Tweet
Armenian National Committee of America - Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918
[email protected]
www.ancawr.org
PRESS RELEASE June 19, 2014
Contact: Elen Asatryan
Cell: 818.523.8389 Office: 818.500.1919
Email: [email protected]
CA Senate Education Committee Unanimously Passes Armenian Genocide
Education Act
Sacramento (CA) - On Wednesday June 18, 2014, with a vote of 7-0, the
California Senate Education Committee unanimously passed AB 1915, the
Armenian Genocide Education Act reported the Armenian National
Committee of America Western Region (ANCA WR). The bill,
joint-authored by Assemblymembers Adrin Nazarian and Katcho Achadjian,
requires the inclusion of the Armenian Genocide in the list of studied
subject areas for the adopted courses of study in Social Science for
7-12, recommends for the Department of Education to include the
atrocities of 1915 into publications and curriculum materials, and
encourages the incorporation of an oral history component into the
teaching of human rights, and genocides, including the Holocaust,
Armenian, Cambodian, Darfur, and Rwandan genocides.
Prior to the Senate Education Committee hearing, the language of AB
1915 was amended to consolidate and include language from AB 659,
another bill introduced by Assemblymember Nazarian earlier this year,
which encourages schools to use oral histories when teaching about the
Armenian Genocide and other acts against humanity.
In his introductory remarks Assemblymember Nazarian thanked the
committee and staff for their support and efforts in consolidating the
language of the two bills and stated `Without adequate representation
about the Armenian Genocide in our curriculum, generations of
Californians will not have a comprehensive consciousness of the
similarities and influences that the Armenian genocide had for
perpetrators of atrocities that followed. Malicious methods of
achieving systematic annihilation of a group through death camps,
forced marches, and fatigue were staples that perpetrators of the
Armenian Genocide used to try to destroy a race'.
'Oral histories will also effectively educate students on the
struggles faced by survivors living in our communities. Understanding
the trials and tribulations of genocide survivors will enable students
to learn of man's inhumanity to man and be better aware to deter
genocides of the future,' he added prior to asking for an aye vote
on the bill.
Joint-Author of AB 1915, Assemblymember Katcho Achadjian, took the
floor as he joined his colleague in speaking in support of the bill
and noted `AB 1915 will increase awareness of the Armenian Genocide
among our youth in hopes that such tragic acts will not repeat
themselves. We cannot change what has happened in the past, but we
can choose how we move forward. This bill represents a step forward
in the healing process'.
ANCA WR Legislative Affairs Director, Haig Baghdassarian testified on
behalf of the organization in support of the bill providing historical
background both on the Armenian Genocide as well as California's
unwavering commitment to recognition of the Armenian Genocide. In his
remarks, Baghdassarian went on to add `Simply put, because despite
the
curriculum framework and the existence of teaching materials, it is
not being taught in the overwhelming majority of California's world
history classrooms. This shortcoming was so glaring that it caused a
group of high school seniors from San Marino High School to devote
countless hours researching the general lack of awareness about the
Armenian Genocide amongst high school students who had been taught
world history but knew little or nothing about this significant
chapter of the 20th Century. Those students, along with their American
Government teacher, Peter Paccone, demonstrated their deep commitment
to remedying this problem by traveling to the State Capitol on April
7th to share their findings with several members of the Legislature'.
Los Angeles Unified School District also proclaimed its strong support
for the bill.
Prior to its unanimous passage, Senator Mark Wyland discussed the
importance of incorporating all the Genocides into the curriculum and
the oral history component that would be added with AB 1915 and stated
`I am pleased that there is no opposition because when I presented
this bill there was, as you can imagine from various groups, a denial
of what occurred' before making a motion to move the bill for a vote.
On Wednesday, May 28, 2014, the California State Assembly unanimously
passed AB 1915 with a sweeping vote of 77-0, but the bill will have to
go back for another vote after adopted by the State Senate given the
amendments, which consolidated AB 659 and AB 1915. Once approved by
both houses, the bill will need to be signed into law by the Governor.
Currently, California is one of 11 states, including Georgia,
Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York,
Ohio, Rhode Island, and Virginia, which have the Armenian Genocide
included in their curriculum. The California Model Curriculum
developed by the Department of Education, includes the Armenian
Genocide as a recommended topic to teach. However, schools aren't
required to follow this Model Curriculum.
`In a recent survey conducted by the CA Department of Education under
the auspices of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and in
cooperation with the Genocide Education Project, we discovered that
the Armenian Genocide, though recommended, is not being taught in any
of the California public schools. Thanks to the leadership
demonstrated by Assemblymembers Nazarian and Achadjian, the California
State Assembly, and hopefully the full California Senate, educators
will finally teach our future generations, not just through textbooks,
but also through oral testimonies about the atrocities that took place
during the Armenian Genocide of 1915,' stated ANCA WR Executive
Director Elen Asatryan. `As always, the ANCA WR plans to coordinate
efforts with its grassroots and community organizations to ensure
passage of this bill and thereafter work closely with officials and
schools to see proper implementation of the law,' added Asatryan.
Joint Authors of AB 1915 include Assemblymembers Nazarian and
Achadjian. Coauthors of AB 1915 include Assemblymembers Ammiano, Ian
Calderon, Fox, Hall, Holden, Nestande, Patterson and Wilk, and
Senators Berryhill, Lara, and Vidak.
The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the
largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy
organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination
with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the
Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country,
the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community
on a broad range of issues.
