In a 63-1 vote on Monday, the Knesset passed a bill sponsored by Education Minister Gideon Saar into law which permits expelling a violent student from a school.

Differing from previous protocol, a violent student may be expelled and his return would be dependent on the outcome of a hearing, at which time the school may also present its position. Until the passing of the law, students would remain in school pending the outcome of a hearing.

Saar feels the new law will assist in maintaining the desired school atmosphere, which to date was not always possible since an unruly student would remain in school during the period between expulsion and a hearing, at times negatively contributing to the atmosphere in the school. Saar stressed the law safeguards the rights of students to be protected and to be exposed to an atmosphere conducive to learning.

The law was legislated due to the alarming increase in school violence in the nation’s public schools. Saar hopes the new law will be in effect in the upcoming 2009-2010 school year.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)