Ask North American Jewish day school leaders what issue troubles them most and you will repeatedly hear the same answer \u2013 security. In today\u2019s world, security has become a basic necessity, but is often prohibitively expensive. That is why the Teach Coalition \u2013 an advocacy arm of the Orthodox Union \u2013 is dedicated to achieving maximum American government funding to ensure the safety, strength and affordability of Jewish days schools.<\/p>\n
We have made tremendous strides in the area of day school and yeshiva security funding since 2013. Over this period, over $100 million in security funding has been introduced in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Florida and California. While security funding efforts in these states \u2013 which cover nearly 90-percent of American Jewish day school students \u2013 has made our children safer, security needs remain vast and growing.<\/p>\n
Prior to the efforts of the Teach Coalition, only public schools received government funding for security. Day schools and yeshivas had to fend for themselves, either paying for security guards and systems out of already-stretched school budgets \u2013 providing less than ideal protection \u2013 or forgoing security efforts altogether. None of these options are sustainable, especially given today\u2019s growing threats. No school should have to choose between hiring a security guard or a teacher; between paying for adequate security or ensuring adequate student scholarships.<\/p>\n