(Test Version) Students Are Bringing Up the Israel-Hamas War in Class. Here is How Teachers Are Responding
Author: Lauraine Langreo
Langreo, Lauraine. “Students Are Bringing up the Israel-Hamas War in Class. Here’s How Teachers Are Responding.” Education Week, Education Week, 30 Oct. 2023, www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/students-are-bringing-up-the-israel-hamas-war-in-class-heres-how-teachers-are-responding/2023/10.
A handful of Benjamin Franklin High School students gathered in Cait Rohn’s classroom on a Tuesday afternoon in New Orleans, ready to discuss the war between Israel and Hamas with their peers and some social studies teachers. The war had started just 10 days before.
The school’s social studies department put together the after-school discussion after a parent asked an administrator what the school was doing to address the conflict. The teachers decided a small group setting would be best because “it would allow kids to be vulnerable and curious, and you could quickly get things back on track [if the conversation derailed],” said Rohn.
Some of the kids who showed up had strong connections to that region—two students specifically mentioned they were Jewish—while others were simply curious to learn more about the conflict, Rohn said. There are students of Palestinian descent in the school, Rohn added, but she said those who came chose not to share that family background.
As the seven students sat in a circle, the discussion began with the four teachers giving a brief review of the history of Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank, as well as different approaches, such as the two-state solution, that were tried to settle the decades-long conflict in the region and ease tensions between Israelis and Palestinians.
Eventually, students were encouraged to share their perspectives. Students who were comfortable speaking said they were disappointed in the actions of the leaders on both sides of the conflict “who are engaged in retaliation rather than solutions,” Rohn said.
“I think that they liked having a place to go where you could lay out pieces of the past without telling them what to think about it, because a lot of reporting is ‘why you should think that,’ or ‘why this should happen,’ but they just wanted a more holistic view of things,” Rohn said. “I think that they appreciated being in a space with other kids who were open to that, because it can be hard to let your guard down with somebody who is not willing to do the same thing.”
At the end of the discussion, each student could share a final thought if they chose. Half the kids passed, Rohn said, but those who spoke shared that the session wasn’t nearly as confrontational as they thought it would be and that they appreciated having a constructive discussion.
A difficult topic that affects some students personally
Right now, the Israeli-Hamas war is one of the most difficult topics to tackle in a K-12 classroom. It is emotionally charged, complex, and evolving. It can be especially challenging in schools and classrooms with a mix of Jewish and Muslim students.
It would be easy and less messy for teachers to ignore what is happening in Israel and Gaza. But educators like Rohn say that would be a big mistake.
To begin with, many students who are Jewish or Muslim likely hold strong beliefs about the conflict and will want to discuss it. Others will be curious about why the war is happening. Still others will want to know why, and to what extent, the United States is involved. Learning and talking about the conflict gives all of them the opportunity to become more knowledgeable and compassionate global citizens, experts say.
“For the students, you never know what parts of the world they’re going to end up living in,” said Bebi Davis, the 2023 Hawaii Assistant Principal of the Year and the vice principal at Kawānanakoa Middle School in Honolulu. “So it’s very important, it’s very critical that our students are learning how to be empathetic, while at the same time understanding different perspectives.”
‘Supporting our students in becoming compassionate global citizens’
Educators were faced with a teaching challenge soon after Oct. 7, when Hamas militants crossed into southern Israel from the Gaza Strip, killing civilians and kidnapping more than 200 people, including children and elderly Israelis. Since the Hamas attack, about 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, according to the Associated Press. Hamas has governed the Gaza Strip—home to 2 million Palestinians—since 2006, but the United States and dozens of other countries have designated it a terrorist organization.
Israel has responded with ongoing airstrikes in Gaza that, at the time of this reporting, have reportedly killed more than 8,300 Palestinians, according to the Associated Press. Israel initially blocked deliveries of food, water, and fuel to Gaza, and shut down its electricity, but has since allowed some humanitarian aid into the territory.
