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MKs fight for 'leftist' teacher: 'IDF is sometimes immoral'
Shachar Chai
Published: 22.01.14, 22:36
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15 Talkbacks for this article
1. do you know what the word SUBVERSION is ?!
Frederic   (01.22.14)
Subversion IS NOT free speech
2. mitzna and herzog
milson   (01.22.14)
2 pathetic peas in a pod, mitzna, whose ideas got israel 10,000 rockets and whose ideas for peace will get israelis killed. Herzog's father is lucky to be dead rather than hear this olmert coward herzog spout nonsnse. Talk and opinions are fine but neutrality is necessary and advocating israelis to avoid the draft is criminal. or herzog can lay down weapons and walk into the oven. Have jews learned nothing! as far as threats from europe, I shoujld warn europe, any harm that you intent against israel will harm you as israel will cut its military and security ties with nation and the EU. threats won't work. and we know kerry told you to say this. Stay the hell out of israeli affairs.
3. typical naive leftisy thinking no under standing of democrac
ralph   (01.22.14)
Of democracy leftist mk if anyone are most immoral of any list they could compose. Fire this teacher and remove his teachers ccertificate. If he wants to open his mouth he can get a box to stand on and see what appeal he has. Also he and his naive students should have to read up on the concept of useful idiot. I suspect their self righteous ness would preclude them learning anything.
4. #1 - Agree! Fire him properly....
David ,   Shiloh Israel   (01.22.14)
Israel cannot afford to undermine its defense. We are still technically at war and negaitive speech aimed at demoralizing our young about to serve Israel should be treated far more harshly then the lame duck punishment meted out to this miserable excuse for a teacher. Encouraging a debate with an agenda that seeks to weaken our country cannot possibly be allowed to flourish. Only in this case it appears that it wasn't even a debate but harsh critism for a young trustee of someone serving enemy interests. He should have been literally fired...against a wall!
5. Banning dissent is fascism
Dan   (01.22.14)
Sorry, Israel, but that is what free speech is: the right to criticise people and institutions in power. Either let him speak without losing his job (but feel free to debate him with facts) or accept that you are no longer a democratic country.
6. Teacherm students does Not equal debate
Chana   (01.22.14)
MK Yoni Chetboun (Habayit Hayehudi) said: " An open political debate is a meaningful and worthy matter in a democratic society" This is not an 'open' debate. Teacher is the power player with students. Giving out items for the students to debate among themselves is one thing. This 'Teacher" went further - telling students Not to fight in the IDF is subversion of the State of Israel. Let him live with the Arabs chutz Israel.
7. to #5
Alexander   (01.23.14)
So many of our co-citizens would gladly accept being 'no longer a democratic country'...
8. IDF
Naftali   (01.23.14)
The thing is, for a lot of these leftists, it's not a MORAL issue but a political one. Meaning, bash the government you don't like that the people elected by claiming that they are immoral. The left in Israel excels at this, with some of them even supporting boycotting Israel (+972 and New Israel Fund for example) I do not want my children anywhere near these kinds of "teachers'
9. Free speech for leftists only
Mordechai   (01.23.14)
Where were these MK's when yeshivot were thrown out of the hesder system for supporting the right of soldiers to refuse illegal orders to demolish the homes of Isralei citizens? Some soldiers were just arrested by the IDF for expressing opinions supporting refusing illegal orders to destroy Jewish homes. Will these MK's come to their defense. I assume right wing teachers can teach how horrible it would be to ever trade land for peace. And they can insult and demean left wing students just like this teacher attacked students who disagreed with him. Or does this teacher only have the right to express himself if he agrees with the left.
10. Every army is cruel
Zechariah   (01.23.14)
It a question of which army is least crueli in achieving victory and Israel does attempt to limit its brutality .Claiming its the Most moral army considering the threats is probably close to the truth .The Teacher is ok to express his view but its Utopic .
11. 5
zionist forever   (01.23.14)
Teachers are given a position of trust and what they tell their students influences them in the opinions on various issues. Many students of this age are not fully aware of politics, what soldiers have to do etc so when a teacher starts preaching their own political opinions the students might be influenced when forming their own opinions. The principle overreacted and the punishment was to harsh but there can never be any place for politics in the classroom doesn't matter if its right, left or religious. Any political issues taught should come from education ministry approved school books not personal opinions of teachers.
12. The |Loony Left
Joseph ,   London England   (01.23.14)
The loony Leftists in Israeli colleges have gotten away with indoctrination for years, even refusing to allow soldiers to wear their IDF uniform in college classes. Pupils or students should not feel they are graded on how much they follow the teacher's clearly expressed personal views. The object should be to study and understand a range of views and to decide on one's own view and how to explainh and defend it.
13. the school has just created a martyr
zionist forever   (01.23.14)
The principle has stupidly created a martyr and new icon for the left and human rights campaigners who will start rabbiting on about free speech. The reaction was to harsh, the teacher should have been given a slap on the wrist and warned not to start preaching politics to his students anymore. That would have been the logical and a reasonable punishment. We will probably find ourselves now with teachers holding after school political rallies in solidarity for another teacher. There seems no way out of this now if the teacher stays it was due to pressure if the teacher goes the right is against free speech,
14. #5, Dan, why don't you read the article again?
Jake   (01.23.14)
And familiarize yourself with the facts, before you level that old worn-out epithet "fascist". Else you yourself become guilty of calumny. ORT, the organization that runs the school and dismissed the teacher, is a private organization. ORT, however, receives funding from the State, and it is the State that instructed ORT to appeal the decision. Though it is clear this teacher DID cross the line, his case is being reevaluted, per the instructions of the Education Minister. As the article states: "ORT schools said that "a request from the office of the education minister was received on the matter of the teacher. After examining the incident with the teacher's direct managers, he was called for a hearing that was meant to allow him to be heard. He asked to reevaluate his dismissal from the school." He later on decided to continue working with the establishment. "As per his request, another hearing on the matter will be held. The additional hearing is expected to be carried out next week, and only then a decision will be made." "
15. #13, he is not a martyr; he is appealing his pants off
Jake   (01.23.14)
The case has yet to be finalized. ""ORT schools said that "a request from the office of the education minister was received on the matter of the teacher. After examining the incident with the teacher's direct managers, he was called for a hearing that was meant to allow him to be heard. He asked to reevaluate his dismissal from the school." He later on decided to continue working with the establishment. "As per his request, another hearing on the matter will be held. The additional hearing is expected to be carried out next week, and only then a decision will be made." "
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