Satmara Niyes

Very powerful words of guidance, words that are a healing balm for the eyes, were heard tonight, Motzei Shabbos, from the leader of Israel, the Satmar Rebbe shlit"a, at the dinner for the benefit of our holy mosdos in Boro Park, regarding the path of the battle and the current times against the decree on chinuch. The Rebbe made clear that we must stand "firm as a rock" and not budge from the curriculum and content of studies maintained until now, and that we must show the government our backbone and not seek to please them.

First, the Rebbe spoke at length with words of praise for the administration of the mosdos, who kept the mosdos open with mesirus nefesh and thereby showed the government that they were dealing with a "stiff-necked people," as indeed was seen when the government backed down. We must take this to heart: we need to establish an unbending stance of the chareidi Jewish community, that we will not change anything about our chinuch. The Rebbe cried out to the government: "..We have a chinuch, a good chinuch. Their chinuch is worthless. 'Our chinuch is the most beautiful of the beautiful.' And the government should know that we are not going to change, neither 'the years in which one should learn,' nor 'the hours,' nor 'the books with the curriculum.' As it has been until now, so it will continue.."
Then the Rebbe spoke out against the new curriculum of "Common Core," noting that he did not get involved in the matter and holds no opinion either way, because it has no practical halachic ramification!
"In this regard the Rebbe gave a clear directive: 'I have a statement from my uncle z"l regarding secular studies: one may teach children secular studies, but one must take care that it should not become tasteful and engaging.' And this new curriculum is one that is made to be tasteful and engaging; therefore, for us, it is 'invalid.'
Whether it is kosher or not kosher is of no concern to us as a matter of halacha; for us, the directive of my uncle z"l is what governs.
In our mosdos, secular studies will be taught as the government demands, but with the books that were learned 20 years ago!

In this context, the Rebbe turned to certain askanim who are making compromises with the curriculum, and cried out to them that it is a "grave mistake," because it implies that they are acknowledging to the government that there is room for improvement. "We tell the government: our chinuch is good, and the government should not interject opinions about how to run our chinuch."
The way of the Agudah party is to make compromises. "These askanim are connected to Agudah people. I want to ask them: 'Don't be Agudah people!! And don't make compromises!!! If you come out with a compromise, you will come out in disgrace and mockery!!' 'Klal Yisroel will not accept any compromises.'
By introducing the new approach to secular studies, you want to please the government. 'We do not want to please them,' because it makes no difference what they say yes to and what they say no to,
We will not change, and one is not allowed to change.