We have previously discussed the investigation of Orthodox Jewish schools in the United States after former students were shown to be barely able to do basic English and math after being schooled primarily on religious texts. Now there is a lawsuit in Israel in which Avihay Marciano and 50 other former Orthodox students suing over their lack of basic education from an ultra-Orthodox school. What is most interesting about the lawsuit is that he is suing the government, which financially supports these schools.
Israel maintains a separate educations system — funded by public money — for the ultra-Orthodox. Critics say that the schools do little but read religious texts and that the lack of real educations is draining the country of both money and potential additions to the workplace and military. Indeed, male students only receive minimal secular studies through the seventh grade. Girls are afforded slightly more secular subjects but not enough to make them fully functional or employable in society.
These ultra Orthodox communities have also been criticized for their high procreation rates and high welfare support for men who refuse to work and simply spend their days in religious study. There has also been protection from military service.
These communities make up about 10 percent of Israel’s 8 million citizens and are expected to represent more than a quarter of the population by 2059 due to their high birth rates. That gives them tremendous political power, particularly in the Israeli system where small religious parties often control the coalition governments. Both the insularity and extreme political positions of the ultra orthodox communities are already clashing with the sizable secular population in Israel — clashes which are likely to increase in the future.
These schools crank out uneducated citizens who only know ultra Orthodox dogma and values. Now Marciano, 26, and other former students are demanding compensation so that they can be educated on basic subjects to function in society. Ultra-Orthodox leaders however have blocked every effort to reform the schools. They have even blocked a modest proposal to facilitate ultra Orthodox men serving in the military in the same way as other Israelis.
While I would prefer no public funding for religious schools, it seems like a basic and reasonable demand that any school receiving state funding should meet all of the criteria on educational standards set by the government. I would think that people who can do math can still follow ultra Orthodox beliefs. The two are not mutually exclusive skills. However, the problem is not logical but political. The lawsuit could help focus the public debate on the expectations or conditions for public funding.
Source: Yahoo
@fiver
PC is not abstinence at all, like most claims of abstinence.
Indeed secular humanism is an orgy of religious dogma infusing all facets of daily life.
Sharia for liberals.
It could be said that the goal of education everywhere is to dumb down the kids. Just ask Einstein.
To paraphrase Bill Maher: Secular humanism is a religion like abstinence is a sex position.
What, Central Planning on education doesn’t work? Must not have found just the right, really smart man or woman to run it. Parents are also a major problem. They just don’t understand the complex system of education necessary to mold these young minds. What we really need to do is publicly fund dormitories at all our public schools to eliminate any potential obstacles to the central governments ‘effective’ education strategies.
Or “The US blows!”
Depending on the day.
I just skim his polemics. They are all variations on the same theme, “The US sucks!”
“…it seems like a basic and reasonable demand that any school receiving state funding should meet all of the criteria on educational standards set by the government. ”
1. Reasonable. But it’s a modest problem at best.
Contrast this to Muslim education and you’ll see why.
“While I would prefer no public funding for religious schools…”
But secular humanism with its PC ideology and socialist dogma is also a religion, and it is a fully funded and coerced religious indoctrination in the US public school system already.
Karen, Great comment. And, raise your hand if you are tired of the lame and tedious critiques of the US from a disaffected Canadian.
Agree with Karen on this as well. If they want a religious/seminary type of education that should be in addition to a standard education and should NOT be paid for by the tax payers. Religious indoctrination is not a part of the educational system.
Basic education to learn to read, write, communicate, science, history, geography, math. Those items that make you a productive citizen and able to be self supporting.
Religious fundamentalists of any denomination should not be supported by the earnings of other citizens. If they want to have this type of supplemental education, then their own religious community should be the ones to pay for it.
In addition, if the religious nuts decide to cripple themselves by not getting any education they do NOT deserve any assistance, welfare or money from the public.
By the way karen, the terrorist act of killing a baby you refuse to condemn? http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/Video-of-far-rightists-stabbing-photos-of-dead-Palestinian-baby-shocks-Israel-438247?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
The main problems with the US system(s) of education is that they are administratively heavy which consumes and inordinate amount of funding, they are dysfunctional in that they are fragmented with no real focus and/or continuity based on research and performance, they employ teachers that are for the most part poorly trained and less enabled than they should be, etc, etc, etc.
In France, regardless of whether a child goes through the public, private, or religious systems, the curriculum is set by the federal department of education based on results, teachers are held in high regard and paid well, there is substantially little waste in infighting and administration. The French ‘bac’ or high school diploma is comparable if not higher than a student completing two years at a US university. Every student finishing HS takes the same ‘bac’. Some have the luxury of having been able to afford better conditions but all are held to the same standard. There are no ideological ingredients in the system as in the US. French professionals finish high school and then spend only one to two years in general or specific focus at a university before entering programs in medicine, law, economics, etc. In the US most students leave High School unable to do basic math and create intelligible conversations. It is typically after four years of university that the basics are acquired.
The pathetic condition in the US evolved out of the need for society’s institutions to have access to workers with a ‘High School Education’ starting in the 50’s and 60’s. Around this time employers could choose from those with and without a HS education as more and more kids were staying in school given the incomes generated by mid level post war industrial jobs which typically only required that the male parent work. As the society’s needs grew to include a greater depth of basic subjects and the sciences, the US societies became further fragmented, and federal funding became available for university education, students ‘hung around’ the hallowed halls for longer periods of time. However, hanging around was the predominant program.
Along with immigration in some cases slowing down student advancement as a class-when a HS student cannot speak English very well, the teacher must slow down and so on-and other problems a HS diploma has dropped to the level of a joke compared with the more advanced educational systems.
The US enjoys a society based on ideological but often times not practical and surely not rational themes. You won’t get Americans to look at successful paradigms for guidance, at least not until it gets much much worse.
Ban religious education until students get to college. Then, it can be an elective course as part of a larger curriculum. Grrrr.
What Karen S said.
Millions for defense but not once cent tribute to that Ultra Orthodox school.
“pass”, not “past”!
This sounds more like a seminary than a school. I agree that schools should produce students that can past tests in core competencies. Although I believe that schools here in the US should be able to prove that their graduates have a mastery of these competencies, I do not agree with all schools using the same curriculum methods, such as the questionable mathematics of Common Core.
Once again, we see an example of people abusing a benefits system, refusing to work. One often hears the criticism that those who support social welfare reform hate the poor, but the reality is that these systems provide a platform for fraud, which must be weeded out. If able bodied graduates of these schools were not supported by the government, they would have to find jobs. And if they had to find jobs, their schools would have to render them employable. And if the government required a high percentage of graduates show core competencies in order to provide funding, then the schools would improve their education if they needed that funding.
I would wait to hear what Bambam or KCFleming have to say about this before passing judgement.
Perhaps they have an insight into that we might be missing.
I suspect the Muslims are behind this.
We need to take heed. Our local state and federal governments also provide funding to relgious schools some of which are teaching the students thst the earth is 6000 years old among other things. If parents want to send their children to a relgious school they should pay full fright….no tax deductions, no vouchers and NO relgious charter schools! We also need to end tax exemptions to all religous entities.
I agree that any school getting state funding should meet certain minimum standards
The science geek
http://www.thesciencegeek.org
Suggestions from an alien: 1. Confiscate the hats (see photo). 2. Give them tests each semester. If they do not pass then take ten percent off of their social benefits for the rest of their lives. When I say “them” I refer to parents and offspring. 3. America needs to cut off aid to Israel.