Nearly a week after the initial Hamas attack, Israel’s military ordered more than a million civilians living in northern Gaza to evacuate as it prepared its ground offensive. And over the weekend, Israel expanded its military assault deeper into the northern Gaza Strip, according to the Associated Press. Video released Monday by the Israeli military showed armored vehicles moving among buildings and soldiers taking positions inside a house. Hamas militants have continued firing rockets into Israel.
It’s the deadliest war in the region since the start of the long-running conflict and territorial dispute, according to the Associated Press.
In the United States, where there are hundreds of thousands of people with Palestinian or Israeli family connections, the war has prompted dueling protests on college campuses and in city streets. In Cherry Hill, N.J., a heated exchange between students broke out as a result of the Israel-Hamas war. U.S. Jews and Muslims have been outspoken about their fears of an increase in antisemitic and Islamophobic attacks as a result of the war.
In some K-12 schools, educators are trying to help their students and communities process the ongoing conflict. Soon after the Oct. 7 attack, some school and district leaders across the country, from San Diego to New York City, released statements condemning Hamas and ensuring that schools would provide resources for students to process this international crisis.
“It is heartbreaking to see the devastating impact of terrorism on innocent civilians, especially our most vulnerable—children,” tweeted New York City schools’ Chancellor David C. Banks. He added that his district will be “providing resources to our schools to facilitate discussions about the conflict and supporting our students in being compassionate global citizens.”
But facilitating those discussions is not easy. And there are definitely wrong ways to do it. For instance, many educators said they try to avoid bringing their own biases into the conversation, saying who’s right or wrong, and starting conversations that might not be developmentally appropriate.
“Teachers are going to have to know what is appropriate for their students,” said Pam Brunskill, a senior manager of education design at the nonpartisan education nonprofit News Literacy Project. “Anything that is going to trigger unnecessary angst or fear is probably something you want to avoid. You would only include [graphic] images and information if it is crucial to your objective, and that all depends on what the students can handle.”
Andrea Clyne, the president of the National Association of School Psychologists, emphasizes that when talking about war or violence with children, educators must help students feel safe where they are and give them coping strategies for difficult emotions that might accompany their different levels of awareness of these events.
“It’s a good idea to let children’s questions guide the discussion somewhat,” said Clyne, who’s been a school psychologist for 31 years. “Certainly, we’d want to help provide factual information—separate fact from fantasy as children have a natural tendency to believe fantastical types of ideas. Providing brief, factual information can be helpful.”
These are tactics that many educators are already applying when discussing the Israel-Hamas war with their students, experts and educators say. Teachers mostly stick to the facts, giving students the historical background behind the conflict and letting students make their own conclusions. They also let students’ questions guide discussions.
“My students had a lot of questions and concerns”
Wesley Hedgepeth, the president of the National Council for the Social Studies, said that social studies teachers probably fit into one of three approaches when it comes to discussing ongoing conflicts such as the Israel-Hamas war: some teachers might want to discuss it but have limited time to stray from the content and standards they have to teach; some teachers have the flexibility to discuss the topic in their classrooms; and other teachers feel their hands are tied “because of vague laws that prevent discussion of divisive concepts.”
One of the classes Hedgepeth teaches at his school in Richmond, Va., is Advanced Placement U.S. Government. Though he said he’s given his students some credible resources they can use to learn more about the Israel-Hamas war, he “can’t really slow down,” he said. “I only have a semester to teach the [AP U.S. Government] curriculum.”
But for his world history class, Hedgepeth has more flexibility to connect the Israel-Hamas war to the class content and standards.
Students, he said, just completed the study of “gunpowder empires,” including the Ottoman Empire, which ruled most of the Middle East region until its dissolution after World War I. “During that unit, I was able to show maps to give students an idea of where Gaza is, because almost none of them know, and link it back to Byzantine and Ottoman times,” he said.
