A New York Supreme Court judge ordered the city’s Department of Education to wrap up its investigation into a woman’s claims that a Brooklyn yeshiva had failed to provide her son with a sound, basic education.
The state Education Department was similarly ordered to issue a determination on the merits of a case brought by Beatrice Weber, a parent of a yeshiva student, after Commissioner Betty Rosa initially dismissed her petition in April 2021. Both agencies have been ordered to conclude their duties within four months.
“Regardless of delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the investigative process utilized by the City Respondents, it is the State Respondents’ legal responsibility to ensure compliance with the compulsory education law,” the order from Justice Adam Silverman reads.
“While there are no other cases explaining what a reasonable amount of time for such an investigation may be, this court finds it unreasonable to still not have a determination on the merits, let alone a completed investigation regarding allegations made in September of 2019 when it is now June of 2022,” the decision continues.
The decision to compel the city and state agencies to act was lauded by advocates who have been pushing to ensure that private, religious schools instruct students in secular subjects required by the state.
“The court's ruling should send a clear message to the NYC DOE that it is their responsibility to conclude their investigations into non-compliant yeshivas in a timely fashion,” said Naftuli Moster, the head of Young Advocates for Fair Education — a group pressing for more rigorous secular education standards in schools.
A DOE investigation in 2019 found only two out of 28 yeshivas investigated in New York City were providing students with an education that was “substantially equivalent” to instruction offered in secular public schools.
“We are evaluating the decision and awaiting completion of the investigation by NYCDOE,” said Emily DeSantis, a spokesperson for the State Education Department.
Spokespeople for the city’s education agency and law department did not immediately provide comment.
