Rialto Unified says Holocaust debate assignment will not be repeated
Rialto >> Word that Rialto Unified School District had assigned middle school students an essay on whether the Holocaust occurred or was “merely a political scheme created to influence public emotion and gain” brought swift reaction Monday, even as the district reversed course and acknowledged the assignment was inappropriate.
Throughout the day Monday, the district fielded angry calls from parents, a death threat and a flurry of media inquiries over the assignment, which district officials initially defended as an effort to teach students to think critically. Ultimately, however, administrators acknowledged the assignment was in poor taste and promised it would not be given again.
“Our interim superintendent will be talking with our Educational Services Department to assure that any references to the Holocaust ‘not occurring’ will be stricken on any current or future Argumentative Research projects,” district spokeswoman Syeda Jafri said in a prepared statement late Sunday.
The assignment was given to Rialto Unified’s approximately 2,000 eighth-grade students in April, requiring them to cite sources for their point of view.
full: http://www.sbsun.com/social-affairs/20140505/rialto-unified-changes-tune-on-holocaust-debate-essay-project
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What's next, "slavery: Good or Bad? Show your work." 
There are ways to teach critical thinking, debating skills, and how to research without giving a platform to historical revisionism or outright denial.
“When tragic events occur in history, there is often debate about their actual existence,” the assignment reads. “For example, some people claim the Holocaust is not an actual historical event, but instead is a propaganda tool that was used for political and monetary gain. Based upon your research on this issue, write an argumentative essay, utilizing cited textual evidence, in which you explain whether or not you believe the Holocaust was an actual event in history, or merely a political scheme created to influence public emotion and gain. Remember to address counterclaims (rebuttals) to your stated claim. You are also required to use parenthetical (internal) citations and to provide a Works Cited page.”
Yeah, the "some people" who claim "the Holocaust is not an actual historical event, but instead is a propaganda tool that was used for political and monetary gain" are Jew-hating, historical revisionist scum.
New assignment: "Sneaking anti-Semitism into a lesson plan, and when caught go, "My Bad!"" How do you deal with the fallout and how can you sneak anti-Semitism into the curriculum and not get caught. (Remember, show your work, unlike historical revisionists, so administrators and teachers can avoid such debacles in the future.)
