Thousands of boys aged 13 to 16 disappeared from the enrolled school system in East London. Their parents had sent them to illegal faith schools that belong to ultra-Orthodox Jewish faith that taught the students only religious matters. They were not taught English and other academic subjects typically taught in non-religious schools.
The Cover Up
The International Business Times said that the Department of Education (DoE) is charged with concealing evidence that proves more than 1,000 students were missing and had been sent to illegal schools, which have been operating for more than 40 years. The schools are also accused of inflicting sexual abuse and physical violence on the children.
The Department of Education and Hackney Learning Trust, which is a private organization within Hackney Council's Children and Young People's Service, had purportedly been aware of the said issue since 2010. On the other hand, according to Independent, there is no action done to protect the children from both parties.
"There has been an open secret in the Jewish world that ultra-Orthodox schools have been operating in Hackney are not registered with the Department of Education. In essence, they are illegal schools, but authorities appear to be turning a blind eye," said Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Romain, the chair of the Accord Coalition.
Everything Outside Is Bad And Evil
The said illegal faith schools are teaching the students a curriculum that is solely religious. They also spoke in Yiddish and had been taught that non-Jewish were terrible, according to one student.
"In order to keep such a vast number of people enclosed, they are indoctrinating from a very young age that everything outside is bad and evil," said a student. Another former pupil, who went to illegal school in Hackney's Stanford Hill, said that he was physically beaten by his teachers and his childhood was stolen from him.