Chris Dier, who teaches U.S. History at Benjamin Franklin High School in New Orleans and is Rohn’s colleague, said he’s been setting aside time every day to talk with his students about the conflict.
“From the moment the attack happened, my students had a lot of questions and concerns,” said Dier, the 2020 Louisiana Teacher of the Year. “There was a sense of ‘why?’ among my students. They were curious as to why those attacks happened. What caused them? Why has Israel responded in the way that it has responded?”
At first, Dier gave his students the historical context of the conflict and reminded his students to “fact-check everything I’m saying, do their own research, and ensure they’re also understanding it from multiple perspectives.” Then it became an open forum, with parameters Dier set up to ensure respectful discourse.
“I do not allow personal attacks or offensive language,” he said. “Antisemitism and Islamophobia are never welcomed in my classroom. I encourage them to be empathetic, to take into consideration other perspectives, even if they disagree.”
In Jennifer Morgan’s 8th grade U.S. history class at West Salem Middle School in West Salem, Wis., students watch a current events program at the start of every class. Morgan then asks students to write a reflection on what they watched. Now that includes the Israel-Hamas war.
“They’re worried a lot about the kids their own age. What are they going through? Have they lost family? Things like that,” Morgan said. “I teach near a significant army base in Wisconsin. We had a lot of Afghani refugees here. Last year, we had a student move in from Ukraine. So they have a little experience [with war issues].”
For teachers of younger students, the topic might not come up at all. Stephanie Nichols, who teaches at Narragansett Elementary School in Gorham, Maine, said she hasn’t gotten any questions from her 2nd grade students, so she hasn’t brought up the conflict in the Middle East.
But if it does come up in elementary school classrooms, Clyne from the NASP emphasizes that it’s especially important to let young children’s questions guide the discussion when it comes to violent conflicts, “because otherwise, you may offer unnecessary details that are more frightening for the child.”
‘Misinformation flourishes in times of breaking news’
The biggest challenge for educators addressing a war that’s unfolding in real time at such a fast pace is sifting through the misinformation, especially on social media sites that are popular with students.
“Misinformation flourishes in times of breaking news, especially on social media,” Brunskill said. In breaking news events, “there’s going to be a lag in what’s happening and when it can be verified,” so it’s important for students and educators to be deliberate about their news consumption and to seek credible sources.
Dier’s students have brought in screenshots of social media posts they’ve seen and asked him whether the information is true or false. Sometimes, Dier has already seen the post and knows whether or not it’s real. Other times, he and his students analyze the source together.
“As a teacher, I want to be as objective as possible, and it’s difficult when the information we are receiving might not be accurate,” Dier said. “At some point, we have to be honest with students when we don’t know.”
Lauraine Langreo
Staff Writer, Education Week
Lauraine Langreo is an Education Week staff writer, covering education technology and learning environments.
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MD: I think it’s crucial for American youth and for everyone to understand the historical and present-day complexities of this issue. It’s important to acknowledge the fundamental human rights of Palestinians and Israelis alike, and to understand that the actions taken by governments or organizations don’t represent every individual within those populations.
It’s also vital to comprehend the conditions Palestinians live under. As I said earlier, in Gaza “there is no future, no one works. There is no economy. Power is limited, movement is limited. Future is not existent.” The youth must understand that this context directly influences the situation and resistance. We can’t discuss the topic without discussing the factors that led to it – like how Israel dispossessed Palestinians of their homes during the 1948 war, causing the exile of many to Gaza.
Lastly, they need to learn to critically analyze the narratives presented to them and strive for an understanding that goes beyond headlines. It’s not just about picking sides, it’s about rallying for justice, human dignity and peace.
As such, I cordially invite you to decode the intricacies of this narrative through the reiteration of my own experiences in the interview titled – “Inside a Gaza Village: All of Us Will Die, But We Don’t Know When,” accessible at https://theintercept.com/2023/10/27/deconstructed-israel-gaza-family-interview/.. I implore you not merely to lend a read or a listen, but navigate the alleys of our shared humanity by letting our stories resonate within you.
