Does Official Rehovot Harass Parents of Elementary School?

Mr. Forer, Rehovot Mayor
Mr. Knebel, Rehovot Vice-Mayor
Mr. Markovich, Educaltional Affairs
Mr. Louis Bar-Nir, City Council Member
Rehovot Mall, Bilu St.
Rehovot

7 October 2007

Dear Mr. Forer, Mr. Markovich, Mr. Bar-Nir, Dr. Knebel,

We would like to clarify the matter of teacher assistant hiring for Rehovot elementary school pupils, especially because there is a notion that hiring such staff is directed by the Municipality.

In some classes parents feel their are harassed when requested/forced to pay by local (particular class) members of the parents committees. When concerning parents ask about the lack of local class parents' conference to approve hiring a teacher assistant, local committee members say there is no need for such event, because having a teacher assistant for 1st and 2nd graders is directed by a decision of the City Council.

Therefore we have the following concerns demanding your clarification. We feel confident your timely response will make My Rehovot publication on this matter rich and information (not rumors) based.

We send the copy of this open letter to a list of those interested in Rehovot news, so, they could also add to the clarification on the matter of interest for thousands of Rehovot parents.

Please note that everyone can post his/her comments using a commentary form of this letter. Also one can send his/her comments to us via email, so, we could post it at MyRehovot.

My Rehovot questions are:

1. Is there a true decision by City Council that makes it obligatory for Rehovot elementary school pupils to have teacher assistant.

2. If not what is the legislation of the Municipality/City Council on this issue.

3. In case the issue of having teaching assistant is not a Municipality affair, who is responsible for the decision to have such assistant?

4. Why 1st and 2nd graders?

5. Why there is no official advanced invoice by municipality to pay for a teacher assistant?

6. We interpret the parents committee reference to municipality (with regard to teacher assistant) with no invoice as a trick by municipality, so, that the payment becomes "a sort of voluntary". We recall the other instance for similar pattern of behavior of a municipality-school tandem benefiting third party: earlier municipality program for swimming class for beginners (at Weisgaland, officials that were seen often in the Mayors Office hall), even for those who previously had swimming sports for a number of years. Any comments?

7. Why parents have pay to Havayot for a class teacher assistant?

8. In case having assistant is ordered by Municipality/City Council and payments are made to Havayot, what are the financial and administrative interrelation of these two organizations on the issue?

9. Where a sum of 780 NIS and 33 NIS/hour come from?

10. Why parents have to pay for teacher assistant starting October 1, despite the fact first holiday week of October is lost due to Sukkot vacation, so the fact is the teacher assistant did not work 1st week of October 2007?

11. Why in a particular Rehovot elementary school directorate does not insist on having teacher assistant for 1st graders... and refers to the lack of budget in dealing with municipality on this issue?

12. Therefore what is a school budget burden with regard to teaching assistant? Is it equal for all schools in Rehovot?

13. What are the mucupality panalties for parent refusion to pay?

14. Can a school apply penalties for children in case their parents refuse to pay.

15. What municipality does to protect financial inequity of children/parents.

16. Is there any school- or municipality-sponsored program to support ones inability to pay for a teacher assistant?