This story broke tonight as I started to wind down my day. The Kansas City School Board votes 5-4 to shut down 29 or 61 schools. There will be massive job loss too as 700 of 3000 positions, including 285 teachers, will be eliminated. As the superintendent explained, they have used their reserves and they no longer will be receiving desegregation funding. The district believed that by 2011 they would be in the red and something had to be done.
It must have taken a lot of bravery on the part of those 5 board members to vote for such a dramatic change, despite its total necessity. I'm not sure what is Orthonomic about this post. But I'm just trying to comprehend this collapse. Talk about a changing landscape. Sure, nearly half the students have switched to other schools, including charter schools. But talk about a changed landscape.
Update (Hat Tip: Ari): Read this Cato Institute Policy report on the school district. Anyone interested in education issues will find the report horrifying and fascinating.l
Showing posts with label News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label News. Show all posts
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Monday, June 15, 2009
Good News!
I like positive news and it seems that today there is some! The Va'ad of Queens has informed a Pita Shop that a pedophile who plead guilty to molesting a boy that frequented the store, may not return to work and must terminate all ownership in the bakery.
Only VIN commentors will concern themselves about his parnasah prospects in a show of misplaced compassion. VIN commentors never cease to amaze. Some even criticized Von Brunn's son for not having proper kibud av. My word! Of course, nothing is new under the sun as misplaced compassion is a theme we are introduced to as a people in Tanach.
I think the rest of us can just smile about the news and this show of moral clarity and commonsense. Let's hope this is a sign of good things to come.
I like positive news and it seems that today there is some! The Va'ad of Queens has informed a Pita Shop that a pedophile who plead guilty to molesting a boy that frequented the store, may not return to work and must terminate all ownership in the bakery.
Only VIN commentors will concern themselves about his parnasah prospects in a show of misplaced compassion. VIN commentors never cease to amaze. Some even criticized Von Brunn's son for not having proper kibud av. My word! Of course, nothing is new under the sun as misplaced compassion is a theme we are introduced to as a people in Tanach.
I think the rest of us can just smile about the news and this show of moral clarity and commonsense. Let's hope this is a sign of good things to come.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Taxpayers are going to be none to happy about this story, and as a Jew the entire episode is simply nauseating.
A "frum" scam artist flees the US while out on a quarter million dollar bail, while his brother is sentenced to 3.5-10.5 years in jail. After 20 years on the run and serving out another sentence for future theft in Brazil, he is returned to the US and has been awaiting trial. (See news report from 2008).
Unable to secure bail for obvious reasons, he has been sitting in the Manhattan Detention Center. (NY Post Story) Somehow the man was able to get the chaplain Rabbi and an Imam to sign off on a behind bars Bar Mitzvah, complete with a kosher caterer, known singer Yaakov Schweky, Rabbonim (thankfully, no names have been released). Guards were paid overtime. Anyone who knows about prison security standards can only wonder how this happened under those responsible for prison security (knives and cell phones being two of the reported breaches). After the Bar Mitzvah, he held a vort in the same "hall."
Where has judgement gone? This is a shocking story. Those who allowed the party certainly knew that word could get out. The security breaches no doubt could end up with a repeat of a
Where has busha gone? The arrogance is astounding. Who in the world would think of requesting to host a catered Bar Mitzvah complete with Yakov Schweky in prison. When I saw this story, I honestly thought it was a joke.
I'm just left feeling sick to my stomach. I guess the saving grace is that the affair was peaceful.
And when stories like this get splashed all over the news, it is no wonder parents have a difficult time raising children where crime seems to not carry much consequence because the party goes on.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Is There a Such Thing as Too Many?
If you haven't heard, a story hit the news earlier last week about a California woman who gave birth to Octuplets after only expecting seven. She asked for privacy, but more details have continued to leak including the following:
* The mother is 33 years old.
* She has six other children ages 7, 6,5, 3, and 2 year old twins, bringing the total number of children to 14 all 7 years and younger.
* One of the children is autistic.
* She declared bankruptcy earlier this year.
* She is unmarried. (It is unclear how she became a fertility patient and what methods of fertility treatments were used as the only information that is known to this point is based on the grandmother's statements).
* The grandmother isn't particularly supportive of her child's choices, but didn't want to kick her out as the grandmother's therapist recommended.
* She lives with her parents in a home, reported to be no larger than 1500 square feet.
* Her father is going back to Iraq to help "support" the children (me thinks he may have other reasons for wanting to leave the home).
* She has a degree in child development.
