Education Ministry Admits Lack of Data on Allergic Students in Court
The Israeli Ministry of Education acknowledged in the Supreme Court on Monday that it lacks data on the number of allergic children in the education system, the number of allergic reactions in educational institutions, and subsequent evacuations. This admission came during a hearing concerning a petition filed by attorney Gilad Bar Tal, legal counsel for the Yeh"L organization, against a pilot program. The program aims to replace medical aides in first and second grades with school nurses, a pilot that began at the start of the current school year in 10 schools.
The petition, supported by parents and the Yeh"L organization, opposes the ministry's initiative. The organization argues that despite the absence of data, the ministry claims the new model is safe and effective. During the hearing, Bar Tal presented the petitioners' concerns, highlighting the lack of a clear plan for real-time allergic event management, including how staff would respond, how nurses would be summoned, and the expected response time for emergency care.
The organization further contended that while the state presents the program as a professionally researched initiative, no such research has yet commenced. A tender is reportedly underway to select an academic body to conduct the research later. Petitioners argue this means the program's implementation preceded any framework to measure its success or consequences.
Representatives also criticized the position of the Allergists Association, asserting it doesn't sufficiently consider the psychological impact of life-threatening allergies on young children. They stated that safety cannot be assessed solely by fatalities or severe medical incidents. "We don't live on statistics, but deal with reality," the organization stated post-hearing. "In addition to the fear of an attack that can cause irreversible damage, even a 'mild' attack is an attack. Our children deserve to be free to learn, in physical and mental health, just like everyone else."
The Yeh"L organization clarified their opposition is not to exploring alternative models for medical aides but to the manner of implementation. They are against a unilateral move lacking sufficient data, clear justifications, and defined success metrics, especially without ensuring children's safety during the trial. "We cannot conduct an experiment on our children and only later check if it succeeded, without clear success and failure metrics. Our children are not a budget line, and their lives are not an experiment."
