Reply To: School Board Monitors in Lakewood & East Ramapo

The state is going to be liable if someone gets hurt because it’s the state’s monitor that is the responsible for this dangerous situation. Also the state has the assets to pay unlike the board which is running a $12.4 million deficit this year. Also it can be argued that the state is short changing the district when it comes to mandated services which is why the the funding formula should be changed.

As far as this only being a problem in Lakewood/Monsey, this will be a problem anywhere large number of Jews move to. In a few years there too the number of yeshiva students will exceed the number of public school students, taxing the public school’s budget to provide services to both public & private school students. Young couples can’t afford housing in NYC and are forced to move to Lakewood or Monsey if they want a frum community.

The reason the state is going to have to contribute more is because their monitor caused the deficit. They were appointed to fix the budget and instead of balancing the budget they are running the highest deficit the board ever had.