Ophakim School Drill Simulating Terrorist Attack on October 7 Sparks Outrage
Translated & summarized from Behadrei Haredim by baba
A simulated terrorist attack drill at Gvanim Elementary School in Ophakim on October 7 caused severe distress to students, many of whom are already dealing with trauma from the actual attacks. Parents were not informed in advance, leading to outrage and criticism of the school's judgment. The municipality and the school administration have apologized, acknowledging the poor timing and lack of notification, and drills have been suspended pending a review.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- A simulated terrorist attack drill at Ophakim's Gvanim Elementary School on October 7 traumatized students.
- Parents were not informed in advance about the drill, sparking outrage and criticism.
- The drill's timing on the anniversary of the Hamas attacks exacerbated student distress.
- School and municipal officials apologized for the "human error" and poor judgment.
- All similar drills in Ophakim have been suspended pending a review.
- Some students exhibited severe emotional reactions, including rage and physical distress.
A simulated terrorist infiltration drill at the Gvanim Elementary School in Ophakim, held on Wednesday, has caused significant distress among students and outrage among parents. The drill, which mimicked terrorists breaching the educational institution, took place on October 7, the same date as the Hamas attacks, in a city still grappling with the trauma of that day. Parents and students were reportedly not informed in advance.
According to student testimonies, the exercise required children to lock themselves in classrooms, close curtains, and turn off lights. Some students were instructed to hide under desks with their hands over their heads. Reports also mention banging on classroom doors and a shouted warning of "a terrorist with a knife" in the hallway, though the school administration denies this specific detail was part of the drill.
Hofit Assaig, a mother of two students and chairwoman of the parents' leadership, stated that while instructions for the drill were given to principals city-wide, Gvanim was the only school that proceeded on October 7. Assaig emphasized that the date exacerbated the trauma, especially given the high percentage of children in Ophakim recognized as victims of terror attacks. Her own son, who is already receiving emotional support and had asked to erase "October 7" from the board due to its negative impact, experienced a rage outburst after participating in the drill. Other students reportedly vomited, refused to leave their hiding places, or became fearful of potential attacks.
Parents have approached the school administration, which initially did not respond. The head of the municipal education administration acknowledged a "misunderstanding" and assured that it would not happen again. The school administration issued an apology, taking "full responsibility" for choosing the date. However, Assaig criticized the apology for not addressing the lack of prior notification to parents, which prevented them from deciding whether to allow their children to participate or prepare them beforehand.
Following the incident, parents have contacted the national parents' leadership, requesting a plan for emotional support for affected children and a thorough disciplinary process for the school management. The Ophakim Municipality stated that while the drill followed Ministry of Education guidelines, the timing was a "human error and poor judgment" by the school administration. Consequently, all schools in the city have been instructed to suspend such drills until a comprehensive review is completed, with special attention to the sensitivity required after the October 7 events.
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