Shas chairman Yinon Azoulay has called for separating Israel’s education systems along national lines, arguing that Jewish teachers should teach in Jewish schools and Arab teachers in Arab schools. In an interview with Kan Reshet Bet on Sunday, Azoulay voiced opposition to the employment of Arab teachers in Jewish schools, questioning what values and ideas they might convey to their students.
Asked what problem he saw with an Arab teacher educating Jewish children, Azulai responded that he was concerned about the possibility of teachers introducing students to perspectives that conflicted with Jewish values.
“He compared his concerns to those surrounding university professors whom he accused of seeking to promote their own ideological agendas. Azoulay.extended his argument to teachers from other religious backgrounds, suggesting that a Christian teacher might teach Christianity from their own perspective, while an Arab teacher might teach Islam.
“I maintain that Jewish schools have plenty of very good Jewish educators. Arab schools should have Arab teachers, and Jewish schools should have Jewish teachers," he said. “There is enough heritage to teach, and those who come from that background can teach it. There are enough teachers. What is the problem? We don’t pay these good teachers enough, so they leave for other places."
During the interview, Azulai was also asked how he would respond if a lawmaker in a European country called for Jewish teachers to be barred from teaching in schools there. He dismissed the comparison, arguing that Israel’s status as a Jewish state made the situations different.
“That doesn’t happen, and it isn’t the case. When it happens there, ask me. We are here in our Jewish state. We have a problem with non-Jewish teachers coming to teach our children. It shouldn’t happen."
Azulai rejected the characterization of his position as racist, presenting it instead as a matter of ensuring that students are taught values by educators who grew up with those traditions. He did not commit to advancing legislation on the issue in the next Knesset term. However, he said he supported taking firm action against those who seek to introduce ideas that run counter to Judaism.