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TORONTO DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD REAFFIRMS THE TEACHING OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
armradio.am
04.06.2008 14:58
After an intolerable Turkish campaign aiming at making remove the
Armenian genocide of the school program of Toronto District School
Board, this last unanimously approved, on June 2, the recommendation
of its Review Committee (RC) and its Director to include the Armenian
Genocide in its Grade 11 genocide curriculum, independent correspondent
Jean Eckian informed.
Turkish groups have, in the past six months, lobbied against the
inclusion of the Armenian Genocide in the Grade 11 curriculum. The
PSSC recommendation now goes to the board's June 25th meeting for
final adoption.
The Council of Turkish Canadians (CTC) objected to the inclusion
of the Armenian Genocide in the curriculum and called for its
removal. Furthermore, CTC threatened to take legal measures to halt
the introduction of the curriculum if the board did not consent to
the CTC demand.
A representative of the Muslim Canadian Congress, Farzana Hassan,
turned the curriculum teaching issue to a religious crusade. She
accused the board and the Western world of religious bias. She made
similar accusations against Canadian media, specially the Globe and
Mail and the Toronto Star newspapers.
Based on June 2 meeting and the approval of the recommendations, the
Armenian Genocide will be part of the Grade 11 genocide curriculum
and it will be taught as one of the three case studies along with
the Holocaust and the Rwandan Genocide and as a separate unit.
In regard to Barbara Coloroso's book, Extraordinary Evil: A Brief
History of Genocide, even though it will not be required reading;
it will be included in the curriculum as resource material.
ANCC President, Dr. Girair Basmadjian, commended the TDSB for upholding
its moral and ethical principles and for not wavering in the face of
unprecedented revisionist campaign to falsify and rewrite the history
of the Armenian Genocide. "By approving the recommendations, TDSB
proved that the Turkish government interference and manipulation
of academic institutions and its attempt to suppress freedom of
expression is a failed policy. We are confident the curriculum will
create better understanding between Turkish and Armenian students and
will help them rationalize their common history," stated Dr. Basmadjian
Aris Babikian, executive director of ANCC, criticized the Turkish
representatives who tried to use an educational forum to promote
unsubstantiated accusation against the Armenian community by
insinuating that Armenians are teaching hatred against Turks in their
churches, schools and community centres. "Once again, we would like to
emphasize that we do not have any conflict with the Canadian-Turkish
community. At issue is the Turkish government's denial policy, a
policy which Turkish ultranationalists are using to whip hysteria
and animosity between the two people. A policy which simply does not
fit with the school boards view of history, nor that of Canadians
generally," said Babikian.
armradio.am
04.06.2008 14:58
After an intolerable Turkish campaign aiming at making remove the
Armenian genocide of the school program of Toronto District School
Board, this last unanimously approved, on June 2, the recommendation
of its Review Committee (RC) and its Director to include the Armenian
Genocide in its Grade 11 genocide curriculum, independent correspondent
Jean Eckian informed.
Turkish groups have, in the past six months, lobbied against the
inclusion of the Armenian Genocide in the Grade 11 curriculum. The
PSSC recommendation now goes to the board's June 25th meeting for
final adoption.
The Council of Turkish Canadians (CTC) objected to the inclusion
of the Armenian Genocide in the curriculum and called for its
removal. Furthermore, CTC threatened to take legal measures to halt
the introduction of the curriculum if the board did not consent to
the CTC demand.
A representative of the Muslim Canadian Congress, Farzana Hassan,
turned the curriculum teaching issue to a religious crusade. She
accused the board and the Western world of religious bias. She made
similar accusations against Canadian media, specially the Globe and
Mail and the Toronto Star newspapers.
Based on June 2 meeting and the approval of the recommendations, the
Armenian Genocide will be part of the Grade 11 genocide curriculum
and it will be taught as one of the three case studies along with
the Holocaust and the Rwandan Genocide and as a separate unit.
In regard to Barbara Coloroso's book, Extraordinary Evil: A Brief
History of Genocide, even though it will not be required reading;
it will be included in the curriculum as resource material.
ANCC President, Dr. Girair Basmadjian, commended the TDSB for upholding
its moral and ethical principles and for not wavering in the face of
unprecedented revisionist campaign to falsify and rewrite the history
of the Armenian Genocide. "By approving the recommendations, TDSB
proved that the Turkish government interference and manipulation
of academic institutions and its attempt to suppress freedom of
expression is a failed policy. We are confident the curriculum will
create better understanding between Turkish and Armenian students and
will help them rationalize their common history," stated Dr. Basmadjian
Aris Babikian, executive director of ANCC, criticized the Turkish
representatives who tried to use an educational forum to promote
unsubstantiated accusation against the Armenian community by
insinuating that Armenians are teaching hatred against Turks in their
churches, schools and community centres. "Once again, we would like to
emphasize that we do not have any conflict with the Canadian-Turkish
community. At issue is the Turkish government's denial policy, a
policy which Turkish ultranationalists are using to whip hysteria
and animosity between the two people. A policy which simply does not
fit with the school boards view of history, nor that of Canadians
generally," said Babikian.