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Security guard. Rare commodity in Arab schools (archives)
Photo: Herzel Yosef
Ziad Sharfi

Arab schools claim security discrimination

Parents helpless as continuous request for security budget falls on deaf ears. 'According to Education Ministry, only Jewish schools require guards'

A recent OECD report discussed the serious lack of computers the Arab education system must deal with, along with the gaps compared to the Jewish system, which have been public knowledge for a while now. In addition to all that, it appears Arab schoolchildren are being discriminated against when it comes to their personal safety as well.

 

Hundreds of schools in the Arabic community have no security, leaving students and faculty exposed. Parent committees have been trying for years to solve this problem, but the authorities have only managed to pass on responsibility from one on to another.

 

Around 500 students attend Algzale School in the town of Baqa al-Gharbiyye, in the Haifa district – but security is nowhere to be found. With no organized solution from the authorities, parents have decided to take control of their children's safety. They secure the building all on their own, hoping that a real security company will soon take over.

 

"We are extremely worried. We feel the municipality is accountable for the situation, they don't care to secure the educational institutes here," said Ziad Sharfi, a member of the parent committee at the school. "We demand that the relevant authorities change the situation. We've sent them many letters and requested they set a security patrol around the schools and install security cameras, be we're still waiting for a response."

 

Parents in Baqa al-Gharbiyye have lost sleep over the fact that their kids are left exposed at the schools while violence and crime rage on.

 

"We've had cases where high-school dropouts arrived on their motorcycles and tractors, trying to run over kids on school property," said Sharfi. "There were also kids that damaged teachers' cars in the parking lot and stole their symbols for pure vandalism."


 

Sharfi at the school. No security guard (Photo: Hassan Shaalan)

 

Sharfi claimed the solution he and his fellow parent committee members arrived at was not by choice. Even protests they had organized did not help put a stop to the situation.

 

"We tried to organize a school strike until they provide them with organized security, but unfortunately the municipality is too impermeable to our needs. Only parts of the educational institutes have security, but the majorities don't. We'll fight for out rights and make to prevent any attempt to disrupt school activity," Sharfi added.

 

Another member of the parents committee accused the Education Ministry of favoring Jewish school when it comes to security, and of not taking under consideration the location of Baqa al-Gharbiyye, near the green line.

 

"The situation today is that Jewish schools are given security budgets but we don't – this is a clear example of discrimination and a degrading attitude towards Arab students from the educational system."

 

Security guard left

The situation at the Al-Rahma special education School in Baqa al-Gharbiyye isn't all that different. There is no security and once again – all requests sent to the authorities regarding the issue have fallen on deaf ears.

 

Chairman of the parents' committee at the school, Naaif Aradah said: "We have 100 students here, in different levels. For three years now we've been demanding to put a security guard at the gate to keep an eye on the students and visitors, but the municipality hasn't been listening. At one point there was a part-time security guard on location, as part of his National Service, but when he finished his services he left. Today no one protects the students."


Naaif Aradah. Request fell on deaf ears (Photo: Hassan Shaalan)

 

Parents at Al-Rahma also attempted to get authorities to take care of this problem by organizing a strike, but the decision makers were not impressed.

 

"They claimed there isn't a budget or any positions available for security guards, but we don't really care. A proper solution must be found," said Aradah.

 

Even attempts to get authorities to place security guards in order to protect the 700 students at the "אבן חלדון" middle school in Nazareth have failed miserably. The Chairman of the parents' committee at the school, Fa'aid Fa'aid, said: "The Education Ministry say that only the Jewish schools require security, because they're afraid the Arabs will try to enter. Two years ago we had people come in to our school and attack the principal and stab him in the back. We're thinking of organizing a school strike until a solution will be found."

 

Fa'aid believes this is a expression of discrimination from the State authorities towards the entire Arab sector. "Teachers sent a letter to the municipality demanding to appoint a security guard, but up until now they haven't received a reply. I'm sure that if this were the Jewish sector, the attitude towards students and teachers would be completely different. Eventually, those who suffer for it are the Arab schools."


 

School on strike, authorities unimpressed (Archive: Herzel Yosef)

 

The National Parents' Committee Secretary for the Arab sector, Assam Omar, joined the accusations against the State, saying authorities discriminate on issues of security between Jews and Arabs.

 

"Most schools in the Arab sector have no security, and the Education Ministry say they're not responsible for it but that the Interior Ministry is the one accountable. They explained security guards must be placed at Jewish schools so terrorists won't come in," said Omar.

 

Omar mentioned that "there is a law requiring placing guards in restaurants, so how can there be schools with no security? Only recently did the Education Ministry receive an additional NIS 2 billion ($0.56 billion) to its budget, so it's unclear why our sector, comprised of 20% of the State's population, gets only a few pennies from the education budget."

 

Omar threatened that if a quick solution will be found, the parents' committee in the Arab sector will go on strike until all of their students receive protection at educational institutes.

 

'Security intended to prevent terror'

The Nazareth Education Department Head Samia Basul said: "The security of Arab schools isn't subsidized for many reasons, but those responsible are working towards figuring out a solution. Meanwhile, the mayor of Nazareth is trying to fill the void with the help of different budgets. In some schools the situation has been worked out, and others have yet to get security."

 

Chairman of Baqa al-Gharbiyye Permanent Committee Yitzhak Vlad said: "The Education Ministry doesn't approve the school budget here, and despite that there are some institutes with security guards which are funded by the municipality. Security at the schools has been placed due to fear of terrorist attacks, and I think this is why additional security budgets aren't approved for the sector."

 

An Education Ministry official said: "According to the government's decision, the overall responsibility for securing educational institutes falls in the Police. In the last few months there are been discussions in order to change the situation, so as to prevent terrorist attacks as well as to provide an answer for violent acts."

 

The ministry official added: "A team was established to look into the situation and formulate an organized proposal to change the government's decision, so it includes the non-Jewish sector as well and provide security guards with the proper authority to stop violent acts at the schools. The Education Ministry is working to eradicate violence in schools, including legislative changes and educational programs meant to create a safer school environment."

 

 

 

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 01.02.11, 20:27
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