Israeli School Principals Cut Digital Ties with Education Ministry Over Policy Disputes

The Israeli school principals' organization, Manhigim, announced it is severing digital communication with the Ministry of Education and boycotting the ministry's school year opening events. This move halts the flow of updates from schools to the ministry and is a protest against several ministry decisions, including cuts to special education funding and changes to sick leave coverage. Founded in 2018 to represent principals separately from teachers' unions, Manhigim is not recognized as a labor union and this is its first directive for members to take collective action.

In a letter sent in late July to Education Minister Yoav Kisch, Manhigim criticized recent ministry decisions as creating an "impossible reality" in schools and warned of an impending crisis in the education system. The letter highlighted cuts to special education, reductions in sick leave solutions, and last-minute agreements with teachers' unions that force principals to alter school schedules. The organization also pointed to a worsening teacher shortage, especially in elementary schools, which compels principals to spend much of their time managing staffing crises and sometimes personally teaching classes to avoid leaving students without educators.

Manhigim emphasized that these issues are interconnected parts of a single crisis caused by decisions made without a comprehensive view, with principals bearing the brunt of responsibility and consequences. The organization warned that hundreds of principals are burning out and leaving their posts, while talented educational leaders are reluctant to enter the profession, posing a serious threat to the future of Israel's education system. The principals demanded the reversal of cuts to special education and the changes to sick leave policies.

Despite this conflict, the two main principals' organizations have not threatened to disrupt the start of the school year. A generous agreement reached with the teachers' union in July is expected to ensure a normal school opening, likely to avoid disruptions ahead of upcoming elections.