Friday, December 12, 2008

Educating in Palestine

Haven't written in a while. To start, I was kicked out of the country. Visa issues. I'd love to write about how a university teacher with a legitimate contract whose position is supported by powers that be in the institution can't get a visa to continue her job, but sadly we self-censor from fear of the future repercussions. It is pretty incredible to think about: I have a totally legitimate job and am having to teach by email and web conferencing because I am denied access to my students because they are occupied by a state who has every interest in denying education, health, food, water, etc. I try to be an observer, to tell what I see without personal analysis, but it's so hard. What kind of education can you hope for when getting textbooks, much less the money to buy them, is such a struggle. Or when your faculty members are systematically denied entry to the country where there jobs are? I'm not the first to experience this. Or when students can't access the university? Ideas can not be discussed under such circumstances nor infrastructure developed. It's just totally unrealistic for us to imagine fighting injustice when education is denied or impaired in the ways occupation impairs and denies it. A visiting scholar must pass herself off as a tourist to get a visa and only has a maximum of three months to do her work. Thank you occupation. At least the West Bank can get her for three months. Gaza is sealed, and they don't even have food there much less can they complain about education problems.