Op-Ed: In Response, A Thankless Job Indeed
The following was submitted in response to an Op-Ed posted on CrownHeights.info from a Bais Rivkah Parent, praising Bais Rivkah’s Board of Directors:
By a-want-to-be-grateful-parent,
Two weeks ago, Bais Rivkah started another school year, along with every other school in the community, and we parents took it for granted. Rightfully so, I might add.
Why have we taken it for granted for a school to start, when it is supposed to start? Do we members of the community know that the teachers have not been getting paid? The board members would like the community to think they are doing an amazing job by sending out an op-ed from a parent. Should we the parent body sit back and let people give us false information? Is there a way the members of the Crown Heights community can get actual news about the school? Why does the board want us to believe all this false information? The truth of the matter is the school opened even though the teachers have not been paid. The teachers came to work even without getting paid from what is owed to them from last year. Can you imagine a board member missing a paycheck from their employer, imagine what they would do?
But, as many of you know, to run any school, especially one the size of Bais Rivkah, is no small matter. It takes endless hours of dedicated work from teachers, principals, and faculty. It takes fundraising a few million dollars every year to fund the shortfall that tuition and grants don’t cover. Behind all of this stands a small group of current and former parents who volunteer their time to make this all happen, called the Board of Directors.
One sentence here is correct: It takes endless hours of dedicated work from teachers, principals, and faculty. You mention the board volunteers their time and should be given thanks for that, why? Being a board member means getting involved and not just making op-ed and events showing how good you are. The teachers are not getting paid, that is volunteering, they are the one who deserve all the credit.
I, (and I know I speak for many other parents,) would like to thank the Board of Directors for dedicating their time, energy, and resources for the past three years to help Bais Rivkah run more smoothly and efficiently. Thank you for taking your time, that could have been spent on your own business and family, to ensure that our children are taken care of and are receiving the best education possible. Thank you for joining the Board of Directors of Bais Rivkah, a thankless job, for we parents seem to only know your number to complain when something is wrong, but we forget to thank you when everything is going well.
I would like to ask this so-called parent; do you actually know what is going on in Bais Rivkah? The building on Lefferts is falling apart, the elevator was broken for months on end. There is a problem right now that the board won’t have the building cleaned properly. They rather our children sit in filthy classrooms. All this happens with the board going on boat rides and making announcements that everything is running smoothly. Many other issues are going on, but I am sure you get the picture.
I’ve heard time and time again that a school can’t run solely on tuition; a big element of school finances must be fundraised. While I believe that to be true, let’s pitch in. As parents, alumni, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, and even just simply friends, we can be that push to make the school even better. It’s not about how much you give, IT’S THAT YOU GIVE.
Indeed, a school cannot run solely on tuition but do not lie that everything is running smoothly. PAY YOUR TEACHERS! It is the board who said they will fix everything. We the community gave the board our support and we hoped to see a change happen in the school. We have been fooled by the board, and we cannot let this to continue to go on.
If we as a community come together and donate $100, $50, $25, or even $5, we would show the Board that we stand behind them, we support them, and we thank them for their tireless work.
Please, give a thank you to your child(s) teachers, tell them how much you appreciate their work. Let the teachers know you support them with all that is going on in the school, this will surely make them feel better in this hard time.
Thank you for your time,
From a concerned member of the community,
Ksiva Vachasima Tovah!
From a grateful father
