One a Day: The Ideological Battles in Civics Studies
The Ministry of Education announced that high school students will not be tested this year on major civics topics, including liberal democracy, the importance of the constitution, the status of the Declaration of Independence, and workers' rights. The Ministry explains this as an easing of the burden due to the security situation, but the article notes that civics is a arena for ideological struggles. The article speaks with Prof. Dan Avnon about the battle over civics studies.
Last week, the Ministry of Education announced that high school students will not be tested this year on a series of major civics topics, including liberal democracy, the importance of the constitution as a mechanism to limit government power, the status of the Declaration of Independence, social rights, and workers' rights. The decision comes after some civics studies were already removed from the curriculum during the COVID period, and this year was supposed to be the first full civics matriculation exam since. The Ministry explains that this is an easing intended to reduce the burden following the complex security period. However, the article notes that civics studies in Israel have never been just another subject, but rather an arena for ideological and political struggles, and any change in the curriculum has sparked public debate. The article speaks with Prof. Dan Avnon, holder of the Leo Blum Chair in Political Science (Emeritus) at the Hebrew University, about the battle over civics studies.