Russian panthers
7th July 2002, 10:57
HOSTILITY TOWARD IMMIGRANTS CHILDREN OF RUSSIAN ORIGIN Four sixth-grade girls seriously abused a classmate at the Yovel elementary school in Eilat some three weeks ago because of hate towards her ethnic background. A premeditated act of hatred and racism. The girls took their classmate to a darkened room near the gym, tied her to a chair, taped her mouth shut and beat her. When the victim's screams became too loud, despite the gag, the attackers took a stapler and began stapling her clothes to her body. Finally, the victim's screams became so loud that a passing student heard and called a teacher. The entire incident took place during school hours. The affair came to light after parents of other students in the school, frightened by the assailants' violence, took the story to the local newspaper, Ha'ir Eilat. The paper will be publishing the story today. It is not yet known why the girls decided to racial abuse their classmate, but other students told Ha'ir Eilat that the four had been tormenting the girl for some time. The victim, who required medical treatment, has still not returned to school, fearing new attacks. After the principal consulted with officials at the Education Ministry and the municipal educational administration, the school decided to inform the assailants' parents of the incident and suspend the girls for a few days. In addition, said Amira Haim of the Education Ministry, the school had been holding classroom discussions with students on violence and the obligation to say "no." "The school conducted a disciplinary-therapeutic proceeding with the assailants and their parents and tended to the injured girl in conjunction with her parents and school officials," said Pnina Ziv, director of the Eilat educational administration. The school also filed a complaint with the police and advised the victim's parents to do the same - which they did. But since the assailants are only 11 years old, they cannot be prosecuted. It is unfortunate that children faced with such acts have no place to turn for protection. The school takes no responsibility, they refer the matter to the police and the police inturn refer the matter back to the school. "Russian Panthers" movement. For more information, e-mail to: lamerkhav@hotmail.com