Holocaust Dropped from UK School Curriculum

I have now found this report in the Times last year, so this is not a new change in the school curriculum. While I can understand the difficulties faced by the teachers of multi-race, multi-faith classes, it should be possible to teach these difficult subjects in a sensitive manner. This is the Times report:-

"Schools drop Holocaust lessons to avoid offence - Alexandra Frean

"Teachers are dropping controversial subjects such as the Holocaust and the Crusades from history lessons because they do not want to cause offence to children from certain races or religions, a report claims.

"A lack of factual knowledge among some teachers, particularly in primary schools, is also leading to “shallow” lessons on emotive and difficult subjects, according to the study by the Historical Association.

"The report, produced with funding from the Department for Education, said that where teachers and staff avoided emotive and controversial history, their motives were generally well intentioned.

“Staff may wish to avoid causing offence or appearing insensitive to individuals or groups in their classes. In particular settings, teachers of history are unwilling to challenge highly contentious or charged versions of history in which pupils are steeped at home, in their community or in a place of worship,” it concluded.

"However, it was concerned that this could lead to divisions within school, and that it might also put pupils off history."

The Holocaust and the School Curriculum

A few days ago I received the following chain email. Can anyone confirm that the Holocaust has actually been removed from the UK school curriculum, please, or throw any light on the sentiments expressed in this email?

"It is a matter of history that when Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, General Dwight Eisenhower, found victims of the death camps, he ordered all possible photograps to be taken, and for the German people from surrounding villages to be ushered through the camps and even made to bury the dead. He did this because he said, in words to this effect, 'Get it all on record now - get the films - get the witnesses - because somewhere down the track of history some b*stard will get up and say that this never happened.'

"'All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.' (Edmund Burke)

"This week, the UK removed The Holocaust from its school curriculum because it 'offended' the Muslim population which claims it never occurred. This is a frightening portent of the fear that is gripping the world and how easily each country is giving in to it.

"Six million Jews,20 million Russians, 10 million Christians and 1,900 Catholic priests were murdered, massacred, raped, burned, starved and humiliated, with the German and Russian peoples looking the other way. Now, more than ever, with Iran, amongst others, claiming the Holocaust to be 'a myth', it is imperative to make sure that the world never forgets."


For myself, I am glad that forgiveness and reconciliation has taken place over the years since the War so that we now have good relationships with the German people, but it should be possible to keep the Holocaust on the school curriculum, teaching about it in the light of this forgiveness and recnciliation, as a dreadful warning of what can happen - and did happen - when national, racial and inter-faith passions are so aroused that they get completely out of hand.