A California school is under fire after it asked eighth graders to argue whether or not the Holocaust "is a propaganda tool that was used for political and monetary gain."
The essay was assigned at a school in the Rialto Unified School District and prompted outrage from students, teachers, and Jewish scholars.
Tablet reports:
Unbelievably, district officials initially defended the assignment. "One of the most important responsibilities for educators is to develop critical thinking skills in students," one school-board member wrote in an email to the San Bernardino Sun. "Teaching how to come to your own conclusion based on the facts, test your position, be able to articulate that position, then defend your belief with a lucid argument is essential to good citizenship." Administrators subsequently backtracked and said the assignment would not be repeated. "The Holocaust should be taught in classrooms with sensitivity and profound consideration for the victims who endured the atrocities committed," spokeswoman Syeda Jafri wrote in a statement to theSun.
What this assignment shows is that, at best, the teachers and so-called educators who took part in writing this question have been duped into thinking that there is a legitimate debate about whether the Holocaust happened. At worst, they knew better and looked the other way. The Los Angeles chapter of the Anti-Defamation League believes the school district meant no harm.