Suit Over Sale of Former Public School To Yeshivas Is Settled

Lower Hudson Journal News reports on the settlement of a lawsuit between the East Ramapo, New York school district and two Orthodox Jewish schools (yeshivas) that are leasing and seeking to purchase an elementary school building that was closed as a public school in 2009. Congregation Bais Malka of Monsey and the Hebrew Academy for Special Children, a religious school for children with special needs, have been renting the former Colton school since 2011. They sued last summer seeking credits for rent paid to reduce the purchase price of the building.  Opponents claim a conflict of interest in the entire transaction since a majority of the school board members are Orthodox Jews whose families use Orthodox Jewish yeshivas. In the settlement agreement, East Ramapo will give the yeshivas over $1 million in rent credits, will waive late fees for rent that was never paid, and give additional credits for repairs that the tenants made. A New York trial court judge finally approved the settlement on Monday, but insisted that it include language that the court does not endorse the findings of fact in the settlement. (See prior related posting.)