A Yeshiva is a medium to provide chinuch to our children. Chinuch does not mean control, nor does it mean discipline. I would expect that a yeshiva prepares a child for a lifetine of Avodas Hashem and Ahavas Hashem. Anything else cannot be considered chinuch. Punishments are not chinuch. they are control. A bit of that is required in a system that places too many talmidim under the responsibility of a single rebbe or teacher. But when it becomes the main thing, there is a disaster.
A true rebbe is described in Chazal quite often, and is seldom detected in today’s yeshivos. Here are examples:
המלמד בן חבירו תורה כאילו ילדו. The meforshim are nearly unanimous in explaining this as a responsibility, not a merit. Does the rebbe love the talmid as a father would love a child? This does not mean that any given yeshiva should have one rebbe who fits this. It is a requirement of every single rebbe. One incapable if this is disqualified.
יהי כבוד תלמידך חביב עליך כשלך. This Mishna is not less precious than any other. Yet, the dignity of the talmid is seldom a consideration. I have witnessed rampant shaming and degrading of talmidim. This is plainly ossur. A rebbe incapable of fulfilling the mandate of this mishna should seek another career.
The image of a yeshiva is not unimportant, nor is its financial stability. Talmidim, by definition, are minors. It is expected that the behavior of the masses will never achieve perfection. As soon as a yeshiva begins to address their reputation, we begin to witness a distraction to the mission. What’s the mission? Just listen to how they describe the yeshiva as a public institution that promotes Torah and Yiras Shomayim and accomplishes so much for Klal Yisroel. Housing hundreds of talmidim is not the yardstick for being a public asset. Refraining from rejecting talmidim is.
Rules in yeshiva are sadly designed for the convenience of the yeshiva, not the benefit of the talmidim. There must be decorum, and hefkeirus and chaos are most destructive. But a serious, self-critical assessment must be made if the true mission is the guide.
Financial matters relate to the yeshiva office and budget, not the individual talmid. Failure to keep tuition balances up to date are sometimes poor money management by parents, who might prioritize other expenses to those of their kids’ chinuch. More often, it is the result of hardship. There are yeshivos that work with parents and assist them in meeting their obligations. This includes negotiating the contracts, the schedule for payments, and even volunteering to assist the yeshiva in other functions to offset some of the obligations. Many don’t, and simply wield the stick of denying admission to the building because of outstanding tuition balances. This is horribly destructive, and is antithetical to several of the values that are part of the mission of chinuch. This should not be taken to minimize the pressures of the yeshiva to meet its obligations, bills, wages, etc. But there are ways. The rejection of a talmid is tantamount to murder. The parent who fails to pay tuition might be faulted, but the innocent child becomes the victim. That’s unacceptable.
I can go on and on. But I think some of the issues here point to what is messed up. And I cannot find the glimmer of hope, save that of Moshiach, who will bring about an upheaval of everything. במהרה בימינו.