Civics Lesson

A retrospective journey into a teacher’s role in a democracy

Freedom of expression as a condition for democracy in times of war
Meir is a civics teacher who insists on confronting his students with fundamental questions concerning their lives in Israel, completely detached from what is supposedly “forbidden” to say. Through intimate moments both inside and outside the classroom, the boundary between lesson and reality increasingly blurs. Words become dangerous, and the stakes continue to rise.

In a retrospective journey, we follow Meir as he grapples with the role of an educator in a democratic society and how to shine a light in the darkness. The play was inspired by the true story of Dr. Meir Baruchin, a civics and history teacher who was arrested and unlawfully fired in November 2023 following political statements he made online against the war.

During the ensuing legal proceedings, the deep and mutual bond that developed between Meir and his students came to light. Baruchin fought in court for the right of civics teachers to expand the scope of their students’ civic and political thinking, and for the students’ right to formulate their own moral positions rather than blindly accepting political dictates. Following this legal battle, the State of Israel was ordered to reinstate Baruchin’s teaching license after the court ruled that wartime does not justify restricting teachers’ freedom of expression.

This work is dedicated to all the teachers who, despite personal risk and threats, remain committed and ever more determined to nurture the civic and moral souls of their students by inspiring them to think for themselves.

Play length: 70 min