It was all over the news today that an elementary school in Petach Tikvah accepted four Ethiopian students into their school, but separated them from the other students. The four young girls had a separate classroom, with a separate teacher, and supposedly had recess at a different time than the rest of the school (this last fact was denied by the school). You can read more about it here. I'm not surprised by this at all. Israel hasn't really heard of "separate but equal is inherently unequal".
Besides the obvious discrimination, my first thought was, "Four kids in a class? Why aren't more parents clamoring to get their kids into that class?!?" My two kids in elementary school have 40 kids in their class. Class not grade. Each. Talk about culture shock. It's a good thing they spend most of their time in ulpan. Anyway, now that everyone's gotten wind of the antics of this school, these kids will probably get the same education like the rest of the kids in that school. For better or worse....
Oh, and a HAPPY CHANUKAH TO ALL MY JEWISH FRIENDS!!!!
Stay tuned for my Chanukah post, coming soon--I'll let you all know how that caramel sufganiya was.....
The Stuff that Lasts
7 years ago
6 comments:
descrimination knows no boundaries!!!
are your kids in an all girls school or is it coed?
i find that to be a little strange, its not like these are the first Etheopians to come to Israel. you see them all over, including the army.
sz
About that caramel sufganiya, I want intimate details. You may have Santa but we don't have caramel sufganiyot. I haven't done extensive research on the subject but all we had was jelly and custard. Take an extra shpatzir up that hill and eat one for me. chag sameach.
SZ
Anon--
My kids are in a "Mamlachti Dati Torani" school here in Israel. That means its a religious public school. Boys and girls are in the same building but learn in separate classrooms.
SZ--
I know, I kinda thought we had the Ethiopian issue down pat, but apparently not. In Liat's school, there is a class of Ethiopian girls (she does attend an all girl's school) and they are separated as well. Liat told me its because they are olot chadashot,(new immigrants) and did not see the obvious irony in that statement...
Perhaps the girls in liat's school have no religious background at all and need to start from scratch. unlike the girls in that other school who seem to have moved from another city in Israel to Petach tikva.
sz
Perhaps.
I'll be giving my full report on those sufganiyot next week, SZ...in the meantime enjoy Chanuka!
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