Monday, January 04, 2010
Out of the Inbox - Stunned by child negligence at Williamsburg yeshivah
Sent in by a Chaptzem reader
Just the other day I witnessed the most frightening thing ever. It was a sunny morning and my older children were off to school already. My husband came home from work unexpectedly and told me that he was going to Williamsburg for a meeting. I had heard a lot about Williamsburg and its inhabitants, especially more so lately with all the politics going on there. I was interested and intrigued, so I jumped into my street clothing and we were off. We arrived in Williamsburg about 12:30 PM, the throngs of women and men with baby carriages were a sight to see.
My husband parked in front of his business acquaintances' office. He ran up and I was to sample the couture of the neighborhood. As I was getting my bag about to leave our car, something interesting caught my eye. I saw a rebbe followed by a long trail of what must have been about 35 five-year old children following him out of a yeshivah to a city playground a couple of houses down.
What I witnessed afterwards both shocked and frightened me. The rebbe lead the children to the large playground, closed the double gate behind him and left them there all by themselves. I could not believe what I was seeing. I checked just to make sure, there was no adult anywhere in sight. An entire cheder class of five year olds were left completely alone by themselves. After checking even more, I realized that the gate on the other side of the playground was wide open, leaving an open opportunity for these children to just wander off.
I was completely stunned and horrified by this neglect on the part of the rebbe. It just plain boggled my mind that any human being, let alone a rebbe of small children could do such a thing. I couldn't even bring myself to think of all the possible things that could happen to these sweet little innocent children in such a situation. I was just plain floored.
I stood there and waited for the reebe to return to supervise these neshomes in his care. I just could not go anywhere and leave them alone unwatched, lest something happen to any one of them and I could never forgive myself. About twenty five minutes later the rebbe strolled up to the playground with a steaming cup of coffee in his hand. He did not even give as much as a glance around to see if anyone had seen his careless and negligent actions. Thinking back to that moment now, I am sorry I did not scream my lungs out at him, maybe then he would have learned never to do such a thing again.
Comments:
You should've found out which cheder he's working for and reported him instead of just writing it here. at least you woul've accomplished something.
Comment Credit ---This article posted by 
: January 04, 2010 12:33 PM
: January 04, 2010 12:33 PM
the playground is right across from the cheder. How do you know there wasnt a Rebbe stationed to watch the boys from the window while the other rebbe went to get a coffee? I agree it was extremely irresponsible not to have someone there with them, but you might not have all the information.
when I went to yeshiva , then could of done what they wanted and when they wanted. he went out of class to 'shmees' etc. (coffee) as often as he wanted , and when he came back ! anyone out of their seat , would get iber geleigt over the teachers desk and spanked with the 'shteken' !!!
Comment Credit ---This article posted by : January 04, 2010 2:58 PM
: January 04, 2010 2:58 PM
Obviously a young assistant should be charged with babysitting the students at the playground but since it is assur for Satmars to hire a young female kindergarten teacher to watch the boys, the boys are left to their own devices.
Comment Credit ---This article posted by : January 04, 2010 4:16 PM
: January 04, 2010 4:16 PM
first of all you dont have to have a brain to work in a cheder.
second the people there consider it their own daled amos and cant see the reality of outside forces disrupting their ivory tower. third no chasidiche kid will make a move withiut his or her mommy doing for them . go figure.
second the people there consider it their own daled amos and cant see the reality of outside forces disrupting their ivory tower. third no chasidiche kid will make a move withiut his or her mommy doing for them . go figure.
I am a frum child protective worker and can tell you that if there was a man looking on from afar, this would still not be protective. It takes one child to run out of the gate onto the street, and by the time he actually gets there from his second floor window, the child has already been hurt or kidnapped. You should call in this incident anonymously to ACS-child protective services in NY and have them investigate the situation. No one has to know who you are. You can even call from a pay phone if that makes you more comfortable. The problem is that if you don't call it in nothing will ever be done and G-D forbid a child could be hurt. Maybe it was min ha shamayim that you were there to see this. If you call the school they will probably just give him a slap on the wrist, not literally and continue on.
Comment Credit ---This article posted by : January 04, 2010 11:26 PM
: January 04, 2010 11:26 PM
Why are you bothering with what's bothering you about what you saw? You are just as guilty as the Rebbe!! It was incumbent upon you to call the authorities. Period!! Why gripe about it?
I myself witnessed something similar in Flatbush at the Ave P park which is huge and open to Ocean Parkway and a block away on East 5th Street. The teachers sat on one side Shmoozing while the kids ran out to the OP side and I rounded up the kids and marched over scold the teachers who looked at me like I had a problem and not them. I came home and then called the principal and said I would be glad to advocate on behalf of the kids and call the police if he'd like. (I knew which yeshiva they attended because the kids all pulled off their ID stickers and stuck them all over the ground).
I myself witnessed something similar in Flatbush at the Ave P park which is huge and open to Ocean Parkway and a block away on East 5th Street. The teachers sat on one side Shmoozing while the kids ran out to the OP side and I rounded up the kids and marched over scold the teachers who looked at me like I had a problem and not them. I came home and then called the principal and said I would be glad to advocate on behalf of the kids and call the police if he'd like. (I knew which yeshiva they attended because the kids all pulled off their ID stickers and stuck them all over the ground).
Comment Credit ---This article posted by : January 04, 2010 11:27 PM
: January 04, 2010 11:27 PM
The author "witnessed the most frightening thing ever", was "stunned" and "horrified", yet chose to do nothing about it. This is WORSE than the bystander effect, because she was the only witness. Disgusting...
Comment Credit ---This article posted by : January 05, 2010 8:18 AM
: January 05, 2010 8:18 AM
Let's not call her disgusting. It is understandable that she is fearful of calling the authorities, but with a little chizuk from writers, she may get enough guts to do something about it.
Comment Credit ---This article posted by : January 05, 2010 8:14 PM
: January 05, 2010 8:14 PM
Don't bash the author. I'm sure Mesira went through her mind. She did something very important she stayed there to watch the children while their teacher neglected them. I think she should of called the Police he is a "Roidef"
Comment Credit ---This article posted by : January 08, 2010 9:44 AM
: January 08, 2010 9:44 AM
Here's another way to look at this. perhaps from the possible perspective of some of the children: Thank god that moron teacher is leaving us alone for a lil while. Only one who actually experienced that kind of upbringing can maybe grasp wht im saying here. But I don't have much expectations....
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