sp215+Holocaust+Essay

===**Malicious, illiberal, unjustifiable**, cruel, discriminating, unacceptable **: these are** just **some adjectives that describe the Holocaust. Since it was such a horrible time, many people argue whether sixth graders should learn about the Holocaust. They argue that early middle- schoolers simply aren't old and mature enough; I, however, disagree completely. In my opinion, Sixth graders should learn about the Holocaust.**===

===**The first reason for why sixth graders should learn about the Holocaust is that history should not be repeated. "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeated." said George Santayana. Some people might not agree, but that actually makes sense! For example, if you spell a word wrong and you forget to fix your errors, you will misspell it over and over again until you fix it. The Jews and other individuals affected by the Holocaust went through a horrible and unacceptable period, which should never happen again, and there's the sliver of possibility that it might, unless people remember it. If someone develops an unnecessary hatred for a certain race or religion based on something as meaningless as, let's say, a job position, the Holocaust could occur again, and this time it could affect you! Why would you want to elicit your own doom? **===

===**The fact that the Holocaust was an important historical event is another important notion for why sixth graders should learn about the Holocaust. Just like other historical occurrences, such as the war of Thermopylae, the invention of the telephone, and the first flight, the Holocaust should be remembered and learned about. Like many other historical events, the Holocaust teaches us about important character traits (in this case, courage). In my opinion, history isn't just about the events and dates, but also about the behavior displayed by those affected by it. The Holocaust may be a little gruesome and surreal, but that only enforces that sixth graders should, indeed, learn about it.**===

===**The fact that learning about the Holocaust may make bullies and other kids less cruel, or encourage other kids to stand up to bullies is the perfect reason for why sixth graders should learn about the Holocaust. Maybe some bullies and other kids will feel bad for the people affected by the Holocaust and mend their ways, or, even though they may be scared, stand up to bullies in the hallways or outside. "I hope that we can all be small heroes in a large world," says Jane Yolen, author of //The Devil's Arithmetic//.** ** After hearing about the Holocaust, many people will be thankful for what they have. **** "Exterminating Jewish children was a top priority," says Maud Dahme, Holocaust survivor. "They were the first chosen to die in the camps because they were useless as laborers." ** That may be somewhat true, but why take it to the extreme? If you ask me, the fact that we are just beginning to delve into the depths of the Holocaust just gives all the more reason for sixth graders to study it. ===

===** Even though some people ** may disagree **, I feel that sixth graders are definitely mature enough to grasp the enormity ** and just plain cruelty ** of the Holocaust. Many people died in the concentration camps, but many survivors say that god was good to them and they love their life, regardless of the tragedies of the past. " ** Students in grades 6 and above demonstrate the ability to empathize with individual eyewitness accounts and to attempt to understand the complexities of this history, including the scope and scale of the events. While elementary students are able to empathize with individual accounts, they often have difficulty placing them in a larger historica l context." says the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Do I agree? Of course I do, and that's why I think that sixth graders should definitely learn about the Holocaust. ===