Teaching the Holocaust in the public schools, an unforgettable incident.
Last edited Thu Jan 29, 2015, 08:05 PM - Edit history (1)
I taught high school history in the Chicago Public Schools in a neighborhood with a mixed community of people from all over the world. This mixture just happened, it really wasn't designed or planned that way. When it came to WWII or sections where there was a lot of worthless, senseless, killing of civilians, , I showed a movie called "Night and Fog" about the Holocaust. Truly horrific, I warned the students, and they could get a pass to the library, out of class, if they didn't want to watch this. This tied in with "man's inhumanity to man" an idea which is still presented in high schools all over. This incident took place in the mid 80s, and I will never forget the moment I am about to describe.
After showing the film in one class, three students came up. They were 16 - 18 and wanted to talk about an incident that related to the film. Senseless killing of civilians. One young man was from Cambodia. The others knew him and his story. They wanted to tell it to me. He was reluctant to talk, and another student spoke. He explained that the young man had lived in Cambodia at the time of the Khmer Rouge. As they came into his home to kill his father, who was a teacher I think, which they did do... he and his mother escaped out the back window and got away. There wasn't much more to say. Eventually, they come here... I was stunned and greatly saddened. ..I had read about this. What was "Never To Happen Again" had happened and here was proof. We talked for a short while and the bell rang and the three went to the next class.
= new reply since forum marked as read
touched your students minds and hearts. I wish my grandson had a teacher like you. 