According to “Haaretz”, the Ministry of Education sent a reprimand (see the Hebrew version) to the principal of the ‘Ar’ara high school, which sent its pupils to the Human Rights March held in December 12, at Tel-Aviv. The letter sent by the ministry complained, inter alia, that “the pupils were carrying signs against racism, house demolitions, etc., which is contrary to the Director of the Ministry’s communiqué.” The ministry further promised an investigation.

Activists march in Tel-Aviv during the annual human rights march, December 12, 2011 (Photo: Activestills)

In the school’s reply, the teachers quoted Minister of Education Gideon Sa’ar’s communiqué on the International Human Rights Day: “It is your duty as educators, who lead the pupils, to educate them that aside from the protection and defense of human rights, they are expected to show personal, social, civil and national involvement and responsibility. This involvement will led them to participation, and they are to believe that their participation will indeed contribute to the forging of the country’s way. Their right to participate is also their duty to show involvement and responsibility to the country and society. One of the teachers told Haaretz that “A thousand civics lessons wouldn’t do what this one hour we were there did. The pupils came to me afterwards and said ‘We didn’t know the Jews were so kindly and good.’ Arab and Jewish pupils sang together ‘Arabs and Jews love each other’. It was amazing how they shouted together like that for human rights.”

Related:
                Tel Aviv and in Haifa thousands march for human rights