Image by Nationaal Archief via Flickr<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nIn Germany, I have often heard that maintaining state control of the school system and its curriculum is important for maintaining democracy.<\/strong> This argument is used against the idea of private schools and homeschooling: if people can teach children whatever they want, the argument goes, religious fundamentalists of all kinds will raise the next generation for intolerance.<\/p>\nIn Israel, this argument has now been turned on its head<\/strong>: Ha’aretz reports<\/a> that “The Education Ministry has cut most of its budget for the intensive civics classes for 11th and 12th grades, and the regular civics classes for 10th grade, and will invest the sum in the teaching of Jewish studies.” Who needs to teach democracy, equality and civil rights when instead you can push a religion that is now being used by popular religious racists to promote and support the practice of killing children<\/a>?