Reply to Sela Public Charter School

Forum Index » DC Public and Public Charter Schools

Reply to "Sela Public Charter School "

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Have we discussed the fact that sela is commected to the pro-Israel lobby? I am not really worked up by Israel/Palestine but I am kind of shocked that dc would have approved a politically oriented charter.[/quote]
This is the first I've heard of such a connection. What's your source?[/quote]

Just google around a bit. My understanding is that Sela is sponsored and got seed money by something called the Hebrew Charter School Center. The chair of the Center has been quoted as saying that students will be "a vanguard for understanding Israel." The curriculum is supposed to create an "affinity for Israel" and "foster a love of Israel." Israeli flags are in the classroom. Arguably none of this would be totally objectionable, except for the fact that at other similar Hebrew charters the Arab minority is ignored in the curriculum. Another Hebrew charter was actually started by an AIPAC member.

Now Sela says that it will not be similarly pro-Israel but it is supported by the same group that supports the other schools.

http://m.forward.com/articles/155713/hebrew-charter-schools-focus-on-israel/?p=all
	
[/quote]

I think you need to do some more research than "the google." 1) Sela is grassroots school in DC - it's not run/sponsored by the Hebrew Charter School Center; 2) there is no support for the statement that the Arab minority is ignored in Sela's curriculum; 3) there is no evidence that the Arab minority is ignored in schools that are part of the Hebrew Charter School Center - as someone in a mixed Muslim-Jewish family with family in a Brooklyn Hebrew charter I can tell you that the schools in New York have large numbers of Muslim students; 3) the fact that a school not affiliated with Sela (or, with the Hebrew Charter School Center) was founded by a former member of congress who is a member of AIPAC - tells you nothing about Sela; 4) I hope for the sake of your daughter you are not an anti-Semite, but Israel is an actual country and there is noting wrong with learning about it as a country where Hebrew is spoken. [/quote]

But you skirted the main question: Is Sela or is Sela not in any way affiliated with the Hebrew Charter School Center, and if there is any connection, what is it?  Is it financial in any way?  What other connection?

Re: how the history of Isreal and Palestine is covered, I will be very interested to hear (if it's posted here at all, because my kid won't be there to learn it in person) how it is covered and how the politics of the situation and the different views are represented (if all the views are represented at all).  I would hope all sides would be at least represented, and learned, but it will just remain to be seen how it is handled.  I agree though, not covering the seemingly intractable situation and having Isreali as well as Palestinian voices in the dialogue would seem to run so couter to the inclusive and progressive threads throughout the charter school movement.[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics