Uece cancels entrance exam question after accusation of promoting anti-Semitism

The State University of Ceará (Uece) is being accused on social media of promoting anti-Semitic ideas in three questions in the entrance exam held last weekend. With negative repercussions, the educational entity canceled item 29 of the History test and analyzes 27 and 35.

Questions were part of the first phase of the contest and caused controversy on X (formerly Twitter). The subject gained repercussion with the publication made on the social network by social scientist Matheus Alexandre, who checked the test answer sheet and highlighted the problems observed.

He stressed that question 29, for example, gave the correct alternative one suggesting that “the extermination of the Jews was not rational from an economic point of view, as they could have been used as slaves”.

In question 27, the scientist pointed out that the statement states that Moses “led the Hebrew people from Egypt to Palestine”, which represents an “anti-Semitic anachronism” and “erases the history of the Hebrew people”.

In item 35, the scientist stressed that the answer indicates as the correct answer the alternative that states that Zionism is the same as “expansionism” and the “colonization of areas hitherto occupied for a long time by Palestinians”. Images of the items circulated on X and were also commented on by other users.

After the negative repercussion, Uece released a note this Tuesday, the 30th, informing, through the Executive Entrance Exam Committee (CEV), which annulled question 29 and analyzes the others.

“CEV has already found inconsistency in the preparation of this question and, after consulting the test preparation committee, CEV concluded that the items proposed for analysis leave room for different interpretations and therefore none of these answers correspond to reality. This way, the question will be cancelled. Questions 27 and 35 are also being analyzed by the commission”, he pointed out.

Conib highlights that he will officiate the institution

The case came to the attention of the Israeli Confederation of Brazil (Conib). In a note published today, the institution said it had received “dismay, the news that questions of an extremely prejudiced and openly anti-Semitic nature were applied” in the Uece test. The entity states that it will officiate both the educational entity and the State Public Ministry (MPCE).

“The answer to question 29 flagrantly and irreparably offends and dehumanizes the memory of the victims of the Holocaust, as it normalizes the atrocities committed against the Jewish people by the Nazi regime and applies a cost-benefit calculation to evaluate genocide of 6 million people”, he highlighted.

Regarding item 27, the institution pointed out that it “maliciously misrepresents the biblical text”, explaining: “As we know, Moses led the Jewish people to Canaan, the Land of Israel. The name Palestine emerged much later, in the Roman Empire , bearing absolutely no relation to the context of the question presented. It should be noted that the Jewish people were enslaved in Egypt. Therefore, it is truly inconceivable to use the term ‘Jewish elite’ when referring to an enslaved people.”

“Finally, question 35 was constructed in a biased manner and lacking historical support, distorting the definition of Zionism and instigating prejudices and stereotypes against the Jewish community. Thus, given the absurdity of this situation, which can constitute both an illegal act and administrative improbity , the University and the local Public Ministry will be officiated by CONIB and Sociedade Israelita do Ceará”, he added.