A volatile national debate over a revolutionary educational model has struck at the heart of several Jewish communities across America. As Englewood and Teaneck, New Jersey, begin to grapple with the opening of Hebrew charter schools, Mishpacha takes an in-depth look at this phenomenon and what effect it may have on traditional yeshivos and the education of our children in those communities — and well beyond.
The adjacent Northern New Jersey cities of Englewood and Teaneck home to sizable Jewish populations are involved in a heated battle one that could have ripple effects for Jewish children across the Garden State and the nation as a whole.
Governor Chris Christie recently approved the September 2011 opening of Englewood’s “Shalom Academy” Hebrew charter school which will serve Englewood and Teaneck youngsters from the ages of kindergarten through fifth grade.
The charter school movement in the US began two decades ago seeking to offer an alternative to the lackluster public school system. The movement has grown to approximately 4000 such institutions nationwide. Charter schools receive government funding but are privately run and must abide by the basic guidelines of the nation’s public schools. Faculty and students are drawn from all races and religions. Charter schools are not allowed to offer religious instruction and perhaps most important of all from the perspective of some Jewish parents they charge no tuition.
Charter schools by nature are more autonomous than public schools and can tweak their curriculums to focus on specific subjects teaching techniques or cultural nuances provided that they fall within the general guidelines and that their curriculum plans are approved by their local board of education.
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