From A Small Child

A really moving video by Sinai Schools, which provide a "uniquely special education" to special needs kids, talking about how they built and progressed over the decade, including integrating into regular education classrooms at Kushner schools in New Jersey, and the success of some alumni of the program as they've moved on in life. One of the feature students is the brother of a friend of ours, and another alumnus shown is a good friend of Serach's from college.

"The SINAI Schools encompass two elementary schools, three high schools and two transitional group residences for young adults. Since we operate within "host" schools, many of our children are mainstreamed for portions of the day, both academically and socially, into regular school classes and extra-curricular activities --- a powerful process whose results richly reward both student populations."

Where's My Money!?

Stories like this one Pravda Ne'eman posted have always sickened me:

A recent letter to the Chareidi blog, Yeshiva World, puts this issue in stark relief. A father of two women, both teachers in Chareidi schools, bemoans their experiences in those institutions. One daughter was promised to be paid on a "per week basis" only to be told that there are only 4 weeks in every month. Essentially, she was shortchanged by a stingy Chareidi principal who believes that there are 48 weeks in the calendar year.

The other daughter was told that she would be paid for substitute teaching. When she approached the principal for payment, she was told that the private tutoring that she was conducting in the school (at the school's request, no less) used the school's utilities (electricity for the lights, apparently) and thereby offset the salary that she had been promised.

The discussion at Yeshiva World is here, and many of the commenters are adding their own stories, although there are a handful who are decrying this public criticism of the schools. I do think there is a marked difference between these cases, which are essentially evil, and schools and yeshivos which simply cannot pay. I know of places where they try their hardest to pay on time, but for whatever reason at some time are not able to do so. [Note: I am not saying this is acceptable, merely noting it is on a different level.]

But what is most troubling in most of these cases is the lack of a written contract. I cannot understand why anyone would work without a contract, nor how any truly trustworthy institution would explain why they do not give out such contracts. The only reasons I can think of that a school would not have a contract for a teacher are because they are trying to avoid taxes or because they are not going to honor the contract (whether for legitimate reasons or not).

If you are going to be a teacher of any sort, make sure to have a written, signed contract on formal school stationary. Also, if you aren't asked to fill out either a W-2 [hopefully] or 1099 [hopefully not] form, find out why. Not paying taxes is stealing, no matter what Rav or Rebbetzin is helping to run the school. Asking for documentation is not showing a lack of trust but a sense of responsibility. I am also incredibly appalled at the games some places play to get increased government funding, moving kids into classes they are not a part of (particularly in relation to Special Education classrooms) to make it appear that they have more kids in certain classes, etc. I don't understand how the principals who are responsible for this can live with themselves knowing that they are lying, deceiving, and stealing. It's simply appalling.

Touro Busted for Fake Diplomas

(Hat tip: FrumDoc)

UPDATED: Also via FrumDoc, here's the news release from the DA's office. Pretty interesting.
UPDATE 2: Touro's statement is now at the bottom.

Oh, isn't this wonderful!? Bastards. The Times:

Touro College’s former admissions director and former computer center director and three New York City public school teachers have been indicted on charges that they took part in a scheme involving fraudulent transcripts, the Manhattan district attorney, Robert M. Morgenthau, said yesterday.

He said those defendants were among 10 people indicted in a “cash for grades scheme” in which students’ transcripts were altered and transcripts and degrees were created for people who had never attended the institution, including the three city teachers. The teachers were said to have bought falsified master’s degrees from Touro that helped in their promotion and their certification.

Wonderful. Reading through the numerous articles online, it appears that a number of the fake degrees were in special education - the same special education degree that Serach has (and FFW, and others...). The one she worked incredibly hard for, finishing with a 3.98 (?) GPA in. The one that she's using as she sees what options are available for her for next year. The one that may now be worth a whole lot less because people won't be trusting Touro, particularly that graduate school.

I HATE dishonesty. HATE it. And now, someone else's dishonesty is going to help make who knows how many people's degrees worth that much less. Idiots!

7.16.07 Statement from Touro College Regarding Manhattan District
Attorney's announcement today:

"We have not had an opportunity to review the indictment, but Touro
College has been aware of the ongoing investigation and in fact
immediately brought to the attention of the District Attorney for New
York County and all relevant government agencies the alleged
wrongdoing on the part of the Touro College employees named in the
indictment.

Touro College has cooperated fully in this investigation and provided
access to law enforcement authorities regarding this matter.

This conduct was confined to what appears to have been a betrayal of
trust by persons with responsibility for the integrity of the
record-keeping and only because we had certain controls in place were
we able to identify the wrongdoing and bring it to the attention of
law enforcement.

We continue to take all steps necessary to further ensure the
integrity of our student records."

Good for Touro for bringing it to the attention of the authorities.