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Interest by American educators in the Holocaust has increased exponentially during the second half of the twentieth century. In 1960 the Holocaust was barely being addressed in American public schools. Yet by the 1990s several states had mandated the teaching of the event. Drawing upon a variety of sources including unpublished works and interviews, this study traces the rise of genocide education in America. The author demonstrates how the genesis of this movement can be attributed to a grassroots effort initiated by several teachers, who introduced the topic as a way to help their students navigate the moral and ethical ambiguity of the times.
E-Book Content
The Emergence of Holocaust Education in American Schools
SECONDARY EDUCATION IN A CHANGING WORLD Series editors: Barry M. Franklin and Gary McCulloch Published by Palgrave Macmillan: The Comprehensive Public High School: Historical Perspectives By Geoffrey Sherington and Craig Campbell (2006) Cyril Norwood and the Ideal of Secondary Education By Gary McCulloch (2007) The Death of the Comprehensive High School?: Historical, Contemporary, and Comparative Perspectives Edited by Barry M. Franklin and Gary McCulloch (2007) The Emergence of Holocaust Education in American Schools By Thomas D. Fallace (2008)
The Emergence of Holocaust Education in American Schools THOMAS D. FALLACE
THE EMERGENCE OF HOLOCAUST EDUCATION IN AMERICAN SCHOOLS
Copyright © Thomas D. Fallace, 2008. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. First published in 2008 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN™ 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010 and Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire, England RG21 6XS Companies and representatives throughout the world. PALGRAVE MACMILLAN is the global academic imprint of the Palgrave Macmillan division of St. Martin’s Press, LLC and of Palgrave Macmillan Ltd. Macmillan® is a registered trademark in the United States, United Kingdom and other countries. Palgrave is a registered trademark in the European Union and other countries. ISBN-13: 978–0–230–60399–8 ISBN-10: 0–230–60399–8 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available from the Library of Congress. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Design by Newgen Imaging Systems (P) Ltd., Chennai, India. First edition: April 2008 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Printed in the United States of America.
Contents
Series Editors’ Preface
vii
Preface
ix
Introduction: The Story of Vineland, New Jersey
1
1 Telling the War The Rise of Holocaust Consciousness in America Jewish Educators Respond to the Catastrophe Lessons of the Catastrophe Holocaust Education in the Public Schools
9 11 16 18 25
2
Holocaust Education in New York City The Relevance of Genocide The Holocaust: A Case Study in Genocide The New York Times Debate The Holocaust and Genocide Education
29 30 32 34 40
3 Affective Revolution and Holocaust Education Engaging Student Values Playing Holocaust Society on Trial A Search for Conscience Facing History and Ourselves
43 43 49 52 56 61
4
Watching and Defining the Holocaust The Holocaust on TV Holocaust Uniqueness The Back-to-Basics Movement Holocaust Education on the Defensive Controversy Rekindled
67 67 74 79 82 90
5
Holocaustomania The Holocaust in the Popular Media The Holocaust in Textbooks
93 93 97
vi
6
Contents Holocaust Historiography Mandating Holocaust Education Designing the Ohio Curriculum
101 104 107
Critiquing Holocaust Education Schindler’s List The United States Holocaust Memorial