“separatists” Oppose Permanent Agreement with Protestants on Jewish Schools Question

In a memorandum which the Montreal Jewish Separate School Committee” has just presented to Premier Tashereau of Quebec, it asks that the new government bill which establishes a separate Jewish school status on the Island of Montreal be amended so that the Jewish School Commission which will be appointed should be empowered to negotiate with the Protestants regarding the education of Jewish children only until such time as the necessary preparations which are to be begun immediately after the passing of the act for the establishment of a separate Jewish school system will have been satisfactorily completed.

The committee, of which H. M. Caiserman is chairman, in its memorandum expresses the opinion that this should take between one and two years, after which period negotiations could be carried on with the Protestants for such school localities where the insufficient number of either Catholic, Protestant or Jewish children may make it necessary.

“We are prompted to suggest the above amendment,” says the committee, “actuated by the conviction that any further negotiations of the proposed Jewish School Commission for any purposes other than those suggested above with existing School Commissions could bring no desirable results, which would be in accordance with the decisions of the Privy Council.”

The committee also suggests that the bill be amended so that the right of the Jewish School Commission to control the curriculum and spirit of the Jewish schools be explicitly stated. It calls the Premier’s attention to the fact that nowhere in the present bill is this mentioned, although the Premier had made assurances to Jewish leaders that the Jewish School Commission would enjoy the same rights and privileges as those enjoyed by the Catholic and Protestant sections of the Council of Public Instruction.

Finally, the committee which is working for separate Jewish schools in Montreal asks the Premier to see to it that those Jews who are in favor of separate Jewish schools be adequately represented in the proposed Jewish School Commission when the same will be appointed.