"Since the establishment of the State, Torah educational
systems and Chinuch Atzmai have always enjoyed full
educational autonomy. Any undesirable intervention by the
High Court in the curriculum or number of classroom hours
constitutes an intolerable offense to the core of the
system's spiritual autonomy. We reject it completely and
firmly oppose this new trend on the part of the High
Court."
These remarks were made by Rabbi Avrohom Lazerson, one
of the heads of Chinuch Atzmai, in reaction to the High
Court's decision at the beginning of February obligating the
Education Ministry to announce a program for 75% of the
teaching curriculum of mandatory education in every
officially recognized school in the country, including
chareidi schools, within thirty days. The law has been on the
books for many years but it was never enforced.
The decision, made by a panel of justices which included
Justices Barak, Cheshin and Zamir, comes in the wake of an
appeal by MK Paritzki of Shinui, who protested that many
educational institutions -- mainly chareidi ones -- which
receive funding from the Education Ministry, do not function
according to Education Ministry guidelines. The High Court
accepted his appeal and instructed the Ministry to distribute
a new circular delineating the minimal hours for mandatory
(read: secular) subjects in schools seeking official
recognition.
This unprecedented decision aroused strong opposition
among the heads and teachers of the Chinuch Atzmai. It was
expressed by Rabbi Lazerson's strong reaction, in which he
stressed the uniqueness of Chinuch Atzmai, as well as its
impact and its crucial responsibility for shaping the
spiritual image of future generations. He also stressed the
need to preserve the educational autonomy of the Chinuch
Atzmai, as has been the case since its founding nearly fifty
years ago by gedolei Yisroel.
"The Chinuch Atzmai, under the guidance and direction of
the gedolei hador, has independent methods of
chinuch and its own ways of imparting Torah and
yiroh. Every judicial or governmental attempt to
dictate to it in this vital area will encounter the firm
opposition of all those entrusted with the education of
hundreds of thousands of Jewish boys and girls," he
said.
