'Shoah Lessons Don't Promote Racism'

by Justin Cohen - Thursday 4th September 2008


Holocaust educators this week urged caution over national newspaper reports that children who learn about the Shoah at primary school are marginally more likely to harbour racist tendencies as teenagers.

Among more than 150 secondary pupils questioned for a study to be presented at a major conference in Edinburgh this weekend, those that had been taught about the Nazi genocide at primary level were slightly more likely to think it acceptable to make racist comments about Jews, blacks, Asians and refugees, than those who had learnt about the subject for the first time in their inaugural year of high school.

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However, those behind the research pointed to the fact that some reports in the national media had failed to reflect the fact that students who had first come into contact with the subject at a younger age had more positive attitudes towards gays and gypsies and that they maintained their belief in the importance of personally preventing racism.

And reflecting these concerns, Karen Pollack, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said: "The article in the Times Educational Supplement implies that Holocaust education has a negative effect on our youth but in our experience, working with thousands of students and teachers across the UK, we see the exact opposite. While teaching the Holocaust can be challenging, particularly to primary level, we have seen firsthand how learning about the Holocaust opens minds and encourages people to speak up and make a stand against prejudice, hatred, racism and intolerance wherever it occurs."

She added: "The TES article could be considered misleading when at no point does it mention that this research study targeted a small sample of students from Scotland where the Holocaust does not form part of the national curriculum - obviously a key factor when trying to understand the context.

"Having consulted the British Educational Research Association, we are under the impression that, contrary to the findings as reported by the Times Educational Supplement, they have uncovered extremely positive results of educating young people about the Holocaust."

Previous research, conducted among primary school pupils before and after Holocaust education and after the first year of secondary school, had suggested a positive impact on attitudes.

Paula Cowan of the University of the West of Scotland, who worked on the latest paper with the University of Strathclyde's Henry Maitles, told TJ: "I would expect secondary pupils to catch up because they had now received Holocaust education. It could be teaching in secondary schools didn't take into account that they were teaching many pupils who had already learnt about the Holocaust. Another reason could be this time there was a smaller sample."

She added: "I would emphasise that the marginal difference was three or four percent. By far the majority - over 80 percent - still had positive values towards minorities.

"There is no way that our research suggests teaching the Holocaust in primary school is linked to racism. Our research shows there are still many positive gains held by the children who'd learnt about the subject in primary school over their fourth year peers."

But Cowan, who is also a trustee of Holocaust Memorial Day, said the findings "suggest teaching the Holocaust at primary has a lesser long-term impact than a shorter term one. If we want to maintain the positive impact we have to continue to look at the ways we teach the subject at secondary level".

She noted that the starkest difference between attitudes were between boys and girls, saying that "across every category girls were far more disposed to better values and attitudes in terms of challenging racism and attitudes towards minority group".

Stephen Smith, Chairman of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said: "If children taught the Holocaust at primary school are really more likely to hold more racist views than those who are not, it is a serious concern. However, it maybe more a reflection on teaching methods or other social factors.

"I am pleased to learn the findings are not as severe as first thought but it does emphasise that it is important to concentrate on training teachers, developing quality resources. The Holocaust is not our friend, not a friend to our children. We need to treat it with great care, especially with young people." He added: "It is a sensitive age to teach. It is better to teach it properly or not at all."

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