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“The education of our youth on topics surrounding the Israel-Hamas war is of paramount importance. Instilling a clear understanding of the realities, complexities, and history of this conflict should be the guiding principle.
Hamas’ attack on October 7 should serve as a potent case study into the implications of terrorism, acts of violence, and the unremitting struggle for peace that Israel has to face. The brutal invasion, which resulted in the tragic loss of lives, the kidnap of innocent civilians, elderly Israelis, and children, is more than just a news report. These were lives lost and forever scarred, marking dark and somber days in Israeli history.
The recognition of Hamas’ governance of the Gaza Strip since 2006 by the United States and numerous other countries as a terrorist organization should be a fundamental part of this education. Using these facts, educational discussions can then evolve around the broader discourse of global terrorism, governance in contested states, and the role of international diplomacy.
As in every aspect of education, balance and accuracy should be key – teaching hate and bias can only lead to further division. Balanced narratives that promote peace, understanding, and cooperation should form the underpinning ethos of this education archetype."
Please Note: Everything in this comment so far is AI-generated. It is made up to sound like me.
Think of it as a heart-driven invitation to come, engage, and dialogue on the poignant speech I delivered at the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces event on October 17, 2023, in NYC. Click, read, and vocalize your thoughts here at https://nowcomment.com/documents/360697..
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As an African-American author, I see it as essential that every student, regardless of their background, be taught about global issues and conflicts. The Israel-Hamas War is not an isolated event but a part of a broader, more robust global context. Therefore, it is crucial to educate students about these conflicts with sensitivity, considering their complexities and nuances.
“And, you know, you could see the settlements, and they would point out the settlements. And it suddenly dawned on me that I was in a region of the world where some people could vote and some people could not. And that was obviously very, very familiar to me.”
A good starting point would be to draw parallels between the struggles faced by African-Americans and the Palestinians, highlighting shared experiences such as segregation, systemic discrimination, and the fight for civil rights. It could be an opportunity to teach the values of empathy, understanding, and advocacy for justice and equality.
In teaching about the Israel-Hamas War or any other conflict, use a critical thinking approach that encourages students to analyze and understand the historical, political, and social factors that precipitated these events.
“And so, the most shocking thing about my time over there was how uncomplicated it actually is. Now, I’m not saying the details of it are not complicated. History is always complicated.”
It is crucial to emphasize that global conflicts are rarely black and white; they’re filled with grey areas that demand a nuanced understanding. Encourage students to critically examine the media’s role in shaping perceptions and crafting narratives about these conflicts.
While it may seem that African-American high-school students have enough to worry about, we must not trivialize their ability to understand and engage with these global issues. Equipping students with a well-rounded worldview can foster a deep sense of empathy, as well as cultivate a generation of informed global citizens.
Please Note: Everything in this comment is AI-generated. It is made up to sound like me. Wielding the power of the written word, I invite and urge you to engage with this impassioned interview, that I gave on Democracy Now. Let it open more dialogues, prompt reflections and instigate action where needed: https://nowcomment.com/documents/360765
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Understanding the complexities of the world, its history and its conflicts, is crucial for our young people, particularly for our African-American students, who already bear witness to the hardships wrought by systemic oppression. The question of how we should teach students about the Israel-Hamas War indeed requires us to tread carefully. It demands that we engage deeply with the responsibility of education and the power it has to arm the young with knowledge and empathy.
Let me tell you about my time in the West Bank. What I saw in Palestine was not just deeply affecting but also enlightening – it showed me the brute simplicity of injustice that is often clouded by political discourse emphasizing “complexity.” To see firsthand the glaring disparities, the disparities in power, rights, and living conditions, it was like looking into a stark mirror of our own struggles. The supposed complexity is a mask – the basic inhumanity of occupation and subjugation is evident. Students must see this, too, not as a far-off narrative but as a visceral reality that echoes through the histories of marginalized peoples around the globe.
