Posted to Jewish News on

Quebec’s New Education Minister Vows to Close Chasidic Schools

As one of his first orders of business following the recent elections, Quebec’s new Education Minister, Yves Bolduc, said he will cease subsidizing Chasidic schools that do not teach the state-mandated curriculum, and plans on shutting them down.

GlobalNews.ca reports that Bolduc said, “We have to close them, they are illegal, it’s as simple as that.”

“What is important is that the students have to have a very good education, and they must acquire the knowledge that is necessary.” he said.

The new crackdown threatens the many Chasidc boys and girls Yeshivos in and around Montreal, especially those operating without a state license, such as several run by the Satmar and Tosh communities, reports local Jewish community news blog Bill 613.

While the Skver, Belz and Lubavitch schools are state licensed, according to Bill 613, inspectors found that there isn’t sufficient time allocated to studying secular subjects.

Related Articles

9 Comments

  • Falaehood

    The rebbe said to provide secular to those that want it, in direct contravention the board of yeshiva closed
    the program putting the school and parents into jeopardy. Now they can’t even pretend.

  • It's about time

    It’s about time we start to educate our kids so rant they can get a job and earn a living.
    If the schools can’t achieve that goal: then they are not schools. Just expensive babysitting services.

  • good question

    Does liberty mean the freedom to not provide your children with an education that will enable them to survive in the world? How much education is needed? And how did the “people of the book” become people who look down on education?

  • Nu Nu

    When the relief from the PQ is a weak Liberal party, whose goal is to ban all religion as well…
    Well, Hashem figured out ways to save Jews before, He will surely continue to do so. In Quebec, it usually takes a lot of words before any action happens. There is still time, it is not so concerning. However, the schools in question should use this time to prepare properly. Besides, this government can disappear just as suddenly as the last one.

  • CR

    “Quebec’s new Education Minister, Yves Bolduc, said he will cease subsidizing Chasidic schools that do not teach the state-mandated curriculum, and plans on shutting them down.”

    This is not an “antisemitism” issue but one of heimische institutions taking government handouts and failing to comply with the requirements thereof. The Education Ministry mandates a certain level of instruction in certain subjects in return for provincial licensing and grants. If the schools in question are not upholding their obligations they will be held to account.