Pre-school teacher sends children home with Holocaust yellow stars

Mother expresses outrage at what she sees as inappropriate manner to teach Holocaust to toddlers.

By GALI MARKOWITZ-SLOTZKER
Child from Rishon Lezion wearing yellow star (photo credit: FACEBOOK)
Child from Rishon Lezion wearing yellow star
(photo credit: FACEBOOK)
The mother of a three-year-old girl complained to the Rishon Lezion Municipality in a Facebook post on Thursday after a pre-school instructor sent her students home wearing a yellow star on their garments as a lesson for Holocaust Remembrance Day.
The angry mother wrote in the post, "Do children need to learn this subject by wearing yellow stars like Holocaust survivors? In the child's world when they get a sticker or symbol stuck on them they see it as a prize or award for proper behavior, not at all like this symbol, which carries a very heavy meaning, too heavy for toddlers, when the message can be sent in a more proper and moderate manner for the age in question."
She added: "Can all of the pre-school teachers do whatever comes into their head? Is there no supervision or instruction on the consequences of a thing like this happening. I am one mother out of 17 who saw their children return from preschool like this. One of the mothers is even having a hard time calming down and hasn't stopped crying in the last two hours...Who is taking responsibility here? What is happening with the education of our children who are undoubtedly in the wrong hands! Help!"
The Rishon Lezion Municipality said in response that, "All members of the teams responsible for educating prr-schoolers received instructions ahead of Holocaust Remembrance Day. This event is severely outside the lines and we view it very gravely. The preschool operator was immediately suspended and will be called in for a hearing."