|
GenEd and California Department of
Education Working Together
Teacher survey and joint projects
initiated
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - The
Genocide Education Project (GenEd) and the California Department
of Education have initiated a working relationship aimed at
expanding instruction of the Armenian Genocide to more schools
across California. Through the efforts of Murad Minasian, the
Armenian-American community liaison for the Superintendent of
Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson, GenEd is collaborating with
the Superintendent's office on a long-term strategic plan to
insure that students in the state's public high school system
have the benefit of lessons on the Armenian Genocide and the
pattern of genocides that followed it.
|
Murad Minasian (Left) and Raffi Momjian, GenEd
Executive Director (Right), at meeting with
Superintendent Tom Torlakson |
Although California law
requires instruction on the Armenian Genocide, particularly
during 10th grade World History courses, many social studies
educators are unaware of the mandate or lack the appropriate
teaching materials and training to carry it out. Torlakson was
made aware of the problem while campaigning for the office of
Superintendent last year, and he vowed to work on ways to solve
it. As a preliminary step, Torlakson assigned his staff to work
with GenEd to develop and administer an online survey, gathering
information from high school educators about the extent of
instruction about the Armenian Genocide in their classrooms.
"Working with the
Superintendent's office has been very encouraging," said Raffi
Momjian, GenEd's Executive Director. "He and his staff
demonstrate a commitment to understanding how efficiently the
Armenian Genocide is being taught, the obstacles teachers face,
and devising ways to bring this subject to students more
effectively."
The online survey was composed
by GenEd and disseminated by the Department of Education to
schools and district offices in October. Many respondents
reported spending minimal time and resources on teaching the
Armenian Genocide, but expressed a willingness to include more
instruction if offered training and appropriate teaching
materials.
Momjian and Minasian met with
Torlakson to discuss a variety of options for reaching teachers
and addressing their needs.
"It
was reassuring to learn of the various teaching resources and
training The Genocide Education Project provides to help
teachers meet the requirements on teaching about the Genocide,"
said Minasian. "The Armenian-American community strongly
supported Superintendent Torlakson in the campaign. We must now
help provide his office real solutions for making sure the
Armenian Genocide is taught across the state. Having an
organization like The Genocide Education Project to fill that
gap is an essential part of the formula."
"We
should take all possible steps to make sure our history is
taught as accurately and completely as possible," said State
Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson. "I commend
the Genocide Education Project for informing me about their
concerns about the inconsistent manner in which the Armenian
Genocide, and other genocides, are currently taught. I look
forward to continued discussion and research that will enrich
our understanding of this tragic event."
|
The Genocide Education
Project is a nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization that
assists educators in teaching about human rights and genocide,
particularly the Armenian Genocide, by developing and
distributing instructional materials, providing access to
teaching resources and organizing educational workshops.
|
|
|
