Channels

Schoolyard hit by Qassam rocket
Photo: Amir Cohen

Decision on fortifying Sderot's schools postponed

High Court postpones decision on fortification of schools pending beginning of school year. Parents Association: School year won't be opened on time

The High Court decided Wednesday to postpone its ruling on mandatory fortification for all schools in Sderot until after the school year starts.

 

In doing so, the court would allow the state, which petitioned for the delay of the fortification by three years, a chance to rebut Sderot's Parents Association's petition for the immediate fortification of the city's schools.

 

In response to the court's decision, the Parents Association threatened to prevent the start of the school year.

 

“How are we supposed to send our children to unfortified classes?” Chairman Batya Katar said.

 

“The kibbutzim in the area have an alternative, their children can go study in kibbutzim located beyond the Qassam rockets’ range, but we are not permitted to send our children to schools outside Sderot. Therefore, the school year will not begin on time. We have lost all faith in the state.

 

The Sderot Parents Association first petitioned the High Court in May, asking all schools in the Sderot and the Gaza vicinity communities be fortified.

 

The court granted the petition and ordered the state to begin the fortification process, however, not all classrooms have been fortified and many families have decided to enroll their children to schools outside Sderot and out of harms way.

 

Sources in the Sderot Municipality told Ynet that only four of the city's nine schools have been fortified so far, despite the court's order.

 

"It is not up to the court to decide which school will be fortified and to what extant," said Prime Minister Ehud Olmert last month.

 

"This is a government decision and we will not fortify ourselves senseless."

 


פרסום ראשון: 08.22.07, 22:10
 new comment
Warning:
This will delete your current comment