Christian schools in Israel striking due to government's slashing of funds
Local authorities say about 2,500 demonstrators gathered Sunday outside the prime minister's office in Jerusalem to protest against the alleged slashing of funds among Christian schools in Israel.
Administrators of Christian schools are accusing the government of cutting their funds as a way of making them fall for the trap that would eventually lead them to embrace the Israeli public school system. The administrators argue that the said system they are being pressured to adapt to is against their own systems' Christian values and excellent academic achievements and goals.
According to the Associated Press, around 33,000 students in 47 schools have started the strike since the school year began on Sept. 1.
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The protesters, who make most of Israel's Christians hailing from Arab ancestry, including Arab lawmakers, joined hands with parents, students, and principals during the Sunday demonstration. Flags, banners, and slogans reading "Christian schools are not for sale," were waved all over the place.
A parent from Arab town of Nazareth, Ibrahim Fakhouri, said "This is discrimination and you know we pay all our dues and as citizens of this country, we are law-obeying citizens and we deserve equal rights."
Statistics reveal that Christians are less than 2 percent of the Israeli and Palestinian populations and they make up just a small part of Israel's overall 20 percent Arab minority.
Christian schools and private schools that have managed to get through with their own affairs actually receive partial government funding under an arrangement that has been going on for quite some time.
According to the protesters, the government funds provided to them cover almost three-quarters of the standard costs of private schools' programs, but the state has suddenly started to slash other supplementary funds.
To make up for the loss from the cut funds, the Christian schools have raised tuition fees — which has become a huge burden to the Arab people who generate income lower than the national average.
