to all those who blame all the financial issues mentioned by the OP on a kollel lifestyle, I just want to make sure I understand you clearly. You are saying that most people who didn’t go to kollel make over $150K per year and can manage fine, right? None of them are unemployed, correct? Most of the forclosures in the US are kollel families, right? Maybe you can try taking your blinders off for just a day?
to the OP – you bring up a very valid issue, but what to you suggest, especially concerning the private school part? Do you advocate frum people sending their kids to public school? Yeah, I know that in past generations people did that and their kids turned out to be fine ehrliche yidden. But the public schools then didn’t have drugs and guns and they didn’t include immorality in the curriculum. Just minor differences, I know.
Personally I think what would help a lot is if there was an independent fundraising organization similar to oorah (think annual auction, kars for kids, cucumber communications etc) which would raise millions for tuition assistance for those who don’t make 150K or 200K. This way the entire tuition bill doesn’t fall on them and at the same time the yeshivos will be better able to pay their rebbeim on time. I have to believe that aside from the financial advantages, it can only be good for kids to have parents and rebbeim who are less stressed – I would really expect the OTD population to grow at a slower rate. I have no proof for that but it seems logical, I think.
And before anyone jumps down my throat, I said I think this would help a lot, not that it would completely solve the problem.