I've been accused of being 'chicken' when it comes to addressing the topics relating to large family. I was accused of this in the comments of a "Guest Post: The Real Subject We Can't Talk About." I'm hoping to get a little braver by using this ridiculous story as a starting point for some more frank discussion. Since the mother/family involved in this story is not Jewish, it is a little easier to be frank since they don't live next door.
So here is my still wimpy start to a discussion about family size and finances:
*Is there a such thing as too many children?
*Is there a such thing too many children too close together?
*Is there a such thing as not being able to afford to have children?
*Is the household situation ever bad enough to preclude having children? (I.e. marriage on the rocks, too much dependence on outside help including grandparents).
*Is there a such thing as too many children living in too small of a place?
*Is it a good idea to have more children when the demands of existing children are high (special needs, autism, downs syndrome)?
*Is it appropriate to continue to have children if going on welfare programs is the only real solution to feeding them?
My own answers are perhaps and/or yes to every single question. I love seeing large families that really have it together. But this story is so problematic, "mazal tov" isn't the response I'm having. And judging from the comments on this story all over the web, I don't think there is a taxpayer in the completely broke State of California that is screaming out "mazal tov" either. The only group that seems to think the story is cute in any way shape or form are those commenting at VIN and at Imamother who are still mad at Nancy Pelosi for her comments on contraception and reducing costs to the government. (I might completely disagree with her approach, but she is correct that the US and State governments are drowning under the weight of social programs).
Take this thread wherever you want to. I'm hoping my next few posts will be on the subject of DEPENDENCY. Unfortunately, the frum community has one again made their mark in the news in a story about welfare.
If you haven't heard, a story hit the news earlier last week about a California woman who gave birth to Octuplets after only expecting seven. She asked for privacy, but more details have continued to leak including the following:
* The mother is 33 years old.
* She has six other children ages 7, 6,5, 3, and 2 year old twins, bringing the total number of children to 14 all 7 years and younger.
* One of the children is autistic.
* She declared bankruptcy earlier this year.
* She is unmarried. (It is unclear how she became a fertility patient and what methods of fertility treatments were used as the only information that is known to this point is based on the grandmother's statements).
* The grandmother isn't particularly supportive of her child's choices, but didn't want to kick her out as the grandmother's therapist recommended.
* She lives with her parents in a home, reported to be no larger than 1500 square feet.
* Her father is going back to Iraq to help "support" the children (me thinks he may have other reasons for wanting to leave the home).
* She has a degree in child development.
I've been accused of being 'chicken' when it comes to addressing the topics relating to large family. I was accused of this in the comments of a "Guest Post: The Real Subject We Can't Talk About." I'm hoping to get a little braver by using this ridiculous story as a starting point for some more frank discussion. Since the mother/family involved in this story is not Jewish, it is a little easier to be frank since they don't live next door.
So here is my still wimpy start to a discussion about family size and finances:
*Is there a such thing as too many children?
*Is there a such thing too many children too close together?
*Is there a such thing as not being able to afford to have children?
*Is the household situation ever bad enough to preclude having children? (I.e. marriage on the rocks, too much dependence on outside help including grandparents).
*Is there a such thing as too many children living in too small of a place?
*Is it a good idea to have more children when the demands of existing children are high (special needs, autism, downs syndrome)?
*Is it appropriate to continue to have children if going on welfare programs is the only real solution to feeding them?
My own answers are perhaps and/or yes to every single question. I love seeing large families that really have it together. But this story is so problematic, "mazal tov" isn't the response I'm having. And judging from the comments on this story all over the web, I don't think there is a taxpayer in the completely broke State of California that is screaming out "mazal tov" either. The only group that seems to think the story is cute in any way shape or form are those commenting at VIN and at Imamother who are still mad at Nancy Pelosi for her comments on contraception and reducing costs to the government. (I might completely disagree with her approach, but she is correct that the US and State governments are drowning under the weight of social programs).
Take this thread wherever you want to. I'm hoping my next few posts will be on the subject of DEPENDENCY. Unfortunately, the frum community has one again made their mark in the news in a story about welfare.
Monday, August 11, 2008
More Bad News
I already reported the terrible car accident in a Catskills bungalow colony where a teenager crashed a car, thankfully hurting no one in his path, not even himself. Alcohol was involved.
Last week I heard about a terrible accident early Friday morning, where a teenage passenger's life was put on the line. Sadly, he passed away on Shabbat and the levaya was on Tisha B'Av no less. Alcohol was involved. All parties had been drinking.
