Rally Staged in Support of MTA

School's Future Remains Shrouded in Debate

Anyone who thought MTA would sit idly by as its future slowly disappeared right before its very eyes appears to have been mistaken. Wednesday, February 17 found hundreds of high school students, administrators, teachers, and even alumni pouring out on 185th Street in organized protest. Unlike many protests designed to target a particular action, this one protested indecisiveness and the absence of a clear response on the part of Yeshiva University in deciding the fate of its affiliated boy's high school The Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy.

Following recent reports of Yeshiva University plans to shut down the boy's high school and the subsequent outcry from many different sectors of the Jewish community to save MTA, YU officials scrambled to clarify their position. It didn't work. YU Public Relations confirmed the existence of merger talks, while official YU statements, at least as articulated to the high school administration, pointed to the prospect of an incoming freshman class.

Against this backdrop of confusion, the Yeshiva University Board of Trustees' Executive Committee held a meeting on Wednesday, February 10 to discuss the situation. At the meeting, Elliot Gibber, Chairman of the High School Board and a key player in the recent developments, presented his plan for financial independence, one of three options being considered by the University at the time - closing the school, merging it with another area high school, or granting MTA financial independence and autonomy. Gibber's presentation was designed to sway YU officials to abandon the second option, which would effectively end MTA's existence.

Gibber's proposition, as reported in the last issue of The Commentator, closely resembled a model that he had circulated almost four years ago, when he became High School Board Chairman. The plan had never gone into effect, however, and Gibber was left to await the proper time for its implementation.

According to sources familiar with the negotiations, YU's response to the proposal at the Board meeting was generally "positive." They acknowledged, albeit unofficially, the abandonment of the merger option for the coming year, effectively guaranteeing that MTA will remain open at the start of the new millennium. Official word of any decision, however, was never released.

MTA was far from satisfied. Rabbi Michael Taubes, the school's principal, deemed the YU response, or lack thereof, "totally inadequate." Taubes pointed to concern on the part of prospective parents whose doubt regarding the future of MTA deters them from seriously considering sending their sons to MTA.

It was this observation that prompted a radical request on the part of the MTA administration from Rabbi Lamm to clarify, once and for all, the future of MTA, before it was too late: "We fear that without a clear and unequivocal public statement of long-term support and endorsement of the school from you before the February 17th deadline [the Bureau of Jewish Education prescribed date for acceptance-letter release], many parents will be unwilling to send their sons to a school whose future is perceived to be in doubt." The MTA plea was sent to Rabbi Lamm in writing on Tuesday, February 16th.

Lamm effectively ignored the request. The result was an hour-long protest on Wednesday, February 17, by the entire high school (staff and students included) outside of Furst Hall. Chants of "M-T-A" accompanied a heartfelt outpouring of Tehillim. The prayers were led by Rabbi Yitzchak Cohen, MTA's Mashgiach Ruchani, who added a flavor of sincerity to the gathering. New York State Police patrolled the scene to ensure that everything remained under control, and within two hours, 185th was as empty as it had been earlier that morning.

The "protest," as it was dubbed, was not so much a protest as a request. Students and administrators alike simply reiterated their desire, even need, to have a clear cut answer from YU before the March 9th date that YU administrators had announced. Acceptance letters, according to General Studies Coordinator Dr. Seth Taylor, had to be mailed out February 17th; and in order to mitigate the effects of the recent month's developments, letters of acceptance had to be accompanied by a strong show of support from YU regarding a commitment to the high school. Anything less would amount to a pocket veto. "There's a limit to how long people are going to wait before bailing out," explained Taubes.

Despite a lack of indication of a University decision, it remains clear that YU is entertaining numerous possibilities. Subcommittees were set up by both the RIETS Board and the YU Board of Trustees to address the issue. Rabbi Michael Shmidman, the only YU official to contact MTA regarding the situation in the past month, informed Taubes that no decision was imminent within the next "several weeks." Whether or not that was meant to undermine the rumors indicating that March 9th, the next YU Board meeting, would be the date of revelation, remains unclear.

Not only is the time of decision in question, but sources close to the closed-door deliberations have informed The Commentator that the possibilities have been changing as well.

At a recent meeting, an unpublicized option was raised. The suggestion called for MTA to downsize from a high school to what the source deemed a "prep school." Such a change would entail MTA becoming an "elite" institution comprised exclusively of the most capable students.

MTA insiders deem the option "ridiculous." Firstly, it doesn't seem to be aimed at solving any of the present problems that have prompted the present debate in the first place. Secondly, it is not promising from a "practical standpoint, economic standpoint, or an educational standpoint," according to Taubes.

Practically, it is difficult to imagine MTA not accepting the numerous students who academically would not meet requirements, but whose various connections to YU would assure abuses of the system.

Economically, Taubes expressed extreme doubt as to how such a move would solve any "existing problems" that supposedly trouble YU now, as it would only limit the number of incoming students.

YU Roshei HaYeshiva met with President Lamm in an effort to express their concerns. Through a series of emotional addresses the Roshei HaYeshiva took turns presenting their opinions on MTA's place in the Jewish community. The success of their words has yet to be determined.