Should we teach Eighth Graders about the Holocaust?
The Holocaust is considered one of the darkest and most depressing times in history. Nearly six million Jewish people were murdered during World War II by the Germans. The Germans were led by Adolf Hitler, who claimed the superiority of the Aryans over every other race. They were called “Nazis”. There is a lot of controversy on whether to teach eighth graders about the disturbing history of the Holocaust. Eighth graders should be educated about the Holocaust because it teaches pupils about universal/individual identity, making connections between past & present issues, and it helps students apply moral decisions that they might face during adolescence.
Numerous peoples have stereotyped, categorized and have been prejudiced towards certain types of people, such as the Nazi’s against all of the Jewish people of the world. Learning about the Holocaust can teach students that universal and individual identity are very dissimilar. They can perceive and interpret discrimination, prejudices through the perspective of the Jewish people, making them think about the choices they make during their lifetime. Keeping schoolchildren in the…show more content… For example, some Germans thought what they had been doing to the Jewish people was wrong, but had done nothing about it. Many have the inclination to know that what is happening is wrong, but don’t do anything about it. The Holocaust can teach these middle schoolers that nothing is black or white. Everyone has their own perspective of the story, and knowing about the past can help them make decisions in their life, that will ultimately make others avoid some of the faults that many people have had. Morality helps shape the world into a society where most people are treated equally. Morals are a very important part of the world, teaching students about the Holocaust can help them decide what is right and what is
