Last week, Knesset Member Yossi Sarid's aggressive questioning made Ronit Tirosh, director general of the Ministry of Education, cry during a Knesset debate on education reform.
Wednesday, ministry officials ordered the principal of Sderot's ORT High School, Roni Yosef, to get rid of civics instructor Yossi Sarid, and to invite a politician with an opposing point of view to address the school.
Sarid volunteered to teach civics in Sderot earlier this year in order to show support after the city was hit with a barrage of Qassam rockets. His classes are considered very popular amongst students, and Sarid was even considering expanding his course load next year.
Can't volunteer
In a letter from Director General Varda Levi, Yosef was told, "as long as Sarid serves as a Knesset Member, he may not participate on a regular basis in the Education Ministry, even as a volunteer."
The letter said politicians were free to give "spontaneous" lectures at schools, subject to director approval.
Levy added: "Knesset Member Sarid is welcome to visit the school, to address students, as part of a lecture series in which other politicians representing different views are also invited.
"In the absence of such a series, you must halt Sarid's regular participation at your school," said the letter.
The ministry also instructed the school to invite a politician in coming weeks "from a different stream" to the school to expose students to a range of political views.
'I'll be back next year'
Sderot officials say there is a direct link between last weeks clash between Sarid and Tirosh and the ministry's request to annul his volunteer service.
In response, Sarid told Ynet, "(Education Minister Limor) Livnat and Tirosh are in a trance of firing teachers. So they 'fired' me too.
"There's just one problem – they can't fire me, because they don't fire me. I'm a volunteer, and I have no intention of stopping my classes in Sderot. I'll continue to come every week, until the mayor and principal themselves tell me to stop.
"My only reaction is to announce my intentions loud and clear: I'll be back next year"
