Teachers Drop the Holocaust to Avoid Offending Muslims
World History

Teachers Drop the Holocaust to Avoid Offending Muslims


Although News of the Weird is not the best place to find out about the state of history education, I was still alarmed to read this from the current edition:

"According to a report commissioned by Britain's Department of Education and Skills, some history teachers have dropped references to the Holocaust (and the 11th-century Crusades) out of fear that the regular history curriculum might confuse or anger Muslim students who have been taught differently in local mosques (according to an April story in London's Daily Mail)."

Unfortunately, it is true! This seems wrong on so many levels. If students are being taught incorrect or incomplete historical facts about events such as the Crusades and the Holocaust at their local mosques, then it is imperative that they learn the correct facts in school. If they get angry or confused, so be it. A good teacher can use this to help the students learn even better.

Chris McGovern, history education adviser to the former Tory government, said in the Daily Mail article, "History is not a vehicle for promoting political correctness. Children must have access to knowledge of these controversial subjects, whether palatable or unpalatable."

All students, even the Islamic ones, need to learn about the Holocaust. That stuff people say about "never again" means nothing if we refuse to teach about the Holocaust in the first place. I really hope some people are holding fire to the feet of those English teachers of history who have lost their courage to teach history for fear of offending someone.




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