Never Again

Some would say that teaching eight, nine and tens year-olds about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi and Nelson Mandela is a bit heavy for this age group, but I have to disagree. The fact is, they are far too familiar with racism already. They need to be untaught their racial biases. In fact, do you remember Hannah Montana--the 2nd student I met before school started? Well, she called another girl "black trash." I didn't hear this--it happened after school. However, it's a good thing I didn't hear it--I don't know if I could have controlled my rage. Anyway, this is partly why I am so into teaching historical social movements that fought discrimination. That is why I decided to teach my babies about the Holocaust.


I think we truly underestimate our kids. Just hearing the compassion and interest that some of these students displayed has really encouraged me. I held very little back. I told them about the gruesome realities of the Holocaust. Really, the only age toning down I did was not discussing anything sexual and really trying to select images that wouldn't give them nightmares. I did however mess up a bit with my homeroom--one clip I showed had a 2 second slide of Jews crowded around the gas chambers, waiting for their 'shower.' They were all naked. Thankfully, they all had their backs turned and the slide was brief. I had already explained the process of the gas chambers already, so they understood that they had stripped to prepare for showers which was in reality a gas chamber. Most of the kids shouted "gross" but they seemed to forget about it quickly. The reason the mistake even happened was that I hadn't planned on showing the clip. However, we had extra time so I decided to give them a brief glimpse of some footage. Unfortunately, I hadn't watched the last ten seconds of the clip--the part with the nakedness. I haven't gotten any calls from outraged parents, but then again I don't have a phone!

Today I continued our talk on the Holocaust. I was really pleased by the fact that they recalled so many details of what I taught them. Furthermore, a handful of the students were taking notes--which made me almost fall out of my chair. All 12 requested that I give them typed notes about the Holocaust. I was thrilled.

One of the drawbacks has been some of the comparisons. One of my kids--Hannah Montana--insisted on comparing it to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I was more than a little annoyed. Two others, with solemn eyes, related how the movie Matilda offered up similar cruelties.

I ended today's lecture on Heroes of the Holocaust by declaring that Hannah Montana, Michael Jordan and Britney Spears were not the true heroes which they should immortalize--it was people like MLK, Gandhi, Mandela and Raoul Wallenberg--the man who gave his life to save between 100,000-200,000 Jews. What a mixed up society we live in.


Is it ever too early to start chipping away at that biases of hatred that are planted in us so young?