Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day. Ninety-years-ago hatred that had been building for centuries for one ethnic group, burst open and eventually resulted in the murder of over six-million men, women and children. Even though the the group that was being systematically murdered might not have anything to do with us or happened on the other side of the world and long time ago, why should we care? What should we learn from this so that no other group is treated this way?

I felt like I had to apologize to my students this morning because the subjects of this week’s prompts were all very heavy. I have been getting notifications from PBS Classroom for some time, but decided this week that I would post short videos from their student news team… I think I kind’a over did it because I haven’t gotten as many student responses as I had with previous prompts. I guess I went a little too deep. 

Alas, the notion that we must all stand strong against injustice in all forms because injustice to one group threatens all of us isn’t something that we can afford to ignore just because it might be depressing or a “downer.” I’ll be interested to see how students responded to today’s prompt. The question, especially for these young humans, is to not give in to rigid group-think, and perpetuate the harmful assumptions that have hurt our fellow human beings over the centuries. The solutions to racism and injustice begins with valuing each other on a very basic level and at the same time, calling each other on our shit when we aren’t being fair or ethical. I am cautiously hopeful that enough kids will get it such that we will remember the sacrifices of those who came before and make the world a better place for more people. 

Hope y’all have a great weekend and really embrace the power of loving one another. 

Source: PBS Newshour Classroom, Holocaust Remembrance Day, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/classroom/2023/01/holocaust-day-of-remembrance-lesson-plans-and-activities/