"The considerations for the security of students at
educational institutions in Israel have been and will remain
security considerations alone," PM Ariel Sharon said at last
week's Cabinet meeting.
Sharon was responding to remarks by Deputy Welfare Minister
Rabbi Avrohom Ravitz during a meeting on posting school
guards at educational institutions and designating it as a
preferred job according to the National Insurance Law. In his
remarks, Rabbi Ravitz asked for assurances that the policy
will not change as a result of the changes being introduced
in the funding arrangements.
Internal Security Minister Gidon Ezra asked the government to
approve a decision for the 5766 school year—which would
take effect in practice on January 1st—to position
civilian, on- site guards at educational institutions using
state funds alone, since the Jewish Agency stopped providing
a contribution earmarked for school guards. In response to
his request, the government approved NIS 30 million in
funding to be provided by the Internal Security Ministry and
the Education Ministry.
During the government meeting, Rabbi Ravitz said, "The
criteria for security arrangements for students at
educational institutions in Israel must remain based on
security considerations alone, i.e. risk level, etc., so that
every child in the State of Israel receives the security
arrangements he or she needs." He then asked the government
to address the matter quickly, before discriminatory
standards emerge, as in the hot lunch program.
"As a representative of the chareidi public, I have an
obligation to point out that the chareidi public is still
feeling traumatized by the withholding of a slice of bread
and a bowl of soup from yaldei Yisroel merely because
they study in a different educational framework."
Sharon asked whether anybody sitting around the government
table wanted to challenge any of Rabbi Ravitz' remarks and
asked whether anyone present felt security should be withheld
from a student who studies in a certain educational
framework.
"Without a doubt," said the Internal Security minister, who
initiated the proposal, "the security considerations at one
institute or another are and will remain based on security
matters alone and not on the identity of the student or the
institution."
