What type of study is this?

August 19, 2025Open Access

"For Them, The Hijab Means Dangerous Arabs" – Between Policy And Practice: Challenges In Implementing The Integration Of Arab Teachers In Hebrew Schools

DEDolly Eliyahu‐LeviAcademic College at Wingate AGAvi GvuraBeit Berl College

Key Points

Arab teachers face notable challenges, including visible cultural distinctiveness and linguistic barriers, which hinder their integration.
Findings reveal that emotional suppression and avoidance are common strategies adopted by Arab teachers to cope with systemic challenges.
Qualitative-phenomenological research involved in-depth interviews with 23 educators, highlighting diverse experiences within the Hebrew education system.
The results stress the need for culturally responsive policies that foster inclusive educational environments for Arab teachers.

Abstract

This study investigates the challenges associated with implementing the Israeli Ministry of Education’s policy to integrate Arab female teachers into Hebrew-speaking schools, guided by Social Identity Theory and Realistic Conflict Theory. Employing a qualitative-phenomenological approach, the research is based on semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 23 teachers (14 Jewish and 9 Arab) working across various levels of the Hebrew education system. The findings reveal four central challenges: visible cultural and religious distinctiveness, particularly the wearing of the hijab, linguistic barriers, socio-cultural knowledge disparities, and tensions within the teachers’ lounge. Arab teachers report navigating these challenges through a range of coping strategies, including emotional suppression, avoidance, and, at times, direct confrontation or the assertion of alternative narratives. These strategies reflect both personal resilience and systemic limitations. The study further reveals a stark contrast between Arab teachers’ experiences of exclusion, marginalization, and inequality, and the relative sense of belonging and cultural dominance experienced by their Jewish counterparts. By amplifying the voices of both Arab and Jewish educators, this study contributes new empirical insight into the lived realities of intercultural integration in education. It calls for the adoption of culturally responsive and structurally supportive policies aimed at fostering equitable participation, mutual recognition, and meaningful professional inclusion of Arab teachers within Hebrew-speaking schools. The findings carry significant implications for policymakers and educational leaders seeking to move beyond symbolic representation toward genuinely inclusive and just educational environments in a divided society.

Ask AI

Helpful

Bookmark

View Full Paper