re: “I’d suggest that persuading a writer for Der Sturmer the error of his ways might have been a better approach. And I suspect that a high school English class probably doesn’t provide adequate background.”
But remember, this IS background research for the book her students are about to read, Wiesel’s “Night”. Research does not mean “acceptance” or “affirmation” of what the propaganda teaches. Until there are more facts given, all this looks like to me is this teacher’s attempt to GIVE her students some context for what Wiesel is about to describe in his book. If you don’t know what the beliefs were at the time, how can one fully appreciate what happened to Jews during that period?
Now, if indeed the teacher was advocating what the propaganda taught or that she felt she had to give “the other side” of the story as though the Nazi propaganda was a genuine “other side” and a legitimate viewpoint, then yes, I’d had a big problem with that. But, we don’t know that yet. This could be a knee-jerk reaction by someone who too thin skinned.