anyone sending their child to public school in brooklyn?

chocolate chips

Sun, Aug 11 2013, 4:37 pm

Sadly there are many schools/yeshivas in Brooklyn that turn away kids because the parents cannot and will not pay the excessively crazy amount of $$$$ they want.

I have a neighbor who sent her kid to public school for a year for the special ed department. I think it was one that had a separate class for jewish/religious kids.

Sometimes in comes to my mind to think about public school for my son so that I don't have to pay tuition which I cannot even think about trying to afford. But my in laws (and possibly entire family) will disown us!

amother

Sun, Aug 11 2013, 6:31 pm

I havent read through all the replies here but Im VERY tempted to send my kids to public school. The person that deals with the tuition in my girls school is really difficult to deal with. He hardly gave us a break and we desperately need it. (Put it this way: our monthly income pays our rent plus a drop more) Im tempted to go over to this guy and tell him that we cant afford this and if he doesnt give us a bigger break, we are taking our kids out of school and putting them into public school. He probably wouldnt care!

As much as I think public school is the wrong environment for my kids, having their parents stressed over money, causing shalom bayis problems, etc, is not the right environment either! (and no, it is not an option for me to work on that in my home. its my husband who goes crazy and screams every time we get overdrawn!)

Dolly Welsh

Sun, Aug 11 2013, 6:36 pm

Have you thought about Torah Home Schooling? There is a whole movement of people doing that, distance learning. You wouldn't be alone. Google that phrase.

There are people on this forum who do that.

http://www.room613.net/members/room613

Last edited by Dolly Welsh on Sun, Aug 11 2013, 6:55 pm; edited 1 time in total

TwinsMommy

Sun, Aug 11 2013, 6:52 pm

I'm not in Brooklyn-- I'm in Cleveland--- and my twins are in public school due to their special needs (not ready to go to day school with just a one on one aide and not all the other amenities that pub school gives them)---- but I'm surprised at how happy I am with it. We get a LOT of benefits for the grand total of $0. (ok I spent over $100 on school supplies, but still).

Not a fan of the Valentines day cards going back and forth and the talk about xmas between the kids, but otherwise, the schools (2 diff schools) are ok with our kosher food restrictions and our packing every day, they're ok with our kids missing so much school for chagim, and there is a LOT less bullying in public school against special ed kids than there is in our local day schools. (my husband has worked in most of the local day schools, specifically with special ed kids). Not sure that we'll be keeping them there long term as our ultimate goal would be to integrate them into day school with a one on one aide but they're not yet ready for that and not sure when they will be. we'll take it year by year. they're going into first grade now.

Only a handful of families give us heck about our decision---- but these families don't even know our kids---- IF we were to put our kids in the Jewish day school this year they'd be kicked out week one, so I don't see the point.

amother

Mon, Aug 12 2013, 2:11 pm

OP here,
if I lived out of town, it would be so much easier to send to public school. in brooklyn in my circles it is unheard of. that's why im looking for others in the same boat.
greenfire,
are your children having a positive experience there?

amother

Mon, Aug 12 2013, 3:42 pm

I don't live in Brooklyn, but im not too far and I have a child in the public schools here. Although barely anyone here sends to public schools, its more accepted here than in brooklyn so I feel for you. I tried to get him into yeshiva but we just couldn't afford the tuition. They offered a tiny scholarship after a ton of back and forth between me and the tuition board. I thought for sure after they asked for so much info they would try to help us out, but they really didn't. We both work full time, what else do they want??? I am solidly middle class, no government programs for me, no wic/foodstamps/Medicaid here. We don't take vacations, we really live the simple life. They don't care if you say you will put your child in public school. Im so sad and so disappointed. This is what it has come to. I really don't have any alternative. I hope we will be in a better financial position and will send him next year to yeshiva.

Mon, Aug 12 2013, 3:47 pm

amother wrote:

As much as I think public school is the wrong environment for my kids, having their parents stressed over money, causing shalom bayis problems, etc, is not the right environment either!

OP, you can go to Department of Education website and research which schools in your district got high ratings. There is a thing called "Report Card", where you can see all the details about every public school in NYC. There are some really good schools in Brooklyn. Do some reserch on public schools in your district.