Students say Holocaust assignment violated religious freedom

Associated Press ^ | 12.27.05 | AP

[andyk]

PITTSFIELD, N.H. — An assignment intended to teach students about tolerance and the Holocaust angered some students at Pittsfield Middle High School, who claimed it violated their religious freedom.

English teacher Harry Mitchell last week asked students to make and wear yellow stars similar to those Jews were forced to wear by the Nazis. The graded assignment, part of a lesson on The Diary of Anne Frank, was intended to teach empathy, he said.

But some students protested, instead wearing paper notes bearing the words, "We're not Jewish."

"Many people won't learn anything except that their religion (if they're not Jewish) isn't good enough and that being Jewish or expressing Jewish symbols is a better religion and the only way to get the grades we deserve," wrote Samantha Gage, 13, in a letter to the Concord Monitor.

That misses the point, Mitchell said.

"My intention with the star was to get them to have some empathy and the feeling of what it was like to have to identify yourself with a symbol," Mitchell said. "If you're not wearing it, you're not getting the full awareness of Anne and her family."

School principal Karen Erlandson said she supported the assignment, as well as the right of students not to participate.

Students, including Gage, who did not wear the star were given lower grades than those who did.

One student was given permission to wear a Nazi swastika instead of a star. Mitchell said he allowed it because the request demonstrated creativity and still conveyed the idea of associating groups of people with symbols.

Mitchell said he had used the assignment successfully in the past and also tried to link it to current events.

"I brought up how America is trying to help the people in Iraq, and how America was hesitant to help the Jewish people in the Holocaust," Mitchell said. "One of the reasons we're fighting there now is to eliminate the same kind of prejudice and the same kind of treatment of minorities."

[PogySailor]

I can't recall EVER being required to act out parts like this, other than in drama class. What's wrong with reading, discussing and maybe writing a paper about the topic?

[massgopguy]

Google S.S. St. Louis.

[nina0113]

>>WHat in the bloody hell is this crazy person talking about??? This is the most ridiculous drivel I have heard today. Back up your absurd assumption with facts please.<<

Here you go:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1565844157/qid=1135877630/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/002-1565737-4784800?n=507846&s=books&v=glance

That's the first one I could find - I used to have a copy. It's really true. It's not covered in history class.

[Old Professer]

Role-playing and group dynamics are behavioral modification techniques by design; the only valid question is who is the designer?

[pabianice]

Doofus.

[Little Ray]

Maybe he shoulda made some of 'em wear pink stars for being homosexual, or whatever other colors the Nazis used for "undesirables." Maybe he shoulda assigned kapos and guards, too.
This was silly and poorly executed.

[flada]

She should be relieved of her teaching position immediately.

She should change her name from Harry Mitchell to Harriet Mitchell, too, so that some people won't think she's a he.

[Bratch]

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An assignment intended to teach students about tolerance and the Holocaust angered some students at Pittsfield Middle High School, who claimed it violated their religious freedom. English teacher Harry Mitchell last week asked students to make and wear yellow stars similar to those Jews were forced to wear by the Nazis. The graded assignment, part of a lesson on The Diary of Anne Frank, was intended to teach empathy, he said.

---

Hmmm.

What if it had been a different assignment, say Pliny the Younger's letters about the early Christians?

What do you suppose the response would have been if the teacher had asked to students to wear symbols of 1st Century followers of Christ?

[laconic]

Although I agree that "touchy-feely" projects are often a substitute for the teacher having to lead an intellectual discussion on the points made by the author and are often readily forgotten after the "play" is finished, I disagree on your objection to the Diary of Anne Frank being part of the curriculum. It really is a great piece of literature, particularly as it is written by a 14-year old girl living under great duress.

[Tax-chick]

It would have equally inappropriate as an English assignment. An assignment of Pliny, Tacitus, Suetonius, or Anne Frank, as literature or history curriculum, is one thing, but the game-playing is just an excuse not to address the texts, which are, like, full of words, and all that boring stuff.

[BlueStateDepression]

I would have worn an American Flag.

[ottothedog]

Teaching about the Nazis/Holocaust/Anne Frank are all appropriate an good, etc. However, I object to these teachers playing mind games with kids by doing these "role playing" activities and such. Just stick to the facts please.

[Alouette]

First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.


Pastor Martin Niemöller

[Alouette]

There were brown triangles for Gypsies, purple triangles for Jehova witnesses and evangelican Christians, red triangles for communists, and of course the pink triangle.

[Hildy]

I'm Jewish, and I agree. It's nonsense to think that by putting on a yellow Jewish Star a kid could understand the complexities of anything. It's just feel good nonsense.

[Hildy]

One student was given permission to wear a Nazi swastika instead of a star. Mitchell said he allowed it because the request demonstrated creativity and still conveyed the idea of associating groups of people with symbols.

Keep an eye on this kid.

[OrangeBlossomSpecial]

Asking students to read material pertaining to history is expected. Asking students to parade about with a religious, political, or racial symbol prominently displayed upon them is not acceptable.

Why do teachers assume kids are so ignorant that the only way to understand a topic or feel empathy is to reenact the moment? Realize this same lesson in understanding persecution could be extended to other religions and political ideas. Who would want their kid parading about with a rainbow-gay logo, hammer/sickle, swastika, crescent, devil/pentagram? Or which non-Christian, would want to forced to wear a crucifix or cross about his neck?

I find it disturbing, that under the guise of teaching, a student should be coerced into displaying others' religious symbols. What Freeper would find it acceptable to walk about as an ASS for the day in a Dimmocrat-Donkey shirt? Or even better, be forced to carry a Whitehouse return Hill/Bill 2008 placard?

[Melissa 24]

For anyone who has never read the book it's about Nazi persecution, not Judaism. It is incredible that this diary even exists because if not for that we would not have the understanding of some of the the inexplicable horrors of that era.

[brothers4thID]

To answer your summation question, I was "forced" to be an advocate for Bill Clinton in my high school civics class during the 1992 election. I didn't like it and I didn't support Clinton or anything he stood for- and the experience taught me how much I siadgreed with his policies.

If this is the ONLY exercise the students did while reading this book then I would agree with you that this assignment was unacceptable, however I'd be willing to bet they also had class discussions and essays assigned. I also agree with another poster that the students should have been allowed to wear the other symbols the Nazi's used to distinguish "undesirables".

[notigar]

Well, isn't forcing them to show up at school at all more coercive than telling them to put something on?