###
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918
[email protected]
www.ancawr.org
PRESS RELEASE June 19, 2014
Contact: Elen Asatryan
Cell: 818.523.8389 Office: 818.500.1919
Email: [email protected]
CA Senate Education Committee Unanimously Passes Armenian Genocide
Education Act
Sacramento (CA) - On Wednesday June 18, 2014, with a vote of 7-0, the
California Senate Education Committee unanimously passed AB 1915, the
Armenian Genocide Education Act reported the Armenian National
Committee of America Western Region (ANCA WR). The bill,
joint-authored by Assemblymembers Adrin Nazarian and Katcho Achadjian,
requires the inclusion of the Armenian Genocide in the list of studied
subject areas for the adopted courses of study in Social Science for
7-12, recommends for the Department of Education to include the
atrocities of 1915 into publications and curriculum materials, and
encourages the incorporation of an oral history component into the
teaching of human rights, and genocides, including the Holocaust,
Armenian, Cambodian, Darfur, and Rwandan genocides.
Prior to the Senate Education Committee hearing, the language of AB
1915 was amended to consolidate and include language from AB 659,
another bill introduced by Assemblymember Nazarian earlier this year,
which encourages schools to use oral histories when teaching about the
Armenian Genocide and other acts against humanity.
In his introductory remarks Assemblymember Nazarian thanked the
committee and staff for their support and efforts in consolidating the
language of the two bills and stated `Without adequate representation
about the Armenian Genocide in our curriculum, generations of
Californians will not have a comprehensive consciousness of the
similarities and influences that the Armenian genocide had for
perpetrators of atrocities that followed. Malicious methods of
achieving systematic annihilation of a group through death camps,
forced marches, and fatigue were staples that perpetrators of the
Armenian Genocide used to try to destroy a race'.
'Oral histories will also effectively educate students on the
struggles faced by survivors living in our communities. Understanding
the trials and tribulations of genocide survivors will enable students
to learn of man's inhumanity to man and be better aware to deter
genocides of the future,' he added prior to asking for an aye vote
on the bill.
Joint-Author of AB 1915, Assemblymember Katcho Achadjian, took the
floor as he joined his colleague in speaking in support of the bill
and noted `AB 1915 will increase awareness of the Armenian Genocide
among our youth in hopes that such tragic acts will not repeat
themselves. We cannot change what has happened in the past, but we
can choose how we move forward. This bill represents a step forward
in the healing process'.
ANCA WR Legislative Affairs Director, Haig Baghdassarian testified on
behalf of the organization in support of the bill providing historical
background both on the Armenian Genocide as well as California's
unwavering commitment to recognition of the Armenian Genocide. In his
remarks, Baghdassarian went on to add `Simply put, because despite
the
curriculum framework and the existence of teaching materials, it is
not being taught in the overwhelming majority of California's world
history classrooms. This shortcoming was so glaring that it caused a
group of high school seniors from San Marino High School to devote
countless hours researching the general lack of awareness about the
Armenian Genocide amongst high school students who had been taught
world history but knew little or nothing about this significant
chapter of the 20th Century. Those students, along with their American
Government teacher, Peter Paccone, demonstrated their deep commitment
to remedying this problem by traveling to the State Capitol on April
7th to share their findings with several members of the Legislature'.
Los Angeles Unified School District also proclaimed its strong support
for the bill.
Prior to its unanimous passage, Senator Mark Wyland discussed the
importance of incorporating all the Genocides into the curriculum and
the oral history component that would be added with AB 1915 and stated
`I am pleased that there is no opposition because when I presented
this bill there was, as you can imagine from various groups, a denial
of what occurred' before making a motion to move the bill for a vote.
On Wednesday, May 28, 2014, the California State Assembly unanimously
passed AB 1915 with a sweeping vote of 77-0, but the bill will have to
go back for another vote after adopted by the State Senate given the
amendments, which consolidated AB 659 and AB 1915. Once approved by
both houses, the bill will need to be signed into law by the Governor.
Currently, California is one of 11 states, including Georgia,
Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York,
Ohio, Rhode Island, and Virginia, which have the Armenian Genocide
included in their curriculum. The California Model Curriculum
developed by the Department of Education, includes the Armenian
Genocide as a recommended topic to teach. However, schools aren't
required to follow this Model Curriculum.
`In a recent survey conducted by the CA Department of Education under
the auspices of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and in
cooperation with the Genocide Education Project, we discovered that
the Armenian Genocide, though recommended, is not being taught in any
of the California public schools. Thanks to the leadership
demonstrated by Assemblymembers Nazarian and Achadjian, the California
State Assembly, and hopefully the full California Senate, educators
will finally teach our future generations, not just through textbooks,
but also through oral testimonies about the atrocities that took place
during the Armenian Genocide of 1915,' stated ANCA WR Executive
Director Elen Asatryan. `As always, the ANCA WR plans to coordinate
efforts with its grassroots and community organizations to ensure
passage of this bill and thereafter work closely with officials and
schools to see proper implementation of the law,' added Asatryan.
Joint Authors of AB 1915 include Assemblymembers Nazarian and
Achadjian. Coauthors of AB 1915 include Assemblymembers Ammiano, Ian
Calderon, Fox, Hall, Holden, Nestande, Patterson and Wilk, and
Senators Berryhill, Lara, and Vidak.
The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the
largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy
organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination
with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the
Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country,
the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community
on a broad range of issues.
###