Students angry at teacher 'bribe'

The trouble began after a female student stole a copy of an examination paper from the teacher's desk.

By MIRIAM BULWAR DAVID-HAY (TRANSLATED)
Students at Tel Aviv's Zeitlin High School are complaining that a teacher has offered a 20-point bonus on matriculation examinations to any pupil who "informs" on which of his fellow students has a copy of examination papers stolen from the teacher's desk, reports Yediot Tel Aviv. The students say the offer is "outright bribery" and will encourage students to suggest names at random in order to get the extra points. According to the report, the trouble began after a female student stole a copy of an examination paper from the teacher's desk and went outside, where a group of students took the paper from her. When questioned by the principal and by the teacher, the student admitted she had taken the paper, but said she did not know who had taken it from her. She was reportedly punished "severely," and the teacher then began an investigation, calling students by telephone and allegedly offering them a 20-point bonus on their examination if they turned in the offenders. "This is not okay," one student said. "Anyone can say the name of someone they don't like and get the points. This is outright bribery." The teacher agreed that he had called students by telephone, but denied that he had offered any bonus to informers. He said the claim was an attempt to blacken his name. An Education Department spokesman said the school supervisor would examine the case.