Pearson pulls GCSE textbook after claims of anti-Semitism

THE country’s biggest education company pulled a GCSE textbook after The Sunday Telegraph revealed claims that it had “whitewashed” Jewish history.

Pearson, which owns the exam board Edexcel, published the book The Middle East: Conflict, Crisis and Change

1917-2012 for students taking Edexcel’s revamped international history GCSE.

In October, this newspaper reported accusations that it was “full of errors, lies and distortions” about the IsraelPalestine conflict.

Pearson confirmed it has now withdrawn the textbook and created an updated version to “improve the balance of sources where needed” and said that schools have been offered a new edition free of charge, which it plans to print in the next few weeks.

David Collier, an anti-Semitism investigator, said that the “central messages are those that you would find inside an anti-Israel propaganda book”.

A spokesman for Pearson said: “An independent review of the texts by an educational charity found no overall evidence of anti-Israel bias. It identified some areas where the balance of sources could be improved, and we are updating the texts and offering existing customers the option of replacing them for free. We always welcome feedback and are committed to creating engaging, accurate and objective content.”

Pearson said that Edexcel is the only GCSE exam board that covers the history of the Middle East, adding: “We think it is an important topic, even though it is likely to provoke emotive responses.”