In anticipation of the end of the school year, the first of a series of meetings which will be organized nationwide already took place involving the principals of talmudei Torah, alerting them to stand on guard against the harm caused by technological advances and the danger of Internet — in response to a directive from our gedolei Yisroel.
The gathering this past week, which took place in the offices of the Center for the Protection Against Technological Dangers on Rechov Rashi in Bnei Brak, dealt primarily with the imperative role of the chadorim in being on guard against these spiritual threats and with the need for the principals to send a detailed letter to the parents spelling out those technological devices and telling them how to safeguard their children from access and exposure to anything that our spiritual leaders disapprove of, including the various `news lines' (kavei nayess). It was also emphasized that special efforts must be made to ensure that during the upcoming bein hazmanim, the gains of the year will not be lost.
The meeting discussed the explicit directive of HaRav Eliashiv and HaRav Shteinman who, in the past, directed the principals of the various chadorim to arouse the parents to the need for alertness and to safeguard themselves as well as their children from communications dangers. In their words, "The educational institutions shall send a `mandatory letter' to be signed by the parents affirming that they are adhering to the guidelines laid down, and in the event that they are lax, the administration will weigh the continued attendance of their children in the school. It goes without saying that the schools shall not admit students of families which do not adhere to these guidelines lest they have a negative influence upon others."
