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State, East Ramapo School District And Yeshivas Sued Over Lack Of Courses For Boys

EAST RAMAPO, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A class action lawsuit has been filed by former students and parents of students in several Rockland County Hasidic yeshivas over the schools' alleged failure to provide boys with the same basic education as girls.

As WCBS 880's Kelly Waldron reported, the parents of four children and five former students have accused the state, the East Ramapo School District and four Yeshivas of failing to offer the proper academic courses for boys.

"Girls get the secular education that they need, including science and social students, and things like that," said attorney Laura Barbieri. "Boys do not, and so they are being short-changed."

Barbieri, of Advocates of Justice, said parents should never have to choose between religion and their children receiving a good education.

The lawsuit is asking that three hours of secular education be instituted per day, along with an enforcement mechanism to make sure the instruction is taking place.

The suit seeks to require the schools to do so as soon as the next school year, according to the Journal News. It also seeks unspecified monetary damages for former students, the Journal News reported.

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