The Ministry of Education demands that Jewish schools hire a security guard to escort school trips to Jerusalem. In contrast, Arab schools are exempt from hiring guards for the same trips.
A document sent by the Ministry of Education to regional directors and security coordinators states, "Schools in the non-Jewish sector are not obligated to coordinate and to hire an armed security guard."
The document opens by stating: "In continuation to our letter concerning security for trips in western Jerusalem, which obligates security at a rate of one guard per 50 students, and according to police instruction, we are updating several exemptions that were sent by the Israel Police Department's security wing."
In addition to the exemption for Arab schools that are not obligated to hire a security guard, the document states that trips to "closed/gated places that have security do not require additional coordination and security," even for Jewish schools. However, "Trips in eastern Jerusalem, even if they are inside and secured, require coordination and armed security."