JLSS Supports the Democratic Process in Lebanon

The Board of Trustees and administration of JLSS decided to respond favorably to the request of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to use JLSS as the polling station for the region of Khirbet Kanafar in the parliamentary election that was held on Sunday June 7, 2009.
The very last days before the elections were uneasy. Many schools decided to end the academic year before the elections, almost one month earlier than usual. Some parents were complaining why JLSS did not do the same. All schools in our region closed on Friday June 5, and many parents were very anxious and worried. We assured them that as the security situation was literally perfect, there was no need for all those measures. JLSS would continue to do what is best for its students, and the minute there was a security threat it would immediately close down.
All went very well and our students had a very productive time. As soon as they left school on Friday June 5, the election officials, police, and army moved in to prepare six of our classrooms for the electoral process.
The election officials were in charge of the building in which the elections took place. The policemen were responsible for security outside that building inside the JLSS campus. The army was deployed outside the school ready to respond to any need or emergency.
One of our boarding homes for boys was prepared to receive the army and police for a few days. Members of the police and army who were responsible for the JLSS region lived there until the election process was over.
As JLSS is a private institution, all employees were entitled to the public holiday that was given by the Lebanese government during the elections. Most of them were involved in the elections in one way or another. Many of them had to travel to their home-towns, away from JLSS, in order to vote. It was extremely difficult for us to find the very few members of staff we needed to look after the campus and man the main gate. The overtime pay from JLSS was very little compared to the amount of money they received for working for the politicians during the election days, so the process was much more difficult than we anticipated.
We thank the Lebanese army and police for looking after our school during the election days. We also thank the head of our maintenance department, Mr. Monah Zorob, for looking after the power generators and the needs of the election officials during the election holiday.
We hope and pray that the election results may lead to a peaceful, democratic, and prosperous future for our beautiful Lebanon.