I have been preaching this forever, yeshivas must, must, must have a staff handbook as well as a student handbook. Staff must have training and rules THEY need to follow just as much as students do. Mechanchim need to know how the administration want the school run, what is acceptable and what isn’t. AND the administration needs to know how the BOARD and Parent body want the school run, what is acceptable and what isn’t. Is it any wonder that people are not interested in supporting yeshivas and donating to yeshivas anymore? Is it any wonder why fundraisers are having such a hard time?
Mechanchim and Roshei Yeshivos have no training what so ever. For that matter, many of the “Rabbis” who claim to be experts in kids today have no training in the field either. They are all flying by the seat of their pants and have no clue what they are doing. Their need to “A” list their yeshivas and place their kids in head on competitions like running bulls or dog races puts “normal” every day kids out of the running with no where to go. They became mechanchim because they needed a parnasah and had no other way of making a living.
These so called mechanchim forget the rules of the Torah when it comes to the younger generation who by the rules and guidelines are people and Jews too, and are included in “ALL PEOPLE” when it comes to “Respect, concern, consideration, etc”. ALL rules apply to every Jew older and younger. And what about being the best role model one can be? A mechanech does not only have to teach Gemarah and mishnayos they have to teach the utmost and best behavior that children should emulate and follow.
Having said that, there are many abuses going on including verbal, physical, emotional and sexual. ALL of which is covered up and ignored by ALL the mainstream yeshivos and DAAS Torah organizations. Yes it is amazing that this letter was posted, and I will be very surprised if my post gets through, but these things must be discussed because they are destroying our children and it is what is pushing and shoving our children off the derech only to have our children further demeaned and criticized by the same Daas Torah for having “chosen” to go off the derech.
One more thing I have said for a long time. Teachers and mechanchim should be rated and given report cards at least twice a year just like kids. The Board of Directors should get an up close and personal inside look at what the parents and students really think and feel about their mechanchim and not just the opinions of the administration. It is up to the Board and the person who signs the salary checks to know whether certain people should stay or go when their names come up for renewal or even before that, before kids are cut off by the knees and their self esteem and self confidence are ruined.