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Lack of Political Involvement and Its Repercussions
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How involved are you in local politics?
Very involved  
 7%  [ 8 ]
I only know what the advertisements tell me  
 9%  [ 10 ]
Not involved, but I stay updated on issues  
 44%  [ 47 ]
Local Politics? What's that?  
 38%  [ 40 ]
Total Votes : 105



DrMom




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jul 03 2016, 5:44 am
I don't understand:
- Are these busloads of people legally allowed to vote in the election in question?
- Is there any funny-business going on here in this regard?

This is an important question; How they get to the polling station is irrelevant.
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m in Israel




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jul 03 2016, 6:43 am
DrMom wrote:
I don't understand:
- Are these busloads of people legally allowed to vote in the election in question?
- Is there any funny-business going on here in this regard?


Exactly. The way I understood it, there was an accusation that the Chassidic community was busing in people who did not live in the area to vote, which of course is voter fraud and would be illegal (not to mention a huge Chillul Hashem.) Another poster responded that what actually was happening was that local institutions were arranging buses for their employees who were legal residents to go to the polling stations -- presumably to encourage higher voter turnout. Posters then responded that even if this were the case, it was wrong because it "looks" bad, and people should rather vote absentee or go individually.

IMO, if there is any funny-business or illegal voting that is wrong and should be stopped, regardless of if it done secretly or publicly.
OTOH if these people are legally allowed to vote, I see no problem with local institutions or employers helping maximize turnout among their demographic. (And no one is stopping "competing" interests from attempting to do the same)
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Iymnok




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jul 03 2016, 9:16 am
From my understanding, there are many frum Jews without cars, this is a logical way to get them to the voting stations. I'm assuming they have busses for women too.
Should they borrow busses with English writing so as not to offend sensitive people?
In rural districts, you can live pretty far from your voting station.
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marina




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jul 03 2016, 1:14 pm
Snickers18 wrote:
I'm confused. Is there more context to this video? I live nowhere near NY and am unfamiliar with the politics, but it sounds like the mother is talking about an issue totally unrelated to the frum community. So why would their lawyer go off on her? Were there pre-existing tensions?


yes, the context is here as posted by Iriska http://m.thisamericanlife.org/.....ority

the mother is not frum but is upset because the school district has tanked since the Orthodox Board took over the reigns.
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marina




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jul 03 2016, 2:25 pm
I'm listening to that link and getting so upset. Ugh. Sickness.
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Snickers18




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Jul 05 2016, 2:58 am
marina wrote:
yes, the context is here as posted by Iriska http://m.thisamericanlife.org/.....ority

the mother is not frum but is upset because the school district has tanked since the Orthodox Board took over the reigns.


I guess I'm just thick. I don't understand why frum board members would have any say over what goes on in public schools and vice versa. Wouldn't it make sense for people to represent the systems that they are familiar with? I understand the need for fair and balanced representation, but if a board member can't appreciate the needs of *all* constituents, s/he shouldn't be a board member. I hope this is a rarity. That lawyer is something else.
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m in Israel




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Jul 05 2016, 3:08 am
Snickers18 wrote:
I guess I'm just thick. I don't understand why frum board members would have any say over what goes on in public schools and vice versa. Wouldn't it make sense for people to represent the systems that they are familiar with? I understand the need for fair and balanced representation, but if a board member can't appreciate the needs of *all* constituents, s/he shouldn't be a board member. I hope this is a rarity. That lawyer is something else.


Board members are not "representing" the system -- they are representing the tax payers. They are elected officials and one does not need to have a child in public school to vote in elections. On the one one hand, people feel that since even non-public school parents are paying for the schools, they have a right to a voice about how the money is spent. OTOH, obviously those with "skin in the game" are considered more likely to have the best interests of the students in mind. That is a big part of the tensions in this situation.
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DrMom




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Jul 05 2016, 3:38 am
Snickers18 wrote:
I guess I'm just thick. I don't understand why frum board members would have any say over what goes on in public schools and vice versa. Wouldn't it make sense for people to represent the systems that they are familiar with? I understand the need for fair and balanced representation, but if a board member can't appreciate the needs of *all* constituents, s/he shouldn't be a board member. I hope this is a rarity. That lawyer is something else.

Public schools are funded largely by local property taxes. Since frum Jews pay property taxes just like everybody else, they have every right to sit on the school board and voice their concerns re: the use of their tax dollars.

The problem is when the people on the school board have no interest in the fate of public schools, and (it seems in this case), no interest in the long-term good of the community, and no interest in anything except their own community's interests.
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saw50st8




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Jul 05 2016, 7:24 am
Frum people have every right to be on the school board. They started getting on when they (I'm using generalities, so please bear with me) felt like the budget was skyrocketing for absolutely no reason since enrollment was very steadily dropping. It didn't start out so acrimonious.

Unfortunately, the real crime is the pension system. It mortgages the present to bankrupt the future. Pension payments are a HUGE chunk of why taxes keep going up astronomically.

It's become ridiculous in Monsey. Some of their cuts really tore apart the effectiveness of the education system. That's totally wrong. It was really spiraling out of control.

Politics (and all the related items) are a huge problem in Monsey. There is so much corruption and hatred and lack of understanding between all people in the area.
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