do with the State? It’s a LOCAL DISTRICT program – not a State program. Get your facts straight.
MY CHILD IS STILL NOT IN SCHOOL. What are you guys thinking playing plotics with special needs children.
Do these boe members honestly care about the children or realize the ramifications of keeping children with special needs out of school for such a long period of time? I hope they have the sense to revote on this.
Thomas was smart enough to consider the program and would have voted if Ostreicher did and those are the 2 votes that were needed – so Ostreicher – the ones is on you.
Ostreicher: do you want to have a meeting with all the parents who don’t have a school for their kids yet and find them a solution????
I have spent many sleepless nights thinking about what to do with my son who has special needs and was formerly at tt. The past few months have been total turmoil for parents in my situation as I’m sure they can all attest. I can not begin to describe the relief i felt when this solution of running the program out of the former tt building was put on the table. It was finally a viable solution that seemed to work for everyone, the children, parents and district. I don’t even know what to think anymore or who we can trust in town but all i’m bothered by now is that my child who’s already regressing because he hasn’t had all the therapy he needs, still doesn’t have a place to go. HELP!
The new board messes everything up and then blames their problems on everyone else.
why are they playing politics with my kids
This program made no sense for the children of TT. (moderated)
the new board votes yes!
I really don’t understand why this is an issue when there is a new program in place for those ,I see some parents don’t want to send their children to the new program because there will be children from other locations attending Question ~ why is that a problem ?
“After the close of the Tiny Tots program days before the new school year, many parents refused to send their children to the Linden Avenue school, which would include children from other communities.”
I am perplexed at at this
It is an absolute disgrace that the Kehilla continues to promote discrimination/segregation after what we have endured for thousands of years. The mind set of many parents who refuse to send their children to the Linden Avenue school, which would include children from other communities is absolutely appalling. The BOE has offered every special education child from the Tiny Tots program a Free and Appropriate Public Education which is required by state law. If your child is not in a school, YOU, the parents are to blame, not the BOE. If you do not want to send your children to a public school, then don’t refer them to the BOE to be evaluated for services. (Refer to the Bill of Rights regarding seperation of church and state).
As I recall, it was this Kehilla that voted these new board members in with the hopes of not increasing property taxes. The proposed “new” program completely promoted segregation which in turn would cause our taxes to go up with the amount of lawsuits filed against the district. Perhaps many of you have forgotten the lawsuit filed against the BOE by the ACLU which cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars. How noble Mr. Ostreicher is for having abstained and realizing what is actually taking place. It is horrible that everyone thinks he is the villian when in fact he is the hero.
I don’t know who wrote that comment but the truth of the matter is simply that the Linden location is not suitable for many of the special needs children that attended TT. You obviously don’t have a special needsd child or understand the real issue here. Additionally, it’s not the ‘other communities’ that would be a problem but a language barrier if all the children in Linden speak primarily spanish and those that went to tt speak english. These children have enough issues and don’t need a communication problem on top of it.
What i dont understand is why if they knew they needed 5 votes either Zlatkin flies back for this meeting or the vote gets pushed off until he returns – We voted these people on the board not to have them out of town for crucial votes –
Am I missing something here?
#11 – would u send ur kids to public schoolt where Spanish is the spoken language ?
great posts. its refreshing to see someone cut to the core of the issue
Read comment 12 over and over it makes such sense
Zlatkin would be a 4th vote, not a 5th
I can not believe an individual abstained from this issue. You really need to be kidding me.
TO #12
If certain attorneys keep yelling about potential problems and law suits then there will be law suits and of course nothing would work out.In the past when it came to Tiny Tots segregation and other issues that suited personal interests no attorneys were screaming and yelling to alert the aclu types
Whats the pshat that Ostreicher didn’t approve???!!!!!!!!!!!
Its hard for me to fathom the amount of bias I see here stated by some posting comments here. Once again I see those who think there is only one segment of the Lakewood population that matters and that the BOE should only be concerned for their needs , they in fact did the right thing here ………………..
Looks like to boe attorney is getting his way..
I vote no taxes no programs, no government, only police mainly volentary set up by locals & paid for by them.
Let everyone pay their own way.
“Out of town”
Have you ever heard of a very important bill – be it on the federal, state or local level – not being passed, because the crucial votes were simply ‘out of town’???????????????
Just remember that this website is open to the entire lakewood community so think twice before you write anything. And also remember to be dan lekaf zchus.
Apparently you don’t know the facts. My child was at Tiny Tots and if you ever visited the classrooms, you would of seen that there were hispanic and africian american children there as well.
