Educational publisher Pearson is reviewing an international GCSE textbook about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict after a report into the book found them to be filled with “anti-Israel propaganda”. It also follows CUFI members writing to Pearson to raise concerns of what was being taught to students.
The textbook, ‘The Middle East: Conflict, Crisis and Change’, is part of the Edexcel International GCSE series and is published by Pearson Education.
Analysis of the textbook was carried out by David Collier and commissioned by the Zionist Federation and UK Lawyers for Israel and found that GCSE pupils in the UK are learning about Israel-Palestinian conflict from a “shameful” anti-Israel bias.
When approached for comment, the exam board’s parent company revealed it will “immediately launch an independent and impartial review” of the material and take action if warranted.
A spokesperson for Pearson said: “We always welcome feedback on our texts and we understand this is an important subject for students with difficult topics being explored. Pearson content is always written within the parameters of a rigorous global editorial policy ensuring quality.”
Despite its claim for “ensuring quality”, the content of the textbook is highly questionable.
Collier said at the time of his report, “The fact this textbook is part of the Pearson Library and is taught inside British schools is utterly shameful. The central messages are those that you would find inside an anti-Israel propaganda book. It is carefully constructed and far more subtle, but the longer you read – the angrier you become. How many children inside state funded schools have been exposed to this type of indoctrination? Someone somewhere needs to explain how this is even possible.”
To read more about the report exposing this anti-Semitic textbook, click here.
CUFI UK received numerous messages from supporters saying they had contacted Pearson raising their concerns directly with the publisher. We are grateful to all those who wrote to Pearson and also for those involved in making the report and making it known to the public.
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