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Teachers drop the Holocaust to avoid offending Muslims
Last updated at 12:07pm on 02.04.07
Schools are dropping the Holocaust from history lessons to avoid offending Muslim pupils, a Governmentbacked study has revealed.
It found some teachers are reluctant to cover the atrocity for fear of upsetting students whose beliefs include Holocaust denial.
There is also resistance to tackling the 11th century Crusades - where Christians fought Muslim armies for control of Jerusalem - because lessons often contradict what is taught in local mosques.
The findings have prompted claims that some schools are using history 'as a vehicle for promoting political correctness'.
The study, funded by the Department for Education and Skills, looked into 'emotive and controversial' history teaching in primary and secondary schools.
It found some teachers are dropping courses covering the Holocaust at the earliest opportunity over fears Muslim pupils might express anti-Semitic and anti-Israel reactions in class.
The researchers gave the example of a secondary school in an unnamed northern city, which dropped the Holocaust as a subject for GCSE coursework.
The report said teachers feared confronting 'anti-Semitic sentiment and Holocaust denial among some Muslim pupils'.
It added: "In another department, the Holocaust was taught despite anti-Semitic sentiment among some pupils.
"But the same department deliberately avoided teaching the Crusades at Key Stage 3 (11- to 14-year-olds) because their balanced treatment of the topic would have challenged what was taught in some local mosques."
A third school found itself 'strongly challenged by some Christian parents for their treatment of the Arab-Israeli conflict-and the history of the state of Israel that did not accord with the teachings of their denomination'.
The report concluded: "In particular settings, teachers of history are unwilling to challenge highly contentious or charged versions of history in which pupils are steeped at home, in their community or in a place of worship."
But Chris McGovern, history education adviser to the former Tory government, said: "History is not a vehicle for promoting political correctness. Children must have access to knowledge of these controversial subjects, whether palatable or unpalatable."
The researchers also warned that a lack of subject knowledge among teachers - particularly at primary level - was leading to history being taught in a 'shallow way leading to routine and superficial learning'.
Lessons in difficult topics were too often 'bland, simplistic and unproblematic' and bored pupils.
Reader views (14)
Why don’t we stop teaching about WW2 because it upsets the Germans! While were at it, why don’t we stop teaching about Black History Month because it offends the KKK. Maybe it would be a better idea to teach our children that murder for the sake of virgins is acceptable. I am really glad to see that society and humanity is progressing in stead of regressing.
- Joe, Canada
I've never heard anything so stupid. Is everyone going mad?
- Julie Keaton, London
Why do we have to always be PC. It's a substitute for the truth. Our future generation refuse to discuss any issues if the issue are "delicate". The politicians are winning and not allowing free speech, if it's true then we should be able to say so.
- Steve Watson, Harrow
Leave history alone - just learn from it!
- John Stenton, England
Hmmm - looks like I'll have to stop writing and singing folk songs about the Napoleonic War. Can't have the French upset, can we.
Anyone have the address where I can get the universal accepted version of everything?
- Rogan M., DFW TX USA
Where do we stop? Should we remove all reference to any battles against any countries lest we offend anyone who come from those countries?
- Trevor Roll, London
the Holocaust has nothing to do with religion and plenty to do with evil.
All religions should and I think do, denounce evil!
- Stuart, london
The point is not what is likely to offend but whether it happened. History has to be taught factually. The Crusades were not very pleasant and both sides were pretty violent.
- Peter Glazier, Sao Paulo, Brazil
They'll be stoping teaching physics soon as a nod to the surge of gravity-deniers swelling our population.
- Keith, Farringdon
While I agree that lessons should not be deliberately offensive to minority groups, facts are facts and should not be avoided or glossed over.
If this kind of vacuous "thinking" is allowed to continue we will end up with the situation where NOTHING whatsover is taught for fear of causing offense. I'm sure a few members of the Flat Earth Society are offended by the idea the world is round. Should we stop teaching geography?
- Tobin, Andover
Madness. If we don't teach the facts of the second world war, then how will youngsters of today learn how easily these things can happen and make sure they avoid letting their own governments, let alone someone else's get away with such atrocities. We need to teach the effects of politic so they vote with their brains when they meet majority.
- Anna, London, UK
Maybe we should stop teaching Christianity, in case it offends those who think that Darwin was right?
- David Le Fevre, Enfield, UK
I find it profoundly depressing that we are pandering to the whims and fancies of religious paranoia in this country. Religions (all of them) have always had a problem, it seems to me, with the difference between historical facts and pseudo-intellectual, fictionalised events. Dragging all this twaddle into the classrooms of our children is only going to gaurantee that ignorance and bigotry will be preserved for the generation to come.
- Gary, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. GB
This is ridiculous, maybe we should stop teaching evolution to avoid offending devout christians, this country spends so much time on the back foot trying to be politically correct, the truth is being lost completely.. What are we teaching our children?
- Scott, London
