Spokesman for American Jewish organizations took conflicting positions on the President’s aid to education bill in testimony before the House Education Subcommittee today.
Harold M. Squadron, representing the American Jewish Congress, testified that his organization was “vigorously opposed” to provisions of the proposed legislation that would benefit non-public schools. He claimed that the public school system would be “gravely threatened” if public funds were made available for private schools.
Rabbi Morris Sherer executive vice-president of the Agudath Israel of America, welcomed the Administration’s proposals as “a major step forward in meeting the educational needs of school children of our nation.” He hailed the education bill for “establishing a principle which recognizes that students of public and private schools are partners in the mosaic of the American educational structure.”
The President’s education proposals envisage the expenditure of $100,000,000 in federal funds to provide books and other educational materials for both public and private schools, including parochial schools. Another provision of the bill would make available $100,000,000 for “supplementary education centers” in which private school children would be able to use public school facilities.
The American Jewish Congress spokesman maintained that “bitter rivalry” between public and parochial schools would develop if these proposals were enacted. The Agudath Israel called for a more flexible formula in the distribution of federal funds to needy school districts. Under the existing proposals, distribution of funds would be determined by the number of children whose families have annual incomes of less than $2,000. Rabbi Sherer suggested that the yard stick of poverty be related to the size of family, and the differential between urban and rural family needs.
Rabbi Sherer’s position was endorsed by Prof. William W. Brickman, of the University of Pennsylvania, representing the National Association of Hebrew Day Schools. Dr. Brickman said that the principle of equality would be violated if children attending religious-oriented schools were denied the same benefits as public school children. His organization represents 272 schools with approximately 71,000 students throughout the country.
Testimony against the bill was presented by Rabbi Richard G. Hirsch of the commission on social action of Reform Judaism. Rabbi Hirsch maintained that tax moneys should be used for public schools only and “not be siphoned off to Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, or any other schools under religious auspices.”
Other witnesses opposing aid to private schools included Mrs. Harold Rosenfeld, testifying for the National Council of Jewish Women. Some of the witnesses who appeared before the House Subcommittee today will present testimony in public hearings tomorrow before the Senate Subcommittee on Education.
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