Illegal Jewish schools: DoE 'covered up' abuse and disappearance of pupils

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Illegal Jewish schools: DoE 'covered up' abuse and disappearance of pupils

By Joe Gamp

April 3, 2016 15:11 BST

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Members of the Jewish community in Stamford Hill

Members of the Jewish community in Stamford HillGetty Images

The Department of Education (DoE) has been accused of "covering up" evidence that over 1,000 pupils, reported missing at school, were actually being educated at illegal faith establishments.

The Independent, on 3 April, published an investigation in which they suggest that thousands of pupils unaccounted for in mainstream education had been moved to illegal Jewish schools operating in the London borough of Hackney.

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The report states that more than 1,000 boys had been placed in ultra-Orthodox Jewish faith schools from as young as the age of 13, where their main education is received through studying religious texts. It claimed the pupils leave with little or no ability to speak English and few qualifications that will help them prepare for later life.

The report also says that the illegal schools known to be linked to Haredi followers of Orthodox Judaism faith have been able to operate in the area for over 40 years, apparently with no government intervention, despite laws making the running of a non-registered school a criminal offence. The schools have also been accused of physical violence and sexual abuse of children, alleged to have taken place inside the schools. Schools that are not registered are deemed illegal by education authorities.

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Jewish schoolchildren school

Thousands of Jewish children are said to have been 'disappeared' from the education system (file photo)Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

A redacted 'Action of Note' of a meeting between representatives from the DoE and Hackney Learning Trust ( a private company within Hackney Council's Children and Young People's Service) reveals that both bodies had reportedly been aware for at least six years.

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At a meeting in May 2010, the issue of ultra-Orthodox Jewish schools operating illegally in Hackney as separatist 'Haredi' schools was raised. The trust's own Action of Note' for the meeting records authorities admitting they destroyed evidence of the abuse at the request of Jewish schools.

The Independent claims, despite the meeting's Action of Note revealing both bodies being aware of the issue as far back as 2010, that no action had been successfully placed in order to protect the children.

On 21 March, the BBC reported that although the DoE is working with the schools regulatory body, Ofsted, to shut the centres down, some of the illegal schools are registered as charities, which gives them an advantaged tax status.

An unnamed ex-student of an illegal Haredi school now in his 20s and living outside the community told BBC's Newsnight: "I'm starting to study for my GCSEs. I'm maybe like an eight-year-old, nine-year-old [educationally]. That's my level of education."

Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain, chair of the Accord Coalition (a body that promotes inclusive education curriculums), told The Independent: "There has long been an open secret in the Jewish world that ultra-Orthodox schools have been operating in Hackney and are not registered with the Department of Education. In essence, they are illegal schools, but authorities appear to be turning a blind eye.

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/illegal-jewish-schools-doe-covered-abuse-disappearance-pupils-1552902?utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=yahoo_news&utm_campaign=rss&utm_content=/rss/yahoous