Editors note: A clause in the 2018 New York State budget challenges an existing law that requires private schools to provide an equivalent curriculum to public schools. This April 9 article on lohud.com written by New York State Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski explains the issue in detail.

In response, the Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation & Foundation of Rockland County issued the following statement:

Our nation is built on a foundation that all should be treated equally and fairly. The Community Relations Council believes this should apply throughout a person’s lifetime, beginning in the classroom. We are doing a disservice to children if their schools are permitted to give them less than an equal education.

New York State's educational equivalency standards were established for the purpose to help children learn and achieve, regardless of where they live, what language they speak and what religion they observe. This is something we should strive to provide, not deprive our children of.

We believe any religious or private school that takes government funding must abide by these substantially equivalent educational standards. If a school and its administrators are not meeting those standards to provide their students with sufficient instruction in writing, English science, math and other required secular subjects and are accepting taxpayers’ funds, then they must be held accountable. If those schools choose to deprive their students of an education that will prepare them to function and provide for themselves in this world, then they should not receive government funding.