Newsweek enraged many Orthodox commentors (see YWN and VIN) when they reported on the former accident and asked if there is a growing alcohol abuse problem. I was also informed by a reader that a 28 year old Queens girls passed away during the 9 days from a drug overdose, and I know of another family whose child overdosed and passed on. Heartbreaking.
Personally, I do not know how large the substance abuse issues are in the Orthodox community. None of us have any scientific means to access the problem. Unless there are studies, we can only listen to those who speak out, compare to our own experiences, and listen to our instincts. No matter how you cut it, the news doesn't look too good. My instinct tells me the problem is larger than we care to admit. I've made it into my 30's not knowing a single classmate from my (public) high school who has died in a drunk driving accident or drug overdose, so I am feeling rather bombarded as the period of the 3 weeks comes to a close.
Yet even as these tragedies come to light, an editorial decrying the Anti-Hareidi bias (the writer is reflecting on a story in which a family left one of their 5 children behind in an airport while flying to Paris, not knowing the child was missing until informed by the flight crew) was published declaring how great the Orthodox community is compared to the "secular." The author writes:
I don't know who the neighborhood drug dealer is. But, I'm afraid too many young, Orthodox teenage boys and girls are well aware. Is the number comparable to secular teenagers? Maybe not. But too many children in our own neighborhoods are involved with things they should not be and instead of comparing ourselves to others, it is time to start problem solving because problems tend to get worse, not better.
I already reported the terrible car accident in a Catskills bungalow colony where a teenager crashed a car, thankfully hurting no one in his path, not even himself. Alcohol was involved.
Last week I heard about a terrible accident early Friday morning, where a teenage passenger's life was put on the line. Sadly, he passed away on Shabbat and the levaya was on Tisha B'Av no less. Alcohol was involved. All parties had been drinking.
Newsweek enraged many Orthodox commentors (see YWN and VIN) when they reported on the former accident and asked if there is a growing alcohol abuse problem. I was also informed by a reader that a 28 year old Queens girls passed away during the 9 days from a drug overdose, and I know of another family whose child overdosed and passed on. Heartbreaking.
Personally, I do not know how large the substance abuse issues are in the Orthodox community. None of us have any scientific means to access the problem. Unless there are studies, we can only listen to those who speak out, compare to our own experiences, and listen to our instincts. No matter how you cut it, the news doesn't look too good. My instinct tells me the problem is larger than we care to admit. I've made it into my 30's not knowing a single classmate from my (public) high school who has died in a drunk driving accident or drug overdose, so I am feeling rather bombarded as the period of the 3 weeks comes to a close.
Yet even as these tragedies come to light, an editorial decrying the Anti-Hareidi bias (the writer is reflecting on a story in which a family left one of their 5 children behind in an airport while flying to Paris, not knowing the child was missing until informed by the flight crew) was published declaring how great the Orthodox community is compared to the "secular." The author writes:
When it comes to secular families, and I truly apologize for the generalization, other things happen to the children, and they happen more frequently. Not all parents know where exactly their kids hang out on a Friday night; not every secular parent can swear that his son isn’t familiar with the neighborhood drug dealer.
I don't know who the neighborhood drug dealer is. But, I'm afraid too many young, Orthodox teenage boys and girls are well aware. Is the number comparable to secular teenagers? Maybe not. But too many children in our own neighborhoods are involved with things they should not be and instead of comparing ourselves to others, it is time to start problem solving because problems tend to get worse, not better.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Fraud and Corruption from the Top to the Bottom
Sadly, a reader made me aware of a news story regarding the arrest of (a) Grand Rebbe of Spinka, his Gabbai, and a host of other people involved in a massive tax fraud scheme stretching from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, with money also being funneled through a bank in Israel. In 1994 or 1996 (?) a similar story of a tax fraud and money laundering scheme broke and arrests were made in both New York and Los Angeles. The pink tint on my glasses was chipped at that point. When Clinton left office in 2000 and pardoned the New Square men who managed to make off with$40 million dollars (this is a huge number for those that know fraud!) as well as a minority woman that got her hands on $8 million, the pink tint that was left was pretty much stripped off. [Facts disputed and oted that the men did spend time behind bars].
Over 10 years later, I wish I just want a little bit of pink tint back. While apologists on sites like VosIzNeis want to hang the "mosser," and ask everyone to be "dan l'chaf zechut," and pretend the government has just made a terrible mistake in these arrests, my professional background makes me 99.9% certain that the men arrested won't be walking free. (See the comments from the wife of a fraud specialist. I could have written the same thing, except my husband does not work in investigations. Rather, I've actually traced and detected fraud in what seems like a previous lifetime. . . . baruch Hashem, I've never, ever dealt with anyone Jewish).
