A controversial Texas law prompted a suggestion to cover "opposing" views of the Holocaust.
This is what a former student had to say about it ...
This is what a former student had to say about it ...
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00:00Here are the facts, many of which in this country want to either whitewash or ignore.
00:03The facts are that there are not two sides to the Holocaust.
00:05The Nazis systematically killed millions of people.
00:08There are not two sides to slavery.
00:09White Europeans enslaved black Africans in this country until June 19th, 1865,
00:14a moment we're barely 150 years removed from.
00:16There are not two sides to Jim Crow.
00:18There are not two sides to racism.
00:19And that same oppression continues today.
00:21These are facts.
00:30I was subject to a rash of bullying, almost all of which was anti-Semitic in nature.
00:40I received everything from jokes about my nose to gas chambers,
00:43all while studying for my bar mitzvah from a Holocaust survivor as my primary tutor.
00:48Last week's occurrence was assuredly a misstep and a mistake,
00:50not due to any internal feeling from her.
00:54And Dr. Ledbetter's statement correctly stated that there are not two sides to the Holocaust.
00:58And I'm very thankful for Dr. Ledbetter using such clear language,
01:01as this elucidates the reality of the ridiculous and stupid law here in the state of Texas.
01:10The other facts are that I, a Jewish kid born in Dallas,
01:12was bullied on a daily basis for my religion for almost two years in this very district,
01:16nearly driving me to suicide before thankfully being removed from the environment thanks to an administrator.
01:21I still struggle with the depression that started at Dawson Middle School in 2003 to this very day.
01:28The message you and the state are sending to your teachers opens the door for more of this type of behavior in your students.
01:56If you don't think that these same attacks are happening in your schools today with regard to someone's skin color,
02:00gender, or religion, you're sorely mistaken.
02:02You have the opportunity as a district to lead the state that's sorely in need of leadership in its education department,
02:08as shown by its 38th ranking nationally.
02:10There are 8,400 students in the district whose minds need to be cultivated and developed,
02:13and hundreds of extremely capable teachers and administrators who desperately need to be supported.
02:18This is a crossroads for the state and for this district.
02:20One path is an opportunity to lead and be on the right side of history.
02:26For more information, visit www.fema.gov