Dear Rabbi Teitelbaum
What does a rebbi do when he has a real “waco” in his class who not only gets on the rebbi’s nerves but drives the entire class crazy? Punishing him or sending him to the principal is an exercise in futility because his father is on the school’s board of directors and is very rich. The principal just sends him back into class where he acts up once again and ruins the entire learning process. The boy is having a very negative influence on the rest of the class. What exactly is the rebbi to do?
Sincerely
Rabbi Berel S.
One of your former students and great admirer
Rabbi Eli Teitelbaum replies,
Any school that allows this to happen should close its doors and put up a big sign “Psychiatric Ward.” Parents whose children are in such a class should pull them out and send them elsewhere. Perhaps if all the parents in the class pull their sons out, the yeshiva will get the message. As far as you’re concerned, I can only advise you to find a job elsewhere. There are plenty of good normal yeshivas around. It’s really sad to hear that such yeshiva’s still exist. A principal who allows this to happen should be given his walking papers since he is not doing his job.
A normal school must insist that such a child be properly evaluated by a psychologist or psychiatrist and get their advice as to how such a child should be handled. Failing to do so is considered negligence on the part of the school.