Setting up a tax fraud scheme where hundreds of individuals "donated" millions of dollars and then itemized those donations when they knowingly received an 80-95% rebate is planned, deliberate, intentional, malicious, and illegal criminal activity. This isn't giving in to a small temptation such as deducting the price of your tickets to a Chinese Auction. This took massive manpower. Such a scheme perpetuated from the top and joined in by a hundreds of people speaks volumes about the lack of integrity, the worship of the dollar, and the precarious financial situation of the Orthodox Community as a whole, as the Chassidish community in particular.
Some people would like you to believe that massive defrauding of the government and the taxpayers of millions of dollars is a victimless crime. But, surely there are many victims besides the taxpayers as a whole (and given the amout of tax we pay year in year out, stories of fraud make me feel like I have been personally pickpocketed).
Certainly the wives (assuming they didn't participate in the scheme themselves) are victims. They now will bear the brunt of their husband's misdeeds, especially if there are children still in the home. The emotional and financial damage must be enormous. Since I have started this blog, I have planned to write a post on wives getting involved in the finances. I think it is important for so many reasons. This is yet another powerful reason.
Another set of victims are the children and grandchildren. And not just their direct descendants who will be without a father/grandfather, but other children who are starting to see the seedier side of Orthodox life, which can invite a bit of cynicism to put it lightly.
The news story notes that one of the men arrested was a scribe/sofer. One would assume that every mezuzah he has written/repaired as well as every Torah he has written/repaired during the time he was involved with this or other schemes is now possul. But that is a question for a posek. And, I'm not that posek. If so, there is another group of people who will have been directly defrauded.
And, lastly, every Jew is a victim. I, for one, just want my pink glasses back. There is so much to say, but I really just feel like crying.
Sadly, a reader made me aware of a news story regarding the arrest of (a) Grand Rebbe of Spinka, his Gabbai, and a host of other people involved in a massive tax fraud scheme stretching from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, with money also being funneled through a bank in Israel. In 1994 or 1996 (?) a similar story of a tax fraud and money laundering scheme broke and arrests were made in both New York and Los Angeles. The pink tint on my glasses was chipped at that point. When Clinton left office in 2000 and pardoned the New Square men who managed to make off with
Over 10 years later, I wish I just want a little bit of pink tint back. While apologists on sites like VosIzNeis want to hang the "mosser," and ask everyone to be "dan l'chaf zechut," and pretend the government has just made a terrible mistake in these arrests, my professional background makes me 99.9% certain that the men arrested won't be walking free. (See the comments from the wife of a fraud specialist. I could have written the same thing, except my husband does not work in investigations. Rather, I've actually traced and detected fraud in what seems like a previous lifetime. . . . baruch Hashem, I've never, ever dealt with anyone Jewish).
Setting up a tax fraud scheme where hundreds of individuals "donated" millions of dollars and then itemized those donations when they knowingly received an 80-95% rebate is planned, deliberate, intentional, malicious, and illegal criminal activity. This isn't giving in to a small temptation such as deducting the price of your tickets to a Chinese Auction. This took massive manpower. Such a scheme perpetuated from the top and joined in by a hundreds of people speaks volumes about the lack of integrity, the worship of the dollar, and the precarious financial situation of the Orthodox Community as a whole, as the Chassidish community in particular.
Some people would like you to believe that massive defrauding of the government and the taxpayers of millions of dollars is a victimless crime. But, surely there are many victims besides the taxpayers as a whole (and given the amout of tax we pay year in year out, stories of fraud make me feel like I have been personally pickpocketed).
Certainly the wives (assuming they didn't participate in the scheme themselves) are victims. They now will bear the brunt of their husband's misdeeds, especially if there are children still in the home. The emotional and financial damage must be enormous. Since I have started this blog, I have planned to write a post on wives getting involved in the finances. I think it is important for so many reasons. This is yet another powerful reason.
Another set of victims are the children and grandchildren. And not just their direct descendants who will be without a father/grandfather, but other children who are starting to see the seedier side of Orthodox life, which can invite a bit of cynicism to put it lightly.
The news story notes that one of the men arrested was a scribe/sofer. One would assume that every mezuzah he has written/repaired as well as every Torah he has written/repaired during the time he was involved with this or other schemes is now possul. But that is a question for a posek. And, I'm not that posek. If so, there is another group of people who will have been directly defrauded.
And, lastly, every Jew is a victim. I, for one, just want my pink glasses back. There is so much to say, but I really just feel like crying.
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