A knesset committee requested that the Minister of Education, Rav Shai Piron, reverse his decision and also include the haredi school system in the new program.
Piron responded that he wants to promote the public school system. In the entire world, the public school system is completely financed by the government, and private school systems are not funded at all by the government. In Israel we have an unusual situation [by which private schools also receive some funding]. That is ok, but when introducing a new program, "I am not obligated by that" and he sees no purpose in including the haredi sector in the program.
In response, MK Uri Maklev (UTJ) said that the Education Minister had claimed previously that he is responsible for every child in Israel, but he is not taking responsiblity for many children. All he is interested in, Maklev said, is chasing down the Haredi community, but not actually concerned about their education..
Piron responded by saying that whoever chooses to send his child to private school (mukar she'aino rishmi) has the right to do so - there are benefits such as smaller classes, choosing your own teachers, selectively accepting students, etc. but someone who chooses that path should also understand that he gives up the right to the benefits of the public education system. Public education should get 100% funding and private should get 0% funding. Piron said he plans on getting to that point as well. He says he was appointed in order to strengthen the public school system, and choosing an alternative system is fine, but you must understand you will get less funding.
source: Bechadrei
Essentially I agree with Minister Piron. I have not understood how people who run a private school system (at least partially private) can make demands of the government for funding. Maybe it is because having grown up int eh USA, private school was literally private, without government funding. Yes, haredim pay taxes, and some of that money goes to the public school system they largely do not benefit from, but that is their choice. In the USA as well, people who send kids to private school also pay taxes that got o funding the public schools they dont benefit from. The citizen does not get to choose where his tax money goes. It goes to the government whop uses it to fund the various programs it operates - some beneficial to one taxpayer, and others beneficial to other taxpayers.
Even though I lose out, as my kids are in haredi school systems, I still don't get the logic of UTJ that Piron must fund the private schools as well. To me it is entirely logical that thos enot in the public school system would not get the funding or same programs as the public school system.
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