An elementary school in New Jersey displayed a student’s written autobiography of Adolf Hitler for weeks and then defended the piece despite major backlash from parents.
Some parents of students who attend Maugham Elementary School in Tenafly, New Jersey, are turning their heads after the institution defended a student’s assignment about the “accomplishments” of racist, white supremacist, and anti-Semitic dictator Adolf Hitler. According to USA Today, the student wrote a one-page bio about the Nazi leader, and it was displayed in the school’s hallway back in April and other students’ essays.
The essay started with: “My greatest accomplishment was uniting a great mass of German and Austrian people behind me,” the student wrote. “I was very popular, and many people followed me until I died. My belif (sic) in antisemitism drove me to kill more than 6 million Jews,” the 5th-grader continued in the essay.
In addition to writing the controversial and offensive essay, the student also dressed up as Hitler to present the “Character Development project” to the class. The essay was posted on Facebook, gaming widespread backlash from parents. In response, Superintendent Shauna DeMarco said she learned Friday “a serious matter involving a school project completed recently on Adolf Hitler.”
“I have requested that all associated information related to this project be provided to me,” DeMarco wrote to parents and staff, USA Today reports. “Once I receive and review the full information, I will determine any further action that should be taken.”
In a joint statement with the school board on Tuesday, DeMarco said that “it is unfair to judge any student or teacher in this matter.”
“The assignment (which was given by a teacher who happens to be Jewish) asked students to speak from the perspective of one of these individuals and how they might have perceived and rationalized their actions,” the statement said. “When people saw the students’ projects, which were displayed in the school, they did not understand the assignment, resulting in justifiable concerns.”
The essay reached the attention of Scott Richman, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League’s New York and New Jersey branches. “Educational assignments, especially those centered around the history of genocide and oppression, need to be handled carefully and sensitive to those who may be personally impacted,” Richman said in a statement. “We have reached out to local school officials and look forward to offering our support to the school and district to address this situation and build stronger educational practices moving forward.”
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