The approval for Bais Rivka Rochel was supposed to be last Tuesday and Zlatkin rushed to Lakewood only to find out that only three other members besides him showed up and that the meeting was canceled.
Would he have known that Mr Osreicher would abstain he would have made sure to be in Lakewood even at high monetary cost to himself.
This was unexpected development to have one member of the community reject this proposal and Zlatkin feels bad he was not able to assist with his vote . Hopefully it will be approved at the next meeting.
To #6 poster,
You lament that your child is regressing and is not getting therapy but that happens to be partly your fault as well. The Tiny Tots program may not exist anymore but there is another program in place with qualified therapists as well. By keeping your child out of school and not getting therapy, because its a public school is a disgrace
TT parent, this was an emergency meeting. It’s reality when people make plans ahead of time and are out of town. It appears the BOE members who have been around for many years have caused the breakdown in the system and continue to stay on the board. Folks, we need change- wake up
If I recall didn’t Ostreicher also vote to increase the BOE budget. If he wins again next year I am putting my child in public school in Toms River.
# 7-it would behoove everyone if you were specific. I am not sure if the new board members messed up in not allowing the budget to run away again. It’s about time someone stood up for the people. I guess you were in favor of an increase for the failing schools instead of straightening out the real issues at hand in Lakewood.
When’s the next boe meeting?
Mr. Ostreicher also voted to make Lenny Thomas president !!!!!!
Mr. Ostreicher will not win in the next election.
ACTUALLY, I did send my son to the Linden school, however, it is inappropriate for him! What my son desperately needs are appropriate peers and in a school where some kids are bilingual an dthe rest are only spanish speaking, this does not help him. As a matter of fact, this is further hinders my son from “catching” up to his age appropriate level. This board messed up a program that worked and now needs to work as a unit to fix it. I am waiting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don’t accuse the board of messing up accuse the individuals that did it
This is not a segregation issue. I specifically asked the teachers if my daughter who has speech/communication issues would fit in the Linden school, and they said no. This was due to the fact that nearly all the children spoke spanish. I asked them about the African American children, as my children would benefit from them as they speak english. I was told that the ratio is nearly 9 to 1, and there are very few AA’s. I have no problem with children of other races, nor do the other parents that I spoke to. The issue is language, and this Board doesn’t seem to get that. My child needs help, and is not getting it. Her IEP designed to help communication is being violated, and they say that taxes are lowered!?!
to number 37 do YOU pay taxes.Also if all tt parents would send to linden there wouldnt be 9-1 anymore
Because Tiny Tots was the school of many parents, and now the state has said, Public school or no monies, you have long been given a choice. wHEREAS BEFORE, how many outside the Orthodox childlren were in Tiny Tots rogram, was it balanced as far as sx, age and needs?
Do you want your childlren to be able to move forward, if so, then you can select a private coool, since you refuse to send your children to a public school, where the funds are going.
If the school Board Members gave up this funding, what do you think the state would be doing or saying, with regard to the funding being offered. FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION, PUT YOUR CHILDREN IN A PRIVATE SCHOOL OR SEND THEM TO LINDEN STREET.
Yes, unfortunatlely too much. However, as I was told that the special children would be at an overall ratio of 14-4, the most we could possibly have would be 5 english speaking per class, as there would be 1 African American, 4 special needs, and 13 spanish speaking. However, that would not alleviate the problem, as the entire purpose is to integrate them with the regular children, and there would still be only 1 regular english speaking child, once again, the AA, which the parents have no problem with. It really is a sad situation, and now with no solution.
lets spend tax money on blue claws
I’m confused… if all the children from the TT program sent their kids to the Linden school, the ratio would be in their favor and there would be no issue. There are other options to Public school, it is called private school where the vast majority of the parents in this town send their kids. It is your call… we all need to make this choice. There are a number of private programs and schools that I am aware of that offer these services for kids with special needs and the tuition is very much in line with any other daycare or pre-school in town. This is really about getting free schooling and has very little to do with “special needs”.
you are right on target OUTRAGED!!!
I guess some don’t want to accept what the facts are here
and also Torah Truth says is also 100% correct.
You can’t expect to use public money for a private institution especially when its a religious based one
Just so there are no further misunderstandings about this situation… IF THIS IS TO BE BROUGHT UP AGAIN AND IS APPROVED, the location will lawfully be AN ALL INCLUSIVE PUBLIC SCHOOL for ALL QUALIFIED CHILDREN.
To 44: Perfect… now can you explain why that couldn’t be done at the Linden location? Isn’t Linden inclusive, public, for all qualified?