Dear Editor @Matzav.com,
I write this letter with a sense of deep frustration, disappointment, and even anger over the recent school scheduling debacle that has plagued our mosdos. While I cannot speak to the situation in the NY school system, as I don’t live there, I can certainly attest to the absolute chaos that unfolded here in New Jersey due to a nearly four-week gap between the start dates of boys’ and girls’ schools, along with the inexplicable “soft openings” – another disgrace – for boys. Such a course of action is nothing short of abhorrent and utterly unacceptable.
The repercussions of this misguided scheduling decision have reverberated throughout our community, wreaking havoc on family schedules and forcing working parents into impossible dilemmas.
It’s astounding that a system that prides itself on nurturing the growth and development of our youth could be so oblivious to the tremendous strain placed on kollel yungeleit, working bnei Torah, and others who rely on stable schedules.
The financial burden of yearly tuition, summer camp tuitions, and additional pre- and post-camp programs is already daunting enough. To then add the chaos of disjointed school scheduling is an egregious slap in the face.
The excuses presented for this fiasco are not only mundane, but insulting. Blaming busing logistics and the need for teachers to relax is nothing more than a pathetic attempt to sidestep accountability.
We send our kids to private schools, with schedules that should be dictated by our own needs, not by the rigidity of public school openings.
It is shocking that our supposed leadership – communal or school-wise – has failed us so spectacularly, overlooking the very essence of our kehillos and the needs of our mishpachos.
Where is the leadership we deserve? There are substantial organizations claiming to represent our community’s interests, backed by daas Torah, yet they allowed this travesty to unfold. The financial burden and emotional strain this has placed on countless families is unconscionable.
We have been let down, plain and simple.
The “we’re in this together” branding rings hollow when the very people who claim to stand beside us are clearly out of touch with reality and abjectly failing us.
Here we are, in the 21st century, and we can’t even manage to synchronize the opening of our schools? It’s an embarrassment that we can’t address such a fundamental issue while boasting of our resilience through history’s darkest moments.
Our askanim’s focus should first and foremost be on the issues that affect the majority of frum American households. The blaring oversight of school scheduling is a glaring example of how the leadership has become detached from the real needs of our community.
Let this letter serve as a stern rebuke to those who claim to lead us. It’s time to prioritize the very issues that affect our daily lives. Enough of the excuses, the elitism, and the disconnection. We deserve better, and our children deserve better. It’s high time for accountability and a leadership that truly represents our interests.
Sincerely,
Obviously I Can’t Sign My Name. My Children Are in Shidduchim.