Hebrew Charter School - legitimate use of taxpayer money?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Ok, so I have a question for you guys. This is not something on which I've formed an opinion (yet).

Here's the scenario:

K-8 charter school. Taxpayer funded. Enrollment will be by lottery, lottery open to all students within the district. If there aren't enough lottery applicants from within the district, the lottery will be opened up to outside-the-district students as well.

The school claims they will provide an educational experience that includes "immersion" into Hebrew as a second language. No other second languages will be offered. In addition to providing an education that conforms to New Jersey state mandated curricular standards, they are also claiming to give their students an appreciation of Jewish culture. They claim they will do so without use of any religious texts - secular texts only. The state of NJ has approved this charter school so I am sure some due diligence has already been put in to ensure that this school not breach the separation of church and state. The school itself has gone out of its way to say that it wants a staff and student population that represents the diversity of the district in which it will lie. This means the staff will have to be very diverse.

One detail that I don't quite understand is this: the school claims they will have one English-speaking and one Hebrew-speaking teacher in every class. If Hebrew is only to be taught as a second language, why is this necessary?

So what do you think about this? A legitimate use of taxpayer money? Or a religious school pretending to not be a religious school to get funded by the taxpayer?

Edited March 15, 2010 by w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r

[scandal 951]

Got a link to the school?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Got a link to the school?

http://tinyurl.com/yl85kry

[Dan J 277]

How many people outside of Jewish communities speak Hebrew?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

How many people outside of Jewish communities speak Hebrew?

Hell, how many people within the Jewish community speak Hebrew?

But that's not really the point. They will be teaching Hebrew as a second language using secular texts. If you already knew it, you don't need to be there.

[scandal 951]

I just read through their FAQ http://www.hatikvahcharterschool.com/FAQ.html

My guess is that they're hoping that very few non-Jews will apply to the school either from within the District or outside of it. It seems like an innovative way to operate a Jewish school with full public funding. I'm not sure what to make of this. If it sets a precedent, I imagine other communities will try it as well.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Since 90% of school funding comes from the local community, then it should be up to the local community to decide. As far as being "indoctrinated", religious, or to "appreciate" the Jewish culture, we indoctrinate the public school kids to be good tree hugging white male hating socialists, so I don't really see the difference.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

My guess is that they're hoping that very few non-Jews will apply to the school either from within the District or outside of it.

That has occurred to me as well. But I will tell you, they are very active right now in promoting themselves in the community as a school that will foster intercultural understanding. They're going out of their way to talk to non-Jewish parents and non-Jewish teachers for recruitment purposes. It's all very confusing.

Since 90% of school funding comes from the local community, then it should be up to the local community to decide.

That's not quite how it works. Charter school applications are approved by the state and not by the public school district. FWIW - the public school district in question is very upset at this charter school and is planning a legal challenge.

[Dan J 277]

That has occurred to me as well. But I will tell you, they are very active right now in promoting themselves in the community as a school that will foster intercultural understanding. They're going out of their way to talk to non-Jewish parents and non-Jewish teachers for recruitment purposes. It's all very confusing.

I think they have to. If anything to create the illusion that they are not a religious school. But when it comes down to it, Hebrew is not going to be as useful as Spanish or Mandarin would be and they will probably attract very few if any non-jewish students.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

That has occurred to me as well. But I will tell you, they are very active right now in promoting themselves in the community as a school that will foster intercultural understanding. They're going out of their way to talk to non-Jewish parents and non-Jewish teachers for recruitment purposes. It's all very confusing.

That's not quite how it works. Charter school applications are approved by the state and not by the public school district. FWIW - the public school district in question is very upset at this charter school and is planning a legal challenge.

If that is case, the proposed school has a problem, and that could be the reason for canvassing support within the community.

Edited March 15, 2010 by ##########

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

The problem is, as always, federal government participation in education. This is a New Jersey issue. or would be, if the federal governmenthadn't confiscated money from New Jersey residents and then hold them hostage to get their money back and make them comply with federal guidelines which have almost nothing to do with education. I could not possibly care less what people in New Jersey spend their tax dollars on, I do not live there, my children are not educated there, I do not wish to tell the people of New Jersey what to do with their money.

So, here is the solution...

Disband the federal Department of Education. Reduce taxes by the amount consumed by the worthless Department of Education to the people of the states. Let the people of the states decide how they will use their money for education.

If the US government wants to promote education, they can so by...

1. Denying Federal highway funds to any state that issues a drivers license to anyone under age 21 that is not a high school graduate or enrolled in high school or college

2. Deny federal Means Tested benefits (welfare, medicaid, food stamps, housing subsidy etc.) to ANYONE who does not have a high school diploma or is not enrolled in high school or college

3. Disqualify from any Federal position any person who does not have a high school diploma, GED or is enrolled in high school or college

Otherwise....stay the #### out of my childrens's education you f*cking @ssholes!

[scandal 951]

Well isn't that special.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

How about Arabic charter schools? Apparently they exist - I didn't know until a few minutes ago - and are doing quite well.

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070916/NEWS04/709160331/-1/NEWS

[Dan J 277]

How about Arabic charter schools? Apparently they exist - I didn't know until a few minutes ago - and are doing quite well.

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070916/NEWS04/709160331/-1/NEWS

Unfortunately its going to suffer the same issues with being tied to a particular religion. However, as a language Arabic is much more common.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

The problem is, as always, federal government participation in education.

No, not really. I'm not even certain there is a problem. If there was a problem, it would be a purposeful circumventing of the separation between church and state by this school. If that was the problem, it would also raise the strong possibility that bureaucrats in the state capital approved this charter school's application for reasons other than the application's merit.

That all said, I'm still unconvinced there is a problem.