Teaching Kids About Genocide [TheAtlantic.com]

Samantha Sangenito 6/17/1612:00 PM

Public schoolchildren in Michigan are now required to learn about the Holocaust and the Armenian genocide as part of their social studies curriculum, according to a law Governor Rick Snyder signed on Tuesday.

While most students in Michigan no doubt learn about the Holocaust already, the new law would require teachers in public schools to spend a certain amount of time on these topics. Between eighth and 12th grades, schools must spend a combined six hours on genocide education, specifically the Holocaust—in which, during World War II, Nazi Germany killed 11 million Jews, Roma, and other ethnic minorities—and the Armenian genocide—in which Ottoman Turks killed 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 and 1920. While Turkey denies a genocide took place, 29 countries and 45 U.S. states use the term “genocide” to refer to the killings.

[For more of this story, written by Matt Vasilogambros, go to http://www.theatlantic.com/new...out-genocide/487088/]

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Robert OlcottMember

I was fortunate that one of my [10th grade] World History teacher's grew up in Latvia, and spent part of her childhood in a Displaced Person's camp, and enriched my understanding of much. I once talked for a bit with a former U.S. Attorney who was dispatched to Rwanda, after the genocide there. ... Kudos to Michigan for including this in their school curriculum...

6/19/1611:35 PM

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