Sapir College prepares to lay off lecturer who refused to teach reservist

Moran Zelikovich

Lecturer who refused to teach student because he was wearing IDF uniform will be fired after he did not issue apology by college deadlineSapir College has begun the process of terminating the employment of cinematography lecturer Nizar Hassan, who was involved in a dispute with First Lieutenant (res.) Eyal Cohen after Cohen came to his class wearing his uniform last November.



Hassan directed Cohen, an intelligence officer and a cinematography student in his class, to leave the classroom because he showed up to class wearing the military garb.


Rightists React
Rightists take up cinematography to confront Arab lecturer / Efrat Weiss
Marzel, Ben Gvir enroll in Sapir College in Sdeort to confront cinematography lecturer Nizar Hassan, who removed uniform-wearing IDF officer from classroom
Full Story

The college took the step after the deadline Professor Zeev Zachor, president of Sapir College, issued to Hassan to apologize to Cohen passed without any action on the lecturer's side. Cohen had said he would accept the apology if it were to be issued.



The lecturer was asked by the college's administration to apologize to the student in order to avoid the termination of employment at the institution, according to a summary of a disciplinary hearing on the case held last month.



Professor Zachor sent a letter to Hassan saying: "As a condition of your continued employment, you are requested to apologize to the student for hurting and disparaging him. I will ask to see the apology within a week from the day you receive this letter. In your apology, you must refer to your obligation to be respectful to the IDF uniform and the full right of every student to enter your classroom in uniform."



David Brennan, the head of the Student Union at the college, told Ynet that "he was given an opportunity to apologize, to accept each student as they are in his class. He decided not to apologize and from here we'll let the college handle it.



"I think it is appropriate to employ every lecturer that accepts students as they are especially in a sensitive academic institution that is sustaining Qassam (rocket attacks)," Brennan said.



Sapir College responded by saying: "In light of the fact that we did not receive Nizar Hassan's apology, we have begun the process of terminating his employment as customary in an academic institution."



Hassan's response was not received by the time of publication.


Israel News