Reply To: Time to demolish orthopraxy

Aaq, would you want your children to have teachers who don’t teach them about shmiras aynayim, while they see all sorts of nevala at friends’ houses, etc? From what i gather, you wouldn’t show them treif, but you’ll probably let them go to any and all sorts of people’s homes.

Most teachers in MO places do not prepare their students to be frum. Most of my students do not go on to join the Yeshiva world itself; but I’ve had a few ask me years later about getting a hat, or dressing yeshivish, and my answer was always the same; if it’s going to upset a parent, don’t do it. In any case, the rate of how many products of MO schools, even when adjusted for secular students, is consistently far, far lower than other groups.

We must be doing something right, just by the raw facts.

And if a parent doesn’t want their kids taught about basic halacha, then that’s their problem; it’s not genevas daas to teach about halachos which some parents might, in their miasmic ignorance, dislike, such as aforementioned shmiras aynayim.

But it’s something i teach once a year; i don’t harp on the subject. I mention it at the beginning of shovavim.