February 24, 2006

Changes at Talmudical Academy

More big changes in the Baltimore Jewish education arena. I've just got word that R. Teichman, head of the high school at Talmudical Academy, will not be returning next year. I'm not 100% clear on R. Teichman's motivations for leaving, but it is clear it has something to do with TA high school's rapid shift to the right. Word is that the high school will be patterning itself more like R. Schlanger's, with entrance exams (the traditional yeshiva faher), Shabbosim in the school, and possibly (probably) more. I've heard that R. Teichman was uncomfortable with the school changing so quickly and so drastically, but I haven't confirmed it yet (if anyone has any info, please let me know).

I think it's time we raised this as a serious issue within the community. I understand TA's need to move (pander?) to the right; when you look at the demographics of the families in the community, there is no question that TA as it is today does not appeal to the largest segment. Many boys leave for Ner or out of town, TA is then forced to accept washouts from New York to fill up classes, degrading the high school atmosphere. Although I doubt that there isn't some religious motivation behind their moving to the right, I understand from a business perspective why an institution would do this from a business perspective.

But the real question is: Where do middle-of-the-road families send their children to high school in Baltimore? While I empathize with TA's dilema, in some ways I view this as a betrayal of the community. We have a yeshiva (Ner), we have a mesivta (R. Schlanger's). We don't need another one. What we do need is a yeshiva day school for boys that takes both Jewish and secular education seriously. More than anything, I see this as an opportunity for Rambam to step up and play a larger, more prominent role in Baltimore's Jewish educational landscape. I would hope that the schools are engaged in some sort of dialogue with each other to discuss how to collectively address the educational needs of the community in the best fashion; I doubt that they actually are, and that's a shame.

More news as it develops, if you have information, please send it my way.

Posted by Greg at February 24, 2006 9:54 AM in , | TrackBack
Comments

This terrifies me.
Where will I send my son to school?
My wife and I moved to Baltimore partially because the community we left had two schools: the left-wing/coed one and the right-wing one where the kids couldn't located Canada or Mexico on a map. I fear that even if Ramban has a single-gender high school, it will still overall be too to the left for some centrist people. Also more expensive.

Posted by: David at February 24, 2006 11:38 AM

This is not good news. Good analysis, Greg. As I've discussed on my own blog, I also want to find a middle of the road option for my son and hopefully future kids. While high school is very far off for him, it's still interesting for me to see where the deomographics are going. I don't see why TA needs go further to the right with Ner Yisroel and Rav Schlanger's around. It seems one of my great fears about living in Baltimore is being realized: No normal schools to send my kids. Let's all daven that Rambam steps up to the plate, or who knows what we're going to do when Dani is high school age.

Posted by: Jewboy at February 24, 2006 1:14 PM

We are so moving to Frederick. If my kids are going to get a crappy education, let me at least get a nice, big, new house for my $350,000.

Posted by: Lanie at February 24, 2006 1:28 PM

I also agree that this is not great news. Why can't TA see what the need is and try to fill it, instead of trying to be like Ner? I fear that many people whose kids might do well in a place like TA will not send them to Rambam because of the "stigma". Such a shame.

Posted by: Sara at February 24, 2006 1:47 PM

"I've heard that R. Teichman was uncomfortable with the school changing so quickly and so drastically, but I haven't confirmed it yet (if anyone has any info, please let me know)."

More like "he engineered the changes years ago". TA was middle of the road right up until his appointment as menahel. He treated the place like his own personal version of TJ, and not surprisingly, that's what it became. If he's leaving, it's not because he's uncomfortable with the changes - if I were to guess, it's because he wants to go back to Israel. I think it's rather funny that new TA wouldn't accept me, despite the fact that I was one of their prize students when I graduated. I, for one, am not sad to see him go. No reflection on the man's character, but I never wanted him at the school.

The rightward shift was _supposedly_ because of some large sum donated to the school on that condition. No confirmation on specifics, though.

The lack of a centrist school is starting to become worrisome. Hebrew Academy is moving leftwards to compete with JDS, so there's no solution down here. Rambam is co-ed, and while that doesn't really bother me so much, it's not my idea of optimal. I also don't think their secular studies are as good as they're claimed.

-DMZ, Hebrew Studies Valedictorian 2000

Posted by: DMZ at February 24, 2006 5:25 PM

From what I've gathered, R. Teichman's departure was not his choice nor was it the ideal choice of the school. I'm trying to find out more before putting up anymore hearsay.

Posted by: Greg at February 25, 2006 7:13 PM

I just hope that when the dust settles there will be some viable options for frum schools in Baltimore. When I say "viable," I mean schools where you don't have to sacrifice your child's secular education for a good Torah education. I wish that we lived in a much less sectarian world...

Posted by: Jack Davidov at February 26, 2006 5:12 PM

Yes, TA does fil a niche. That being said what they are doing appears to be shifting to provide a high school for their elementary school. As their HS was constructed, up until a few years ago, I would not have even considered TA's high school, even though I consider myself a pretty typical TA parent. This move to the right will allow more 8th grade graduates to stay in TA for HS. That need may have already been addressed but that should not be a reason for TA not to serve the needs of its parent body. That is the same reason for Rambam's shift, to accomodate a wider segment of its parent body (or target parent body).

Posted by: Opinions at February 27, 2006 10:15 AM

BO: I don't agree. I send my son to elementary school there, so why am I uncomfortable with the way the high school is going? I don't think they are aligning themselves with the overall student body; they are chasing a demographic that they see as essential to their having a "good" school.

To ALL: I dont think anything here indicates that the secular education is being sacrificed, although I would be concerned.

Posted by: Greg at February 27, 2006 10:13 PM

Grey, you can always send your kids to silver spring, when I was in HS there seemed to be an exodus of kids from BT to HA and TA to YGW respectively, who says it wont repeat? YGW might seem right wing, but a decent number of the students end up at YU.

Posted by: SP at February 28, 2006 3:31 AM