Lior Shlein's video is a wake-up call for all of us
An opinion piece by Rami Hod argues that Lior Shlein's video, in which a student expresses racist views, is a wake-up call. The article compares the current situation to the 1980s, when Education Minister Yitzhak Navon led an educational revolution against racism, and warns of the lack of democratic education today.
Rami Hod, director of the Ideological Center at the Berl Katznelson Foundation, addresses Lior Shlein's video in which an 11th-grade student says "every Arab should be in a grave" and "I have no problem killing 50 Arabs and dying." Hod argues that the video is a wake-up call and presents data from the Israel Democracy Institute showing a sharp increase in support for granting Jews privileges over Arabs from 25.7% in 2015 to 64.3% in 2023. A 2024 survey by the Accord Center at the Hebrew University shows that 39% of Jewish 10th-12th graders supported denying Arabs the right to vote. Hod compares the current situation to the 1980s, when Education Minister Yitzhak Navon led a comprehensive educational campaign against racism, including establishing the unit for democracy education and firing the head of the religious education administration who refused to promote meetings between Jews and Arabs. In contrast, today the chairman of the Education Committee is Zvi Sukkot, Orit Strock is responsible for preparatory programs, and the Education Minister is not acting against the rise of racism. Hod calls for returning democracy education to the center of the education system, like math and English, with democracy coordinators, regular meetings between Jewish and Arab students, and a strong professional body in the Ministry of Education.