Monday, April 20, 2009

The Anti-Semites of Teaneck


Maybe I read more into it than I should, but I think I'm right on target with this one.
A member of the Teaneck orthodox community, Herb Burack,  is running for a seat on the town's Board of Education.
His kids attend(ed) yeshivot.
Therefore, he must be running to try to "screw" the public school kids. He can't possibly have their best interests in mind. He can't possibly be running because the school system as it now stands is an abhorent failure. He can't possibly be running to stem the waste of taxpayer's money.
Seems to me that the popular opinion is if you don't want to spend the exorbitant sum of $18,500 per student, you must want the schools and the students to suffer. If you don't want to pay $100,000+ for a gym teacher, then you don't have the students best interests in your heart. If you think handing out raises to teachers in the current economy is a bad idea, you must hate public school students.
This, of course, is not my opinion.
This is the drivel that's being discussed on the "Teaneck Progress" blog.
Nobody has come out and said it as bluntly as I have put it, but that's what I derive from "between the lines" of the postings I have read.
In last week's Suburbanite, there was a letter to the editor endorsing one of the other candidates. Here's what bothered me most:  "It is imperative as we continue the process of up-grading (sic) the Teaneck school system that we elect candidates that love and respect public education and will fight for the quality academic programs, athletic avenues, and social activities that our children so richly deserve."
Let me ask: Why do our children "richly deserve" athletic avenues and social activities? This is a school district, not a summer camp. If parents think their kids "richly deserve" these non-academic pursuits, let them arrange for these things at non-school hours and at their own expense, perhaps as a reward for getting good grades in school.
Well, enough is enough. 
Burack is the bitter Herb our school system needs.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

OOR - You are a true credit to the Jewish people.

esther said...

I love the title.

Anonymous said...

Herb Burach epitomizes ethnocentric Know-Nothingism. Never mind that in 6 years, he hadn't even voted in a school board election. Never mind that he hadn't been to a board meeting until after becoming a candidate -- and even then it took a while. And never mind that he's not even conversant with the details of the budget. If he's criticized for that, it just has to be "anti-semitism."

Or maybe that charge is just another case of contrived victimology looking for a pass on personal accountability.

Unknown said...

The main issue here is the same as on the national level. It is said, Republicans think government is inefficient and corrupt; Then they get elected and prove themselves right. Basically, if you don't fundamentally believe in Government doing anything good, right, or productive, you will probably not make Government any better when you yourself are running it.

I think the majority of people would argue, if your stance on public education is that it shouldn't exist (or should be a shell of it's former self), I don't see how you expect people who actually use the system to embrace your candidacy. I am not saying that this is Mr. Burach's position. I haven't had an opportunity to talk with him, and I only assume that he is not in that crowd. BUT, there are many in the Frum community who are.

I am at fault, as well. I haven't been to a BOE meeting in a long time, and I feel like I should be more involved. Hopefully I will be able to make myself more available to attend. Criticizing is the easiest job in the world, but produces nothing without action. And I suggest that anyone who has any ideas (caveat, it must be productive) in order to get the best system for the least cost (as I hope all would agree), I suggest you get involved as well.

Anonymous said...

OOR --

I'm a free speech advocate, including the right to symbolic free speech. In my view, the worst you should get for burning the American flag is a citation for air pollution. But that doesn't mean I approve of abusing or misusing the flag for personal/commercial/political purposes. I just don't think it should be punished.

So I'm asking you: Would you please take down the altered flag on this blog post? I wouldn't call it defacement...but it's still inappropriate.

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