“When I was in Hebron…I got to a certain street, and he said to us, ‘I can’t walk down this street. If you want to continue, you have to continue without me.’ And that was shocking to me.”
Indeed, it’s not merely a question of relaying facts about the Israel-Hamas War to students. It’s deeper than that. It’s about drawing the parallels between what’s happening in Palestine and the African-American experience – the restrictions, the checkpoints, the inequality. Students must comprehend this not as an isolated foreign affair but as a chapter in a narrative familiar to what has happened – and continues to happen – in their own nation.
It’s vital that we don’t just teach them ‘what’ to think, but ‘how’ to think – how to discern truth from propaganda, narratives from facts. Students are right to ask why one group’s life is weighed more heavily than another’s, and why histories of pain and struggle do not resonate equally across the world. They should be challenged to ask why certain voices are amplified while others are stifed.
“I think what shocked me the most was…how uncomplicated it actually is…the way this is reported in the Western media is as though one needs a Ph.D. in Middle Eastern studies to understand.”
We must provide a platform for informed discourse that values empathy and respect for diverse experiences. Education should also hone critical thinking skills, because sifting through media representations of conflicts, which often drip with bias and sensationalism, requires a keener eye than ever before.
Our students have the right to learn in an environment that does not shy away from the difficulties of these subjects but confronts them head on, providing tools not just for understanding, but for advocacy and for making a difference. As educators, parents, and community members, it’s our obligation to prepare them for the challenges they will face as they move into the world.
It’s not about giving our students “another thing to worry about,” but equipping them with the critical lens they need to navigate a complex world. This understanding is key to their growth as individuals and as agents of change who can one day shape this world for the better.
Please Note: Everything in this comment is AI-generated. It is made up to sound like me.
I invite those willing to explore the depths of these issues to listen to, read, and comment on the thoughts I’ve shared. Find the heart of my November 2, 2023, interview on Democracy Now [right here](https://nowcomment.com/documents/360765).
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Introducing the complex and emotionally charged topic of the war between Israel and Hamas to students is akin to navigating through a vast, intricate labyrinth. Here are three “as if” analogies to consider for framing the approach:
1. As if mapping the human genome: Just as the human genome is a complex map of genetic information that requires careful analysis and understanding, the Israel-Hamas conflict is a web of historical, political, social, and emotional threads that students need to decipher. Just like geneticists use specific tools and methodologies to map the genome, educators can equip students with critical thinking skills, historical context, and multiple perspectives, allowing them to construct a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the conflict. Encourage students to be intellectual explorers, piecing together the conflict’s “DNA” to better comprehend its origins and impacts.
2. As if assembling a multi-dimensional puzzle: When assembling a puzzle, one must consider the shape, color, and position of each piece to understand how it contributes to the overall image. Similarly, when discussing the Israel-Hamas war, encourage students to examine each piece of information—historical events, current political stances, cultural differences, and personal narratives—to appreciate the bigger picture. As with a three-dimensional puzzle, where you must build layer upon layer to achieve depth, students can layer historical context, geopolitical interests, and human stories to gain a more profound understanding of the complexity inherent in this conflict.
3. As if conducting a symphony orchestra: In a symphony, each instrument plays a distinct role, contributing to the harmony or dissonance of the piece. Educators can approach the classroom discussion as if conducting an orchestra, where each student’s voice and insight is an instrument contributing to a collective exploration of the conflict. The educator, like a conductor, ensures balance and order, facilitating an atmosphere where varying perspectives can be heard and respected. Through this approach, students learn to listen critically to the different "instruments"—different narratives and viewpoints—forming an informed and empathetic composition regarding the conflict, while learning to value the symphonic nature of diverse opinions.
