Israeli Teachers' Union Halts Student Escort Duties, Sparking Safety Concerns from Parents

The Israeli education system faces a new crisis ahead of the 2023-2024 school year over the issue of teachers escorting students on school transportation. On Thursday, the Secretary-General of the Teachers' Union, Yaffa Ben David, informed Meir Shimoni, Director-General of the Ministry of Education, that teaching staff will cease accompanying students on buses. Ben David argued that this task is not part of teachers' professional duties and was never intended to be. She criticized the unilateral inclusion of this responsibility in the Ministry's circular, stating it was done without the union's consent and is fundamentally flawed. According to Ben David, a 2022 Ministry of Education circular assigns responsibility for organizing student transportation to local authorities, making the transfer of this duty to teachers legally and professionally baseless.

Approximately 140,000 students in regional councils rely on organized transportation and require supervision to and from buses. While Ben David insists teachers should not bear this responsibility, the National Parents' Committee strongly disagrees. Oren Ozen, the committee chairman, condemned the union's decision as dangerous to student safety, emphasizing that only educational staff possess the authority and skills to ensure proper supervision. He argued that shifting responsibility to administrative teams is impractical in the field.

The parents' committee views the teachers' move as part of broader pressure tactics amid ongoing salary negotiations. Ozen warned that they will consider organizational and public actions if the teachers' union proceeds with the cessation. He stressed, "We will not allow the safety and security of Israeli students to become a bargaining chip." The dispute highlights a significant clash between educators and parents over student safety and labor roles just before the new school year.