(live here) – The HaHoutor School in Tirat Carmel is at the center of an educational and public uproar, after the parents' leadership announced the start of a partial strike today, Tuesday, April 22. The parents are protesting plans to expand the school in ways that they claim will harm the quality of learning and the educational space. The strike could escalate into a full shutdown if the parents' demands are not met.
Parent leadership demands halt to expansion plan
The parents' leadership issued an official statement yesterday (Monday, 21/4/25) after an hour-and-a-half meeting with representatives of the municipality, the Ministry of Education, and the school, stating that the demands to stop the expansion plans have been rejected. According to the statement, the main demand is to maintain the school's original designation – 18 primary classrooms only, with the addition of two small classrooms. Among other things, the parents are demanding that the cafeteria be stopped from being converted into two primary classrooms and that the increase to 24 classrooms be prevented next year.
The parents' leadership is aware of the growth rate in the neighborhood and is aware that the number of classes may increase in the coming years, but is concerned that the municipality's decision to make the hosting of the surrogates permanent will lead to there being no place in the school for the children of the Hatuthar neighborhood, which is their primary school. In addition, they emphasize that for 3 and a half years they have demonstrated through their actions that they have acted ethically and objectively for the benefit of all the children in the school, and they are protesting against the discourse directed towards them in recent days.
A growing school that has become a temporary and permanent absorption center
The Hatoter School opened about four years ago as a growing school, with the aim of serving the children of the Hatoter neighborhood. Over the years, due to a shortage of buildings in the city, the municipality sought to host classes from other schools in the school. Initially, it was claimed that this was a temporary solution, but the parents claim that the solution has become permanent and the school is housing students who are not affiliated with it.
School overcrowding and classrooms continue to expand
According to the parents, the school's occupancy rate is currently about 120%. In the past two years, the school has taken in six classes that do not belong to it, including four classes from Nof Yam School and two classes from Gali Carmel School. Now, although some of the classes have left, the municipality wants to continue expanding the building, including converting the cafeteria and building a new playground in the nearby park.
Fear of doubling the number of students and harming the quality of teaching
The parents warn that the pressure could lead to serious damage to learning conditions. Today, the school's classrooms have about 34 students, while the guest classrooms have only 21-22. In a meeting with representatives of the municipality and the Ministry of Education, it was made clear to the parents that the possibility of integrating students from "surrogate" classes into existing classes would be considered.
Operational burden, shortage of manpower and lack of physical space
According to the parents, the school is already having difficulty operating due to the overload. There is a shortage of teaching staff, facilities, and free space. "My daughter comes home at the end of the day and says she has nowhere to play," says one of the mothers. The parents express frustration at the feeling that the promises made to them in the past have been abandoned, and the school is functioning beyond its capabilities.
Claims about the location of the cafeteria and the danger of its separation from the main building
One of the main points of contention is the conversion of the cafeteria building into two classrooms. The parents point out that the building is not located within the school's main campus, and its conversion into two classrooms could create a situation in which students will study in a complex disconnected from the rest of the campus, which could cut them off from the services that the school provides and make it difficult for the students to socialize. In addition, the building was promised to the parents' leadership to be used as a space for educational enrichment, a complex for excellence projects, but due to the number of classrooms and the shortage of them, it was decided to change its purpose.
Broken promises: "We are not a warehouse for the city"
Many parents claim that by choosing to send their children to the boarding school, they were promised a small, neighborhood, family-oriented school. One mother expressed it this way: "When we registered, we were told it was an 18-grade school. Today we are talking about 24, and even more. We are not willing for our children to be part of a process of constant overcrowding."
Parents are organizing a complete shutdown if no response is received.
In their statement, the parents stated that if the municipality and relevant authorities do not take serious action, the strike will expand into a full protest strike. The parents are determined to fight for the future of the school and seek to return it to its original purpose.
Director of the Education Department at the Municipality, Zion Sudari: We offered immediate solutions and maintained educational standards.
According to the director of the education department in the Tirat HaCarmel municipality, Zion Sudari, the city's leadership is aware of the parents' concerns and is working to find immediate solutions to the classroom shortage, which results from the rapid growth in the city's population. According to him, during the meeting with the parents' representatives, practical solutions were proposed that were intended to balance the needs of all the city's students with maintaining high educational standards. "We regret the disruption to the school routine, and we believe that the return of students to school will allow us all to focus on the welfare of the children," he said. He also emphasized that new educational institutions are currently being established as part of preparations for the future needs of the education system.
Cheeky.
Like all privileged people, they only see themselves!!
What is meant by a feeder school? I didn't understand what is unclear.
The parents are right.
It is forbidden to increase the number of children/students in the neighborhood.
This can be done in a two-fold approach:
On the one hand, to prohibit the occupancy of new apartments and on the other hand, to completely prohibit births.
😄
An article from a consciousness engineer!
The behavior of the "parental leadership" is bullying and driven by one interest: to disperse the classes that have been in existence for 3 years in a school throughout the city. Simply carry out an "expulsion", a "transfer", call it whatever you choose.
Shame on you for allowing this!!!
We're not talking about children from the neighborhood. We're talking about children from the Gali Carmel school who are staying with us and will continue to stay with us next year.
The kids from the neighborhood split up among the rowers overlooking the sea.
The problem is the high school, the campus is what's causing all the commotion. They stopped its construction across from Dan Deal, so for the second year they're staying at Nof Yam Elementary School. Next year they're moving out because it's not appropriate for a high school and an elementary school to share the same building.
They are supposed to move to their building at the entrance to the city, but since it is stuck, they are being transferred to the new Gali Carmel Elementary School, which is still ready. And the children of Gali Carmel Elementary School are being hosted at the Hamesan-Hahoter School, which has not hosted classes for 4 years.
So please, before you speak, please check the facts.