Vermont-NEA / Holocaust Curriculum

Objectives

To develop an understanding of the ramifications of prejudice, racism and stereotyping, in any society.
To develop an awareness of the value of pluralism, and encourage acceptance of diversity in a pluralistic society.
To explore the dangers of remaining silent, apathetic, and indifferent in the face of the oppression of others.
To learn how a modem nation can utilize its technological expertise and bureaucratic infrastructure to implement destructive policies ranging from social engineering to genocide.
To learn to think seriously about the abuse of power and the role and responsibilities of individuals, organizations, and nations when confronted with civil rights violations and policies of genocide.
To gain an insight into the many historical, social, religious, political, and economic factors which cumulatively resulted in the Holocaust, and how a convergence of factors can contribute to the disintegration of civilized values.
To learn to identify danger signals and how and when to react.
To examine the dilemmas that arise when foreign policy goals are narrowly defined solely in terms of national interest, thus denying the validity of universal moral and human priorities.
To examine the non-responses of governments such as the U.S., England, France to the plight of the victims of German atrocities.
To understand how a government can come to use concepts such as culture, ethnicity, race diversity, and nationality as weapons to persecute, murder, and annihilate people.
To analyze the extent to which cultures are able to survive and maintain their traditions when faced with threats to their existence.
To apply understandings gleaned from the Holocaust to genocides which have occurred in other cultures.
To analyze the relationship of the Holocaust to the formation of the state of Israel.
To explore the spiritual resistance in literary responses which transcended evil.