2021/12 Discussion for Lisa M. Wiener's The Assignment

[Jan]

What happens when an assignment requires students to defend the Final Solution in the classroom? How did reading this book affect you? Thoughts? Opinions?

[Stacey B]

This is a true story.
Im going to wait for others to comment first.

[Lori]

This was a thought-provoking book based on a true incident. It shows how even well-meaning people can cross moral lines they don't even see. I thought the characters came alive and the plot was engrossing.
I saw that the ADL is recommending this book for schools.

[Stacey B]

What would you do if your high school child came home and said they were given a group assignment to defend the Holocaust.
One may assume that in todays climate this wouldn't happen, along with the power of parents insisting the teacher and principal remove this assignment which doesn't happen.
The author takes this issue further covering other aspects of this topic such as abuse, White Supremacy, and simple blatant anti semitism.
Unfortunately, this problem is not isolated.
It is happening as we speak in other states, and we have seen on National News about a HS principal in Boca Raton, Florida being fired by the school board fired for stating he did not believe there was in fact a Holocaust; as the holocaust is the most documented piece of history today.
Lori,
You are right. Not only ADL- other orgs are recommending this book as the many awards speak for themselves.
I didn't feel this book read as Y/A, but rather it is a must read.

[Stacey B]

FYI
Im happy to finally see this issue be publicly documented.
Quite "The Assignment" to be given for early indoctrination of third graders.
Liza, your book validates this.
SEE BELOW....

UNITED STATES
Washington, D.C., 3rd-graders told to reenact scenes from the Holocaust
BY SHIRA HANAU DECEMBER 20, 2021 2:40 AM
kids walking to school
Students walk to their classrooms at a public middle school in Los Angeles, California, Sep. 10, 2021. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)

(JTA) — Students at a Washington, D.C. elementary school were instructed by a staff member to reenact scenes from the Holocaust Friday, according to The Washington Post.

When the third-grade students asked why the Germans killed Jews, the staff member said it was “because the Jews ruined Christmas.”

The student at Watkins Elementary School were supposed to be working on projects in the library Friday when the staff member told the students to reenact scenes from the Holocaust.

The woman reportedly told one student, who is Jewish, to play the role of Adolf Hitler and to pretend to commit suicide. Another student was told to pretend that he was on a train to a concentration camp and then to act as if he were dying in a gas chamber.

Classroom simulations in which students act out the roles of oppressed people have fallen out of favor in recent years as educators have reckoned with the fact that the activity may traumatize students or reinforce historical patterns of abuse. Teachers across the country have faced criticism for asking children to pretend to be African American slaves, Jim Crow-era Black and white Americans and, in at least one case, George Floyd and the police officer who killed him.

At the D.C. school, the staff member told students not to tell anyone about the reenactment, but the students told their homeroom teacher. She was placed on leave that same day.

The school’s principal, MScott Berkowitz, condemned the incident in an email to parents and said all students in the class met with the school’s mental health team.

“I want to acknowledge the gravity of this poor instructional decision, as students should never be asked to act out or portray any atrocity, especially genocide, war, or murder,” Berkowitz said in the email.

[Liza]

The Assignment Stacey B wrote: "FYI
Im happy to finally see this issue be publicly documented.
Quite "The Assignment" to be given for early indoctrination of third graders.
Liza, your book validates this.
....
Stacey and members of Jewish Book Club, what transpired at Watkins Elementary School in Washington D.C. a few days ago is absolutely reprehensible, heartbreaking, abusive, and should be investigated as a possible hate crime.

My novel reinforces that students should never be put in a position to reenact the Holocaust or any other type of assignments that create curriculum violence. Other examples are: reenactments of the Underground Railroad, slave auctions, building models of concentrating camps, and the Trail of Tears. Some assignments are misguided and we need to think about what's the best course of action is when they're given. The one at Watkins ES perpetuates hatred and antisemitism. It is the most immoral, unethical, hateful, reprehensible assignment I have encountered in the 4.5 years I've researched, investigated, and intervened in during that time period.

It's my hope that readers will find my novel to be nuanced, thought-provoking, and eye-opening. I hope people see themselves in the characters, wonder what they would have done or would do if their child or grandchild face a similar situation. The novel shows the assignment from multiple perspectives—two MCs who speak up, classmates, a parent, the teacher, the principal, and community members—and how it impacts the students, the school, the community and its wide influence on a global level. Articles, video chats, comments are also included.

It would be a privilege to discuss this novel with the readers in this group and answer questions!

Thank you so much for selecting this book!

Best wishes for a healthy and joyous 2022, Liza

[Stacey B]

Hi Liza,
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. We
love authors who want to become involved in our discussions.
It's still early, as this book started Dec 1st and finishes at the end of this month.
Until I read your book, I wasn't aware of this particular form of teaching anti semitism, although I am acutely aware of the Holocaust Studies mandate in many High Schools.
In the article, I am a little surprised by the words Berkowitz chose ( if he was quoted correctly) condemning this act as "poor instructional decision."
This assignment does not qualify as a poor decision- it qualifies as a "hate" crime by the teacher as you said.
Teachers in accredited schools, public and private must write IEP's that follow the curriculum of the county/state, including the methodology they will use to teach.
I cant imagine this was a last minute surprise for the principle.
The more frightening part is the accountability and the fact we
become aware only after the damage has been done.

[Liza]

Stacey, I'm not sure if the principal at Watkins Elementary School is Jewish, but he certainly has a Jewish-sounding last name. I agree, that was not just a "poor instructional decision." She told students to not tell adults! That was a clear signal that she knew what she did was wrong and wanted to silence these students. It's abuse of power and child abuse. So disturbing.

I think readers will find it interesting to compare the assignment, the teacher, and the principal's actions in THE ASSIGNMENT. The Assignment