The haredi-controlled scandal-plagued East Ramapo school district is
reportedly suing the New York State Department of Education. The
district's suit claims that the district's controversial practice of
assigning haredi and Orthodox students with disabilities to private
out-of-district Yiddish-speaking programs at yeshiva schools is kosher –
even though in-district public school placements are available.
East Ramapo school board president Daniel Schwartz
Scandal-Plagued Haredi-Controlled School Board Sues NY State Over Special Ed Yeshiva Placements
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
The haredi-controlled scandal-plagued East Ramapo school district is reportedly suing the New York State Department of Education. The district's suit claims that the district's controversial practice of assigning haredi and Orthodox students with disabilities to private out-of-district Yiddish-speaking programs at yeshiva schools is kosher – even though in-district public school placements are available.
The suit was filed ten days ago in federal court, and was first reported by the Journal News last night.
The district claims that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) permits its practice of having one representative of the district settle disputes with parents who challenge public school placements of their children by the district’s Committee on Special Education.
In East Ramapo, that lone individual is an Orthodox Jew who allegedly essentially allows every haredi parent who objects to public school placement of their disabled child to send that child to a yeshiva program instead at district expense.
The district claims that IDEA gives it, “broad discretion to fashion mutually agreeable settlements” with parents who challenge public school placements for their disabled children.
East Ramapo is demanding the state pay its attorney fees. It also wants the court to validate its understanding of IDEA.
The New York State Department of Education officials has repeatedly warned East Ramapo that its handling of these placements violates both federal and state laws.
East Ramapo’s lawsuit also claims that if the district follows the state’s wishes it would violate the law and “incur a financial burden it cannot afford.” On the other hand, the suit claims that if the district refuses to obey the state, it risks state penalties.
East Ramapo school board members – all but one of whom is either haredi or Orthodox and do not have any children in district public schools – have long been accused of illegally funneling money and resources to yeshivas. The district is also millions of dollars in debt. Even so, the haredi-dominated school board and the district’s paid administration hired attorneys to represent them that in some cases cost $650 per hour. The board reportedly claims that $2 million of the district’s estimated $9 million deficit come from those legal fees alone.
Approximately 2,000 students in the district are classified as special-ed each year.
A significant number of haredi children are thought to be diagnosed with learning disabilities when children with the same profiles who are not haredi are not.
Special education students merit much more funding from school districts than regular heder and yeshiva students do. The latter’s schools primarily receive government funds for busing assistance and for secular textbooks, while the yeshivas that enroll special education students in their own special education programs – like the one in nearby Kiryas Joel used by East Ramapo –receive thousands of dollars per enrolled student every year.