Problem B: Now that Shevet Zevulun is no longer welcomed into our school system and are labeled “teens at risk,” who will help support our yeshivas in the future? With the new Class B gone, it stands to reason that our yeshiva tuition costs will have to increase!
Solution: Parents need to get more involved in school policy and administrative decisions. They need to think seriously about reinstating a Class B into our yeshiva school system. If you feel something, say something. Don’t look away because it’s not your child that is being excluded. Parents need to take a more active role in setting up a real Big Brother/Big Sister Program in their child’s school.
My daughter, Zahava, who is a teen mentor, states, “This should not be just some chesed project for seniors. It should be a real student-to-student program that reaches out to any student in need.” The school mentors should receive some type of compensation for their services. Once again, until Class B can be a part of the school curriculum, it’s crucial that parents take on the responsibility to make this Big Brother/ Big Sister program happen in their schools. If a child has been asked to leave the school because of his/her inability to keep up with the “A” track, it’s not just one family in crisis; it’s all the families of Klal Yisrael that are in crisis.
Hashem should give us wisdom, insight and knowledge – so that no child is ever left behind.
T.E.A.M. is endorsed by many prominent rabbanim. If there are any topics you would like me to discuss in future articles, or have any questions, please feel free to contact me at [email protected] or at 718-435-7388. You can also log on to CPCTEAM.org to download past articles, and for more information about the T.E.A.M. approach.
Moishe Herskowitz MS., LCSW, developed the T.E.A.M. (Torah Education & Awareness for a better Marriage) approach based on 20 successful years of counseling couples, helping them to communicate effectively and fully appreciate each other. As a licensed clinical social worker and renowned family therapist, he developed this breakthrough seminar to guide new couples through easy-to-accomplish steps toward a happy, healthy marriage. Moishe Herskowitz holds a certificate from the Brooklyn Institute for Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis in couples and marriage therapy. He is an active member of the New York Counseling Association for marriage and family counseling.
