Jerusalem schools to strike for 2 hours after parent hits teacher

Mother attacked school employee she believed was mistreating her son; teachers’ union threatens further strikes over violence against educators

Jerusalem’s elementary schools, preschools and junior highschools will strike for two hours on Monday in protest over a violent incident in a school in the capital, the Israel Teachers’ Union (ITU) said Sunday. Studies will begin at 10 a.m.

The union said the move comes in response to a student’s mother hitting a teacher at the TALI Gilo elementary school in the city on Friday.

The mother entered her son’s school where she confronted the teacher, kicked her and pulled at her sheitel (wig worn for religious reasons).

She later apologized for her actions, telling Channel 10 she had lost control, but explaining that the teacher had “long treated my son very badly.”

Channel 10 reported that similar incidents of violence against teachers have occurred throughout the country in recent months.

ITU head Yaffa Ben David said, “The State of Israel has forsaken its education employees. From now on, we will strike on every occasion of violence against educators. We will not allow teachers to be parents’ punching bags.”

She called on police to investigate Friday’s incident quickly and “bring the violent mother to justice.”