Steps taken toward religious school in Hod Hasharon

Parents recently banded together to protest the lack of a religious secondary school in the city.

By MIRIAM BULWAR DAVID-HAY (TRANSLATED)
Hod Hasharon is moving toward acquiring a religious secondary school after parents succeeded in persuading city officials to consider the idea, reports Yediot Hasharon. Hod Hasharon currently has one religious elementary school, after which children wishing to continue religious education are forced to attend junior high and high schools in Kfar Saba or Ra'anana. According to the report, some 140 pupils currently attend Hod Hasharon's sole religious elementary school, and parents recently banded together to protest the lack of a religious secondary school in the city. The parents lodged a petition with the municipality, saying it was unfair that after sixth grade, children either had to attend secular schools in Hod Hasharon, or go to other cities to attend religious schools. Following the parents' protests, Deputy Mayor Gideon Sa'adi said the city had begun discussions with the Amit religious educational network with the aim of seeing a religious junior high school open in 2010. An Amit spokesman confirmed that discussions had begun, and said the organization was considering the options.