The Nonpolitical Classroom: The (Dis)Missed Opportunities of an Israeli Multicultural-Bilingual High School Civics Course

• In Event: Politics and/of Participation in Social Studies Education

Abstract

Civic education requires that teachers create open democratic environments in their classrooms. This yearlong study of an Israeli multicultural and bilingual high school civics course, presents a case in which teachers were unsuccessful in achieving this goal, raising the question what limited this class’ potential to create an educational environment were democratic discourses could have taken place? The main argument points to the current political environment in Israel that led to the enactment of several educational mechanisms that resulted in such a reality. These included: conflicting objectives of the different participants, avoiding discussion of controversial issues, implementing traditional teaching practices, and overlooking language issues. The study illuminates the importance of examining unsuccessful cases and what influences them.

Authors

• Aviv Cohen, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

• Zvi Bekerman, Hebrew University of Jerusalem