Absolutely fascinating. You frame things in a way that draws an interesting -- and very highly alarming --- connect-the-dots analogy between Israel and America … education issues in America being tied to religious fundamentalism being tied in turn to attacks upon democracy feeding off of a (deliberately) poorly educated populace. Thought-provoking. Perhaps we see America's future playing out right now in Israel, a preview of what America's slide into "illiberal" democracy will look like. Our future Netanyahu perhaps Ron DeSantis?

Only, I don't think it will take 20 years in Israel though. It appears to me the collapse may being happening right now, at least the first stages, and may not be stopped. Netanyahu has played this all diabolically brilliantly and strategically, having secured for himself quite the unholy alliance with a hodge-podge of radical subgroups in parliament. The intelligentsia in Israel appears to have woken up far too late .... ?

I can only hope that is not the case in America, and we collectively get our wits about us to push back quick and push back hard against the Radical Christian Right's current coordinated attempt at a hostile takeover of our public schools. Their previous ploy of trying to use a "voucher" system to take down public schools and expand private religious schools didn't work so now they have opted for a frontal assault and "anti-woke" is just their smokescreen cover. Or such is my opinion.