Writer
The government getting involved is just complicating the matter. I realize there is peer pressure on the parents to send their child to a certain type of yeshiva. But are you saying that all these people are in a cult and randomly give up their children’s future just so they will fit in.
I think they need to have a kiruv program. Just like there is a kiruv program for the non Orthodox. There should be a kiruv program where say on Shobbos or Sunday. Students from traditional yeshivas with a secular department learn with the students that don’t have secular education. Maybe even having learning contests with the parent attending. This will expose both the students and the parents to the concept that you can have a secular education and still be a Talmud Chocham. May of today’s Gedolim had secular education. I believe even the Satmar Rav, R’ Ahron had it.
The problem is the welfare state that we live in doesn’t really encourage productivity. In minority neighborhoods you have generation after generation on the dole. This is happening in our community too. It has to be, that going on government programs is look down upon. Otherwise why learn secular studies they are never going to have a job.