Not Algebra!

From Ynet today (my translation):

Following the Judge's decision that running "Mehadrin routes" (Bus routes separating men and women) is legal, while needing greater supervision by the ministry of Transport - a member of Yahdut Hatora explained to Ynet the silence of their Knesset members on this issue: " We have bigger dangers, like that they will introduce the teaching of Algebra to the Talmudei Torah, and with all due respect to the Mehadrin Lines - we think that to the Haredi public the separation of men and women on busses is less important."

אחר קביעת השופטים כי הפעלת קווי המהדרין חוקית, תוך פיקוח ואכיפה מוגברים מצד משרד התחבורה - מסביר גורם ב"יהדות התורה" ל-ynet את שתיקת הח"כים במאבק: "יש לנו סכנות גדולות, כמו שיכניסו לימודי אלגברה לתלמודי התורה, ועם כל הכבוד לקווי המהדרין - אנחנו חושבים שלציבור החרדי פחות חשובות המחיצות בין גברים לנשים באוטובוסים".

Now the last thing you have to do to get into heaven is to answer this question: Two trains left Chicago travelling 40 MPH in opposite directions and...

To be honest this can be interpreted as both a good thing and a bad thing. It is somewhat comforting to discover that "Tznius" is not the biggest fear that the Haredi Knesset members have. Perhaps this is also an admission that this whole issue was really just representing a small public. So far the positive side. However discovering that Algebra was the even bigger boogeyman – well frankly that is just somewhat more worrisome.