The bill introduced by Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller in the current New York State legislative session, which would provide about $30 million a year to non-public schools, was challenged today by Agudath Israel of America, as insufficient to meet the needs of families sending their children to such schools, including Jewish day schools.
The bill would provide funds for maintenance and repair programs for non-public schools. It would provide $30 a year per pupil in aid for each enrolled program, as well as an additional $10 per pupil for the 1971-72 year only, plus an additional $12 per pupil for those in designated poverty areas. Payments of half of the aid would be made by May 15 each year.
Rabbi Moshe Sherer, executive vice-president of Agudath Israel, said the legislation “merits careful consideration but falls far short of coming to grips with the government’s responsibility to help financially stricken parents of children attending non-public schools.” He said the Agudath legislative commission would advocate introduction of additional constitutional measures to provide government aid to parents of non-public school children. A plan to provide tuition grants to parents to enable them to exercise their “parental rights” for free choice in education is high on the list of the commission’s recommendations, Rabbi Sherer said.
PROPOSE TAX REBATES ON TUITION
In a related proposal, the Orthodox Rabbinical Council of America has proposed that Congress adopt legislation enabling the Internal Revenue Service to give tax deductions for the tuition which such parents pay.
Rabbi Bernard L. Berzon, president, said the religious school system faced “Its worst financial crisis” in history. He said that without some form of help, the schools will disappear, “a loss not only to the religious communities involved but to the whole educational system in this country.”
Rabbi Berzon said the tax exemption approach resolved both the issue of separation of church and state and the ability of parents to send their children to religious-sponsored schools. He noted that such schools are presently tax-exempt and that contributions to them are exempt from taxation.
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