The Keegstra Case: Holocaust Denial in a School in Canada

Revisionism is the re-examination of previously determined historical to determine if they are false, and attempting to change people’s opinions on the facts. While this is possible with some areas of history, such as events that took place before written history, there are some topics that should just be left alone. The Holocaust is one event many have tried to revise but at which none have really succeeded. James Keegstra attempted to teach to his students his version revision on the Holocaust in his school classes and was met with legal repercussions.

The Keegstra case,which took place in 1990, was a court case held in front of the Canadian Supreme Court due to anti-semitic statements and Holocaust denial within a school system. James Keegstra, a high school teacher at the time of the case was accused of making anti-semitic statements and denied the Holocaust was a plan to kill all the Jews He taught his students that the gas chambers were actually used to disinfect contaminated clothing and bedding. He was also accused of attempting to stir up hatred within his students toward the Jewish people.

James Keegstra was a well known and respected man within his town. He taught social studies, mathematics, and law to both junior and senior high students (Bowal) He was teach his version of what happened during the Holocaust in his social studies classes and would teach how he believed the Jews controlled economics in his law classes (Bowal). When word of Keegstra’s teaching reached the school board they immediately took action by telling him he needed to stop teaching his students about his version of Jewish society and Holocaust or there would be consequences (Bowal). Keegstra ignored the board’s warning and his teaching positio...

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