Addabbo grateful NYC Department of Education reconsiders decision to remove school therapists from yeshivas

After hearing many complaints from Rabbis and teachers at several yeshivas within his district, State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., along with other local elected officials, reached out to the NYC Department of Education (DOE) to rescind notifications sent to yeshiva Special Education Teacher Support Services (SETSS) teachers alerting them that will have to relocate to a public school come September.

Earlier this summer, SETSS teachers from several local yeshivas, such as Yeshiva of Central Queens, Yeshiva Ketana of Queens, and Yeshiva Tifferes Moshe, received letters notifying them that in September of this year they would have to report to a designated public school for assignment due to a change in funding.

“The yeshivas and parents were very concerned that they would be losing not only highly qualified teachers, but their school therapists,” Addabbo said. “Not only that, but the timing of the notices gave the Rabbis in these yeshivas very little time to find another therapist for their schools.”

Addabbo quickly contacted the DOE to rectify the situation on behalf of the Rabbis, teachers and students. After corresponding with DOE, the city department agreed to allow the SETSS teachers to remain at their original schools for this school year.

“I understand the city’s need to provide the best services for our public school students, but I am grateful it did not come at the expense of our private school students,” Addabbo added. “I am thankful that the DOE has agreed to keep these vitally important SETSS teachers at the yeshivas where they are currently employed. Going forward, I am hopeful that we can find a solution to this issue without having to take SETSS teachers from private schools.”