Every Child in Crown Heights Deserves to be in School

From the Anash.org Inbox: A Crown Heights parent shares the frustration of many parents who have difficulty getting their child into school and raises some possible solutions that we need to consider as a community. 

By Aba Mendelson

In recent years, a situation has emerged among some members of Anash in Crown Heights. As children and teachers say their final goodbyes at the end of the school year, certain families find themselves facing uncertainty, leading to feelings of worry and stress. While their neighbors, friends, and possibly even siblings may have a spot in school to go to next fall, there are children who won’t yet have a placement. When they reach out to the school, yearning, pleading for them to take in their child, many times they are still turned down. 

The core issue at hand seems to ultimately boil down to a lack of space. Due to the community’s growth and the increasing demand for educational placements, many schools simply cannot accommodate all the children seeking enrollment.

This situation has sparked important discussions within our community about the need for better educational access for all children. In a recent article, discussions from a meeting involving (then) prospective members of the Vaad Hakahal and local Rabbonim of Crown Heights highlighted various concerns facing the community. One of the pressing issues which were stressed by the Rabbonim was the scarcity of space within our schools for every child. The Rabbonim emphasized the community’s responsibility to ensure that every child in Crown Heights receives quality Chinuch.

From discussion of this issue with various community members, it appears that the issue of limited educational space primarily impacts girls in our community, and this issue is significantly more prevalent than many realize.

Gone are the days when individuals like Reb Itche Goldin had to canvas door-to-door to persuade parents to send their daughters to the local girls’ school. Today, the current predicament is, Boruch Hashem, quite the opposite, and the challenge revolves largely around the shortage of space, and finding enough physical space to accommodate the growing number of students.

To tackle this pressing issue effectively, we need to consider several solutions: 

One approach is for existing schools to expand their facilities, a route some local boys’ schools have recently undertaken with success.  However, this decision lies within the purview of school administrators, rather than the broader community. If expansion plans were already in motion, this article would be unnecessary.

Another viable, albeit challenging, option is for members of the Crown Heights community to establish new schools. While recognizing and acknowledging the community’s existing commitments and challenges — supporting various local and broader causes, including the fundraising efforts of Shluchim — it has become increasingly apparent that creating additional educational institutions is now a critical necessity. This step would alleviate overcrowding and ensure educational access for every single child within our community. 

Historically, new schools within our community were met with resistance. However, at this stage all parties must acknowledge that our community has KA”H grown to the point where the new schools have turned into blessings. The original schools can no longer accommodate all the children in our community, and the newer schools have created additional space, ensuring that more children have access to a quality education. 

Each year, there are families and children, within our community, who are burdened by the stress of ensuring their child has a place in school. This anxiety takes a toll on the child, the parents, and subsequently, the entire family suffers as a result.

In addition, this shortage not only creates stress for families but also hinders our ability to provide quality Chinuch for every child in our community.

Addressing this space issue is crucial to ensuring that all children have access to the education they deserve. By focusing on expanding existing facilities or establishing new schools, we can alleviate these pressures and uphold our commitment to every child’s educational needs. It is essential that we take action now to create a supportive and nurturing environment for all families in Crown Heights where every child can thrive and fulfill their potential.

As our community navigates these challenges, it is imperative that we as a community address this pressing need, in order to uphold the legacy of Crown Heights mosdos in providing chinuch for all of its children. This is because, we as a community, bear the responsibility to ensure that that no child will be left behind without a seat in school and that every child receives an exceptional Chinuch. It is therefore our collective duty, to support the expansion of existing schools or facilitate the establishment of new ones.

It is vital that we take a proactive approach and address this issue at the beginning of the year, rather than waiting until the end when time for meaningful action is limited. By raising awareness now, we can implement concrete steps to ensure that every child has a place in school. Early discussions and planning are essential for identifying solutions, whether that involves expanding existing facilities or establishing new schools. Let’s collaborate to ensure our community is prepared and that no child is left without the educational opportunities they deserve.