MK (Shas) Yaakov Margi chairs the Knesset Education and he has been working hard to end discrimination that exists in chareidi schools, now turning his sights to Telshe Stone amid reports that dozens of children from homes in which parents work and/or Sephardim are without a school as Rosh Chodesh Elul approaches.

Last month Margi addressed more than of few complaints alleging discrimination, complaints received from Sephardi homes claiming their schools are treated as second rate by municipality officials because they work and/or because they are Sephardim, highlighting they maintain a chareidi lifestyle in every sense of the word.

In July 2016 YWN-ISRAEL reported there were tens of families who were told they will have to transport their children to Jerusalem schools, adding that this year, the municipality will not cover all or part of the cost, adding additional burden to these families.

Kikar Shabbos News now quotes a source in the community anonymously stating “A few years ago a number of families of avreichim arrived in the lower community and little by little they have taken over control and implementing their rules – rules that are foreign to us here. They are trying to change the face of the community and this year, it has reached the education system. The children of working parents are now punished. It is simply a disgrace”.

The source adds in past years, if one did not wish to accept upon oneself some of the new rules, one would simply commute to Jerusalem and the municipality funded the transportation. This year, as reported, the municipality is not paying the costs of transportation so many of these families have not stated they want their children registered in schools in Telshe Stone but the municipality is refusing.

In some cases, appeals were filed with the appropriate committee in the Chinuch Atzmai system but apparently these appeals were rejected and the children are left without a school just days away from the beginning of the new school year. it is reported that currently there are over forty students without a school.

Margi has decided to become personally involved and was met with the message not to involve himself for his words will not be heard.

Margi however is not backing down but is threatening that if the discrimination continues, a session of the Knesset Education Committee accompanied by a press conference will be held on September 1st, this Thursday, in the Telshe Stone Municipality Building in response to the discrimination against the over forty students in Chinuch Atzmai affiliated schools.

A spokesman for Margi explains that what occurred in previous years in Elad and Emanuel is going to occur in Telshe Stone this year, referring to Margi’s efforts to bring an end to discrimination in those communities.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)