Schools will open as usual on Thursday, after the Labor Court in Tel Aviv issued an injunction early in the morning against the Teachers’ Union decision to shut down the education system in protest of the abolition of COVID-19 isolation requirements.
The Court wrote in its ruling that it decided to issue the injunction due to the fact that the strike was announced only 11 hours before the start of the school day, in a way that does not leave enough time for the parties to discuss it before the school day begins.
A further hearing attended by both sides has been scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Thursday afternoon.
On Wednesday evening, the secretary general of the Teachers' Union, Yaffa Ben David, announced following the cancellation of the quarantine regulations for students, that classes will not operate in schools and kindergartens on Thursday.
In a statement, Ben David wrote to teachers that "in light of the government's decision exposing you to the coronavirus in a way that endangers your health and in the face of thousands of requests from you, protest measures will be taken tomorrow - don't go to schools and kindergartens tomorrow."
She added that "in special education institutions, studies will take place as usual. Special education classes in regular schools will join the protest."
"Please wait for instructions regarding further protest measures," Ben David concluded.
Education Minister Yifat Shasha-Biton responded by announcing that she would work to issue an injunction against the shutdown.
"Power and political measures on the backs of Israeli children are inappropriate and unacceptable, certainly in such challenging days. Aggressive and unilateral conduct - not in our house. The Ministry of Education is working to issue injunctions," said Shasha-Biton.