A study conducted by professors from Hebrew University and
the University of Michigan found high rates of fighting,
bullying, and other physical violence, as well as verbal
abuse, such as insults and humiliation, in Israeli schools.
Some 1,500 teachers and 200 principles were contacted.
One out of every five teachers and 10 percent of principals
say they feel helpless in dealing with school violence,
according to a comprehensive survey sponsored by the
Education Ministry.
Ten percent of students in middle and high schools said they
had brought weapons to school within the last month, a
quarter of whom said they had brought a gun. Arab students
were twice as likely to report using weapons than Jewish
students.
"The comparison between pupils in the various sectors of
Israeli society indicates clear differences in dominant types
of violence," the study found.
"Among Arab students at all levels, there were strikingly
more reports of extortion with threats, more cases of
threatening with a knife, deliberately cutting with a knife
or sharp object, and seeing a gun at school.
"In contrast, among Jewish students, there were many more
reports of physical fighting, cursing, mocking, insults,
humiliation, and vandalism."
The gap between principals' and students' perceptions of the
problem was greatest in elementary schools, where 37 percent
of pupils rated their school as having a large or very large
violence problem, while only six percent of principals
thought the problem in their school was that significant.
Physical violence was more frequent among younger students
than older students. About 58 percent of elementary school
students, half of middle school students and a third of high
school students said that they had been grabbed or shoved by
another student at least once in the month prior to the
survey.
The study found that the fear of violence has gotten to the
point that students are deciding to stay at home rather than
deal with threats of violence at school.
Sixteen percent of elementary students, 10 percent of middle
school students, and five percent of high school students
said that they missed at least one day of school in the month
preceding the survey for fear of violence either at school or
on their routes to and from school.
Education Minister Yossi Sarid responded to the report by
issuing a list of actions his ministry has taken to fight the
problem, including issuing schools a lengthy questionnaire to
help principals evaluate which anti-violence activities would
meet their school's specific needs, increasing partnerships
with local authorities, police, and nonprofit organizations
that target youth violence, and training 700 psychologists
and counselors, 250 school inspectors, and 300 principals.
Knesset Education Committee chairman Zevulun Orlev (National
Religious Party) criticized the minister for ignoring the
recommendations of the governmental committee on school
violence, chaired by Science Minister Matan Vilna'i.
"He has a report that says what to do, but he's not paying
attention to it," Orlev said. "Unfortunately, the Education
Ministry is only dealing with violence in a virtual way, with
fancy words from the minister, but no master plan for
actions."
Chareidi observers expressed dismay when the Israeli school
system has the model of chareidi education that has such low
incidence of violence but it refuses to learn from their
experience.
