MAY 2024
New York Holocaust Education News from Voices for Truth and Humanity
Please read this important message.
MAY 2024
ENACTED SFY 2024-25 Budget Invests in Holocaust Curriculum in Public Schools
Please read this important message.
THE #NEVERAGAIN CHALLENGE
Hatred, genocides, and holocausts are only possible with the dehumanizing contempt bred through manipulating ignorance. Forcibly branding humans with registration tattoos was a tool not just for Nazi efficiency, but to re-enforce Supremacy over the many peoples sent to and killed in concentration camps in Europe in front of the eyes of the world. In an era that lacked today’s pervasive media sharing, convenient ignorance allowed world leaders to turn their backs on these crimes against all of us until it was no longer politically expedient to do so.
In the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, there are those in this generation that deny the holocaust ever happened, and even claim reporting to be a deliberate massive hoax. This has been true of every genocide throughout history, even to the point where it can take the world 100 years to agree that attempts at mass exterminations of human beings were, indeed, genocide.
Edmund Burke, George Santayana and Winston Churchill have all reminded us with similar thoughts that, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Just about every country has experienced one or more genocides in its history, almost universally initiated by a powerful intolerant few, whether displacement and murder of indigenous peoples (like American Indians and Australian Aborigines) or scapegoating (Jews in Russia and Germany) to accumulate and consolidate power at the cost of the weak, or religious persecution like the Moors in Spain. Yet, our children are raised without sufficient knowledge of these horrible deeds, so they are not armed with the awareness to recognize and fight against these affronts to human dignity whether it be hate speech painted on the walls of churches, synagogues, or mosques, or violence against those who differ racially, sexually, in ableness, in appearance, by religion, language, nationality and so many more attributes.
Providing tools and knowledge to sustainably battle against the rise of hate built on manipulation and ignorance, Voices for Truth and Humanity advocates for a comprehensive curriculum, on the Holocaust and all genocides, in our schools.
Participation in the #NeverAgainChallenge is your chance to spread awareness there is work to be done and people are doing it, to show that we the people have the knowledge and the will power to stop hate, intolerance and all supremacy movements in their tracks.
Want to make people aware? Film Yourself writing #NeverAgain and post it to social media and tag us and your friends! www.Voices4th.org
Unfortunately, there are too many genocides to list here, but learn more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genocides_in_history .
News 12 Long Island
Announcement of NY State Holocaust and WWII Public School Curriculum Task Force with Holocaust Survivor Martin Bloch, initiated by Voices for Truth and Humanity.
As The 75th Anniversary Of D-Day Approaches, NYS Regent Roger Tilles To Announce Advisory Task Force To Review
World War II Curriculum
(Old Bethpage, N.Y.) On Tuesday, March 5th at 11:00 a.m. at the Museum of American Armor, 1303 Round Swamp Road, Old Bethpage, New York State Regent Roger Tilles will announce the creation of an advisory task force that will review curriculum currently presented to students throughout New York regarding World War II, one of the most seminal conflicts in modern history.
Regent Tilles will make his announcement during the 75th anniversary year of the D-Day invasion, noting, “From the unimaginable horrors of the Holocaust to today’s geo-political borders that define the conflicts and alliances of 21st Century nations, World War II casts a long and defining shadow. As we approach the 75th anniversary of one of the greatest amphibious assaults in history it is important we use this milestone to examine how, when and why we teach the lessons of World War II.”
Regent Tilles said members of the advisory group will include Gloria Sesso, president of the Long Island Council of the Social Studies, Dr. Libby O’Connell, Chief Historian Emeritus of the History Channel, and Jack Britvan, President of Voices For Truth and Humanity, Michael Sapraicone, an armor museum board member and past President of the Seaford Board of Education.
The advisory task force is expected to make recommendations on how the current average time of 90 minutes of World War II study in a school year can be strengthened, expanded and mandated.
Regent Tilles will make his announcement during the 75th anniversary year of the D-Day invasion, noting, “From the unimaginable horrors of the Holocaust to today’s geo-political borders that define the conflicts and alliances of 21st Century nations, World War II casts a long and defining shadow. As we approach the 75th anniversary of one of the greatest amphibious assaults in history it is important we use this milestone to examine how, when and why we teach the lessons of World War II.”
Regent Tilles said members of the advisory group will include Gloria Sesso, president of the Long Island Council of the Social Studies, Dr. Libby O’Connell, Chief Historian Emeritus of the History Channel, and Jack Britvan, President of Voices For Truth and Humanity, Michael Sapraicone, an armor museum board member and past President of the Seaford Board of Education.
The advisory task force is expected to make recommendations on how the current average time of 90 minutes of World War II study in a school year can be strengthened, expanded and mandated.