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When I was in 8th grade, the Powers that Be decided all the 8th grade classes would use one of the quarters in their social studies classes to cover a unit called Facing History and Ourselves. The months-long unit covers the story of the Holocaust. In detail
The town I grew up in has a very large Jewish population. As such, the sensitivity to and awareness of subjects such as this one are much higher than you�d find in, say, small town Middle America. Not that I�m saying that�s good or bad. I�m just stating it as a fact that influenced the decision in 1983 to have 13-year-olds study the Holocaust. In detail.
I should also note that although the school system still has the students do the curriculum now, it�s covered in high school, and on a permission-from-the-parents basis.
Mr. Berkowitz, my 8th grade Social Studies teacher, and I got along okay. At least, up to that point.
The first day of the unit, we watched a movie called After the First. It was about a little boy who goes hunting for the first time with his dad. His whole life, he�s wanted to hunt with the men. Asked over and over if he could go. Finally, they deem him old enough. He gets his own hunting rifle for his birthday. On the appointed day, he gets up early, kisses his mom goodbye and heads out in his protective fluorescent gear with Dad. Soon, they spot a deer. Dad helps him line the sights up and get the deer in range. The boy goes to pull the trigger, but is struck by how beautiful the deer is. He changes his mind. His father hisses at him, �pull the trigger. PULL THE TRIGGER!� He shoots. The deer falls. He is horrified.
As they walk over to the carcass, his father puts an arm on his shoulder. �Don�t worry,� he soothes, �After the first, it gets easier.�
This was the first and last part of the unit I participated in.
I came to class every day. I sat in my chair. I was mentally present. I did no homework. When Mr. Berkowitz asked me why, I told him I didn�t want to take part. I was mortally offended and disturbed by the class. He knew why I wasn�t working. He chose to ignore me. I passed all the tests on the basis of what I�d learned in class alone. Did quite well on them, actually.
At the end of the term, I got an F- in Social Studies. To my knowledge, it�s the only F- ever granted in the history of my school system.
My mom asked him why. He said, �She chose to take a stand. So did I.�
I was afraid I�d spend my summer grounded. My mom bought me a bike.
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