Mrs. Sharon123:
“Keeping up with the Joneses in being the “frummest”?” is (and should be) a priority for many people. Part of living in Lakewood is listening to the Gedolim/Roshei Yeshiva, and if they decide what the “Joneses” should do, then you have to listen, or expect to be left out of the greater Lakewood community.
If you want to follow your own Rav, Lakewood may not be for you.
P.S. I still suspect that if enough money was offered, the children would have been let in.