Statements of condemnation have been issued following a report that an administrator in a North Texas school district reportedly advised teachers to offer students opposing views of the Holocaust.
The Southlake Carroll ISD administrator鈥檚 comments, , were made in regards to a new state law that requires teachers to offer various perspectives on controversial issues.
鈥淢ake sure that if you have a book on the Holocaust, that you have one that has an opposing, that has other perspectives,鈥� administrator Gina Peddy allegedly said during a meeting with teachers, according to the tape obtained by NBC.
Dallas holocaust museum leaders: 鈥楢ppalled鈥�
The condemned the comments, saying it鈥檚 appalled to learn what the school administrator suggested.
President Mary Pat Higgins and Board Chair Mark Zilbermann issued a joint statement. They encouraged "all Texans to speak out against this requirement to present 'opposing views' to events and developments based in well-known historical fact.鈥�
鈥淭he district鈥檚 response illustrates the dangers of this new legislation 鈥� mandating that historical facts be taught alongside an opposing view,鈥� the statement said. 鈥淭he challenge with legislation limiting educators鈥� ability to teach historical fact is the question of who decides if an issue is controversial or whether contending perspectives are worthy of instruction.鈥�
鈥淭he Holocaust is one of the world鈥檚 most well-documented historical events. Our Holocaust survivors are a living testament to the accuracy of the history we teach at our museum 鈥� the deliberate, cruel, and systematic murder of 6 million Jews. Should the beliefs of Holocaust deniers be provided as 鈥榦pposing views?鈥� When students learn about slavery, should they also be forced to read accounts that deny the horrors of slavery? The answer to these questions must be a resounding 鈥榥o!鈥欌��
Author responds
Liza Wiemer is a former teacher and author of the Inspired by a real-life incident, the book is about a group of high school seniors assigned to argue in favor of the Final Solution 鈥� the Nazi plan for the genocide of the Jewish people. Wiemer says slavery and the Holocaust are historical facts that shouldn't be debated.
鈥淭hese were absolutely reprehensible inexcusable and they are not open for debate where we want our students to advocate for the other side,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ow the question comes in: What is the opposing side?"
Carroll ISD issues apology
Carroll ISD Superintendent Lane Ledbetter is apologizing for the remarks.
鈥淒uring the conversations with teachers during last week鈥檚 meeting, the comments made were in no way to convey that the Holocaust was anything less than a terrible event in history,鈥� Ledbetter . 鈥淎dditionally, we recognize there are not two sides of the Holocaust.鈥�
Ledbetter said as the district works to implement the new state law, 鈥渨e also understand this bill does not require an opposing viewpoint on historical facts.鈥�
More about HB 3979
The state law mentioned during the Southlake ISD meeting with teachers 鈥� House Bill 3979 鈥� requires teachers who discuss current events or controversial issues to 鈥渟trive to explore such issues from diverse and contending perspectives without giving deference to any one perspective.鈥�
During a summer interview with 四虎影院, Houston-area (R-The Woodlands) said he wrote HB 3979 to help children.
鈥淲e need to teach about the ills but you can鈥檛 blame this generation,鈥� Toth said in August. 鈥淜ids are being scapegoated.鈥�
Toth said the new law is aimed at teaching complex subjects like slavery and racism without making white children feel guilty.
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 teach that one race is better than the other,鈥� Toth said, describing what鈥檚 outlined in HB 3979. 鈥淵ou can't teach that one gender is better than the other. You can鈥檛 discriminate either鈥� and say that one race or one gender is responsible for the ills of the past.鈥�
Education association leaders: 鈥楾exas is not alone鈥�
National Education Association President Becky Pringle and Texas State Teachers Association President Ovidia Molina issued a joint statement, saying what happened in Southlake Carroll ISD shows the Texas law is "meant to hinder educators鈥� ability to engage students鈥� curiosity and critical thinking."
"These intentionally confusing constraints on honest curriculum have no place in our public schools in Texas or elsewhere," they said.
Pringle and Molina say 鈥淭exas is not alone."
"Educators in other states are facing similar actions triggered by some elected officials who are stoking fears about what educators can or cannot teach in public schools as well as trying to silence or ban teachers from teaching students about our full history," their statement said. "This has resulted in educators being targeted, harassed, intimated, and disciplined simply for doing their jobs. the history of the Holocaust and slavery by stoking fears diminishes these injustices endured by generations and devalues our students and their families鈥� lived experiences."
"Only through grappling with hard truths can our students create a more equitable future.鈥�
The NEA has produced a guide to help educators.
四虎影院's Bill Zeeble contributed to this story.
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