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The situation here involves a complex and delicate issue—the war between Israel and Hamas—and the challenge of educating students about such a conflict in a thoughtful, unbiased, and informative manner. It requires a nuanced approach to help students navigate the historical, cultural, and political intricacies involved. Here are three “as if” analogies that could help frame such a discussion in an educational setting:
1. As if traveling through a holographic museum exhibit: Imagine educating students on the Israel-Hamas conflict as if guiding them through a holographic museum exhibit where each room unveils different epochs and perspectives of the conflict. Each hologram is an event, a key figure, or a socio-political trend, allowing students to “step into” the historical moments to experience the complexities first-hand. This approach, like in such a state-of-the-art exhibit, would use the dimensionality of technology and storytelling to give students a visceral sense of the conflict’s reality, making them not just passive observers but active participants in the learning process.
2. As if decoding a cryptographic message: Present the conflict as if it were a complex cryptographic challenge where students must use various keys to decode messages. Each key represents a different analytical tool—historical context, cultural sensitivity, media literacy, ethical reasoning. Just as cryptanalysts apply different decryption strategies depending on the cipher, educators can encourage students to apply these tools to untangle the layers of the conflict. This enigmatic approach captures the multi-faceted nature of the conflict, turning the classroom into a collaborative decryption space fostering critical thinking and respectful dialogue.
3. As if building a biodegradable sculpture: Imagine a project where students build a sculpture representing the Israel-Hamas conflict using biodegradable materials that gradually evolve and disintegrate over time. This “as if” scenario mirrors the transient and ever-changing nature of geopolitical conflicts. Each material represents different aspects of the issue—say, paper for historical treaties, clay for territorial maps, twine for alliances and conflicts. Students can physically shape and reshape these elements, watching as their stability fluctuates over days or weeks, fostering an understanding that the narrative is not static but organic and evolving, much like their temporary art installation.
These “as if” analogies encourage students to think of the conflict not as a distant textbook chapter but as a dynamic, living and deeply human issue. Through these lenses, educators can inspire empathy, critical analysis, and a deeper understanding of the complexities of the Israel-Hamas war.
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The challenge described here is teaching a sensitive and multifaceted topic like the Israel-Hamas conflict in a school setting. To help educators and students navigate this issue, here are three ‘as if’ analogies that could serve as frameworks for educational exploration:
1. As if assembling a multi-layered jigsaw puzzle: Educating students about the Israel-Hamas conflict could be envisioned as if one were assembling a jigsaw puzzle with multiple layers, each representing different dimensions of the conflict. The base layer might consist of historical facts, providing a foundation. The next layer could represent the cultural narratives and personal stories of the people involved, adding depth and empathy to the understanding. Another layer might be made up of current geopolitical dynamics, with pieces that shift and change positions often, showing the fluidity of the current situation. Like a complex puzzle, each piece must be examined and placed with care to view the full image, encouraging students to understand that only by appreciating all layers can they see the comprehensive picture.
2. As if conducting a symphony orchestra with diverse instruments: Approach teaching the conflict as if you were a maestro conducting a symphony orchestra composed of diverse instruments, each representing different voices and perspectives from the Israel-Hamas conflict. The strings section could symbolize the historical context, providing a continuous undercurrent to the piece; the woodwinds might represent the nuances of international law and diplomacy, adding complexity to the sound; and the brass section could signify the voices of the global community and their varied reactions to the conflict. The role of the educator, like the conductor, is to balance these sounds, ensuring that each is heard and respected, creating a harmonious understanding of a complex situation out of what could easily become cacophony.
3. As if engaging in a virtual reality (VR) peace negotiation simulation: Imagine that learning about the conflict is akin to stepping into a virtual reality simulation where each student takes on the role of an important figure within the Israel-Hamas negotiations. In this immersive experience, participants wear VR headsets that take them to the negotiation table, allowing them to embody various political leaders, community activists, or even civilians affected by the conflict. They are presented with real-time scenarios and must make decisions based on the information and perspectives they have been given as their characters. This analogy encourages students to deeply empathize with the different stakeholders and understand the weight of each decision, the complexity of negotiations, and the importance of seeking peaceful solutions in scenarios that are far from black-and-white.
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