Should The Holocaust Be Taught In Schools

There are many events that have been lost in the folds of time, scattered into the sands of the past, only to be uncovered by the lucky or the persistent. Some have been forgotten for the better, some for the worse, but there are some occurrences that cannot be and must not be forgotten. As I run my finger over the DC Holocaust museum sticker next to my keyboard, I can’t help but believe the Holocaust is one of those occurrences. The Holocaust is a tragic, brutal event that should be better taught, explained and examined in schools throughout the world, both public and private, in order to prevent human society from traveling on a circuit.
I took a Holocaust Literature class on accident, and left it feeling different. I believe that this sort of experience could be universal if schools instated a Holocaust Education

requirement. However, due to the nature of the course, it should not be graded by assignment, only by participation. The class would consist of analysis of poems and books written during and inspired by the Holocaust, as well as documentaries, photos and a museum visit where possible.
Students would be prompted to write about and share their thoughts and opinions about the things seen, read and discussed. The new viewpoints and opinions collected through the sharing of these pieces of Holocaust literature lead to real-world applications, such as my realization that the Syrian crisis is a Holocaust in itself. These understandings lead to more open-minded, educated citizens, better able to avoid the mistakes of their predecessors.
I believe that, if this sort of class was adopted by schools across the world, the current course of humanity would change entirely.

There would be less prejudice if people were taught of the worst example of prejudice. Slaughters, such as those going on in Syria, would be harder to orchestrate if the public knew about the extent of those killed during World War Two. A Holocaust class, particularly of the teaching nature, rather than the testing nature would benefit humanity’s perception of each other and shape the policies of the future.
Awareness is the key ally of Holocaust History, and classes must be instated to better spread it. The types of classes proposed promote open-mindedness, awareness, participation, empathy, caution and hope in the students reached, allowing them to expand their minds to better accommodate the political, environmental and civil challenges that the up and coming generations will undoubtedly encounter. History does not have to repeat itself, society can break its current mold. Future generations do not have to do it all again. Let us not be horses on a race track, but humans preparing for progress, preparing for

change.