The Blame, The Blame … Where To Place The Blame

May 7, 2014

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Where, who, or what is the fault for such an assignment as described below being foisted on young impressionable students. Is it Common Core? The State of California? The school district and the school administrators? Or perhaps it is a combination of all of the foregoing … Or, is it a problem at all. What do you think?

Fair Use Notice

Muslim School Superintendent Defends Assignment Which Denies the Holocaust

By Onan Coca / 7 May 2014 /

I was once a school teacher. One of my most important goals was to try to instill the ability to think critically within each of my students. I rationalized that if I could teach my students to think critically no amount of indoctrination could every capture their minds. A critical thinker is one who can use their minds to see through the lies and propaganda and uncover the truth for themselves no matter the biases they’re face with.

Some educators in California are trying to rationalize a terrible Common Core related assignment with the logic I just laid out for you.

Here is the writing assignment.

When tragic events occur in history, there is often debate about their actual existence. For example, some people claim the Holocaust is not an actual historical event, but instead is a propaganda tool that was used for political and monetary gain. Based upon your research on this issue, write an argumentative essay, utilizing cited textual evidence, in which you explain whether or not you believe the Holocaust was an actual event in history, or merely a political scheme created to influence public emotion and gain. Remember to address counterclaims (rebuttals) to your stated claim. You are also required to use parenthetical (internal) citations and to provide a Works Cited page.

I’m not sure that first sentence is accurate. Can you think of other tragic events where we debate their actual existence? Does anyone debate if the bubonic plague wiped out millions of people? No. Does anyone debate that Mao’s Great Leap Forward wiped out millions of his own people through famine and violence? No. Does anyone debate the Rwandan genocide? No. Do we debate the eruption of Vesuvius and the destruction of Pompeii? No. How about the Spanish Inquisition? Uh-uh. The Trail of Tears? Nope.