Israel turns down bid to teach Palestinian poems in schools
Supporters: It is our duty to present our students with how 'the others' relate to Jerusalem.
By Or Kashti Tags: Jerusalem Israel education Israel news PalestiniansThe Education Ministry has decided not to publish an academic paper recommending that high school students study both Jewish and Palestinian poems about Jerusalem in their literature classes, even though the journal to which it was submitted had previously accepted the paper.
The journal "Halakha Uma'aseh Betihnun Limudim," which is published by the ministry's curriculum department, accepted the paper for publication last year.
But several weeks ago, the journal's editorial board notified the paper's authors, Dr. Lea Baratz and Dr. Roni Reingold of the Achva College of Education, that "the article presents problems both in its content as well as its methodology."
Baratz said the decision shows that the Education Ministry has adopted a close-minded approach.
"Rejecting the article after it was accepted is a flawed decision that stems from the new approach in the Education Ministry that does not allow for openness," Baratz said.
The Education Ministry said the article was rejected because it "did not meet the required scientific and methodological criteria."
"After the submission of the paper for review, the researchers were asked to make corrections," the ministry said in a statement. "The authors did not implement some of the suggested changes despite repeated requests. As such, it was decided at this stage not to include the article in the journal."
The ministry said the topic described in the article was worthy of publication.
Authors call for 'moral courage'
The article, called "Moral Conflicts in a Democratic and Nationally Diverse Society," calls on teachers, particularly literature teachers, to summon "moral courage" in teaching works that can provoke debate and are not included in the official curriculum.
Baratz and Reingold argue that since literature teachers can choose which works to teach, such a step "can to some extent serve as a way to deal with a situation whereby the Education Ministry makes efforts to avoid the use of literary and historic texts that are artistically, philosophically and politically charged."
The article also examines the extent to which Jewish and Arab teachers are prepared to introduce works that fall outside the consensus of each ethnic group.
For Arab teachers, Baratz and Reingold suggest "Yerushalayim Adei Ad" ("Eternal Jerusalem") by Uri Zvi Greenberg, while Jewish teachers were given the assignment of presenting a work by Palestinian poet Nidaa Khoury.
"It turns out that most teachers are not courageous," Reingold said. "A large number of them did not agree to be interviewed or to identify themselves by name."
The paper argues that teachers have a duty to help their students realize that there are multiple ways of looking at the world.
"The purpose of education is to encourage the student to deal with varied worldviews," write Baratz and Reingold. "This cannot be done by way of ignorance. Those who believe their views are objective absolute truths become dogmatic, ignorant and narrow-minded. It is our duty to present our students with how 'the others' relate to Jerusalem."
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i am teaching Yehuda Amichai and other israeli poets at the Islamic University.
What an absurd interpretation. Couldn't it just as well be hunger for a homeland or hunger for justice? If you can't be honest, at least be plausible.
We know what their side is taught in schools and camps. We know what their side is told on TV, RADIO & in their mosques. Why are own people so dedicated to drumming up sympathy for our sworn enemies. These people act like mentally deranged people never understanding the realities on the ground in the name of education, poetry, art, etc. when they talk like that, look for leftist rabies which is brought about by the likes of the NIF and other anti-Israel agencies. Jews Beware!
The Palestinian national poet once wrote a verse in which he appeared to advocate cannibalism: "Beware my hunger and my anger". This kind of literature is not suitable for schoolchildren!
Israel pedagogy is based on the one way approach to the world...That is, it offers no world view but a very distinct and all too often right wing, less than democratic, Israeli view. The refusal to publish the article in question is only one example of what is more than a trend, but rather is a paradigm for the lack of critical learning in Israel and, where it does exist, the perception of it as being subversive of the hegemonic Israeli mythos.
the greatest pal poet Darwish had written about Israel-and the former Education Minister Yuli Tamir forced Israeli schoolchildren to learn ,in order to appreciate the "beuty of arab poetry"
this is my letter to the world than never wrote to me and all the help you gave to them increased them by thousands of percents and libelled us us murderers and may the lord of the Muasin one day do my revenge.
I, for one,a teacher, would like to read this article and hope it will be published elsewhere. The Ministry of Education is once again showing its narrow-mindness and displaying the "ostrich effect", head in the sand.Learning each other's stories is essential if we are to live in coexistence with our neighbors.
first, before teaching them alternatives. there is a danger in seeing both sides when your adversary only sees one.
The denial of a religious relationship between the Jews and Jerusalem is the standard approach in in the Arab and Muslim education system.So by denying the right to educate poems relating to Jerusalem written by Muslims is a missed opportunity but it should be stated that the Palestians are unlikely to ever teach the importance of Jerusalem for the Jews as they do not even intend to teach the shoah as demanded by the UN so we have to see this missed opportunity in perspective.
The denial of a religious relationship between the Jews and Jerusalem is the standard approach in in the Arab and Muslim education system.So by denying the right to educate poems relating to Jerusalem written by Muslims is a missed opportunity but it should be stated that the Palestians are unlikely to ever teach the importance of Jerusalem for the Jews as they do not even intend to teach the shoah as demanded by the UN so we have to see this missed opportunity in perspective.
The denial of a religious relationship between the Jews and Jerusalem is the standard approach in in the Arab and Muslim education system.So by denying the right to educate poems relating to Jerusalem written by Muslims is a missed opportunity but it should be stated that the Palestians are unlikely to ever teach the importance of Jerusalem for the Jews as they do not even intend to teach the shoah as demanded by the UN so we have to see this missed opportunity in perspective.
The denial of a religious relationship between the Jews and Jerusalem is the standard approach in in the Arab and Muslim education system.So by denying the right to educate poems relating to Jerusalem written by Muslims is a missed opportunity but it should be stated that the Palestians are unlikely to ever teach the importance of Jerusalem for the Jews as they do not even intend to teach the shoah as demanded by the UN so we have to see this missed opportunity in perspective.
the label academic means having no connection to the real world. yes show the moral courage as they demand but to fire them. what stupid relativistic garbage.
Israel and the Wes have enough poets to teach anyone for hundreds of years without change as to resort to Arab poets. If they want their curriculum to be taught, all they have to do is cross over to THE OTHER SIDE and ful fill their need to learn it and pls do it sooner rather than later. I am sure your brothers miss you