Skip to content

Sarah Michelle Gellar Honors Michelle Trachtenberg

Search AI Powered
Human content, AI powered search.

Latest Stories

D.C. School Staffer Sparks Outrage After Having Third Graders Reenact Horrific Holocaust Scenes

D.C. School Staffer Sparks Outrage After Having Third Graders Reenact Horrific Holocaust Scenes
INA FASSBENDER/Getty Images
John Curtis
By John CurtisDec 21, 2021
John Curtis
A novelist, picture book writer and native New Yorker, John is a graduate of Syracuse University and the children's media graduate program at Centennial College. When not staring at his computer monitor, you'll most likely find John sipping tea watching British comedies, or in the kitchen, taking a stab at the technical challenge on the most recent episode of 'The Great British Baking Show'.
See Full Bio

A staff member at Watkins Elementary School in the Washington, D.C. area has been placed on leave after having third graders reenact moments from the Holocaust.

According to The Washington Post, the staff member, who's name has not been disclosed, had the third grade students play out a number of horrific scenarios which took place during the Holocaust.

These included pretending to dig mass graves, mimicking shooting other students, Imagining they were riding a train to a concentration camp and pretending to die in a gas chamber.

Antisemitic comments were also part of the staffer's lesson.

An email sent out by school principal MScott Berkowitz even revealed one student was assigned to play Adolf Hitler and had to pretend to commit suicide as Hitler did.

The student in question was Jewish.

The students tangled up in this horrific moment had been sent to the school library to work on an end of term presentation before the offending staff member corralled them into the reenactment.

Berkowitz apologized to all the parents of the students involved in this shockingly ill-advised project, and condemned the actions of the staff member responsible.

"Earlier today, we received a report of a classroom of students receiving a lesson that included portraying different perspectives of the Holocaust."
"I want to acknowledge the gravity of this poor instructional decision, as students should never be asked to act out or portray any atrocity, especially genocide, war, or murder."

The students were even reportedly told by this staff member to keep the reenactment a secret, but the students told their homeroom teacher upon returning to the classroom.

Making matters worse, this didn't even appear to be a misguided attempt at teaching children about the horrors of the Holocaust.

A parent of one of the students told The Washington Post when a student asked why Hitler and the Nazi's did this, the staff member replied, "because the Jews ruined Christmas."

The Anti Defamation League of Washington D.C. expressed their horror at the incident on Twitter.

Indeed, many expressed their astonishment and disgust, with most demanding the staff member in question be fired immediately.







Included among the justifiably outraged were some who had family members who died in the Holocaust.

The incident came only a few weeks after Swastikas and bigoted messages were painted on the walls of the men's bathroom at Washington D.C's Woodrow Wilson High School.

After this latest incident was reported to The D.C. Public Schools’ Comprehensive Alternative Resolution and Equity Team, the staff member was placed on leave, pending an investigation.

A spokesperson for the team also issued a statement, apologizing to everyone affected by the actions of the staff member.

"This was not an approved lesson plan, and we sincerely apologize to our students and families who were subjected to this incident."
"[The school district] has launched an investigation, and students are being supported by our DCPS Comprehensive Alternative Resolution and Equity Team."

The email sent out by Principal Berkowitz also made it known all the children who partook in the appalling reenactment met with the school's mental health response team after what they went through became known.

Latest News

Pope Leo
Trending

White Sox Fan Pope Leo's Trolling Response To Someone Shouting 'Go Cubs!' Has The Internet Cackling

screenshot of CNN interview of Tim Sheehy by Kaitlan Collins
Donald Trump

MAGA Senator Stunned Into Silence After CNN Host Brutally Fact-Checks Him On Trump Funding Cuts

Tim Walz; Karoline Leavitt
Political News

Tim Walz Offers Perfect Clapback After Karoline Leavitt Makes Bonkers Claim About Democratic Voters

Screenshot from u/Reality_Rose/Reddit
Trending

Thrifter Floored After Finding Poignant Notes From Original Owner Left In Vintage Purses

More from Trending

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

AOC Has Mic Drop Response To MAGA Republicans Who Try To Mock 'Democratic Priorities'

New York Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez issued a powerful rebuke against President Donald Trump and the MAGA movement, pointing out why mocking things like affordable housing and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as "Democrat priorities" ultimately hurts Republicans.

Ocasio-Cortez, speaking during a CNN town hall alongside Vermont Independent Senator Bernie Sanders, accused Republicans of refusing to work to end the government shutdown, stressing that the country’s health care system could collapse if Republicans refuse to meet Democrats’ demands in negotiations.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from New Berlin Public Library's 'trust fall' skit
@newberlinlibrary/Instagram

Wisconsin Public Library Has Internet Cackling With Unexpectedly Hilarious 'Trust Fall' Video

When we think of the library, we think of books awaiting us on the shelves—but the New Berlin Public Library in Wisconsin is here to remind us that public libraries contain so much more.

This library in particular contains a "Library of Things," in which the public can access otherwise expensive items for free, like boardgames, learning resources, and even Halloween costumes.

Keep ReadingShow less
Dave Taylor
Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

GOP Rep. Blames Coordinated 'Ruse' After Swastika Image Is Seen Displayed In His Office

Ohio Republican Representative Dave Taylor demanded an investigation after a swastika image was found on display in his Washington, D.C., office, and blamed it on a "targeted" "ruse."

Politico obtained a photo from a virtual meeting showing a distorted image of the American flag—its red and white lines altered into the shape of a swastika— pinned to what appears to be a cubicle wall behind Angelo Elia, a staffer for Taylor. Beside it hung a pocket Constitution and a congressional calendar. Elia’s involvement in the incident, if any, remains unclear.

Keep ReadingShow less
A kitchen counter with appliances all over it
sink beside window
Photo by Arun Clarke on Unsplash

Everyday Items People Didn't Realize Were Super Expensive Until They Had To Buy Them

As children, we dream of becoming adults.

Living our own lives in our own homes, no longer under the rules and regulations of our parents.

Keep ReadingShow less
deceased family dog named Chop
KFOX14/CBS4

Popular Account 'We Rate Dogs' Unloads On Border Patrol For Killing Family's Beloved Dog During Search

As the internet evolved, certain social media accounts became known for providing wholesome, feel good content, like I Can Has Cheezburger?, The Dodo, and We Rate Dogs. Unsurprisingly, all three focus primarily on animals, offering amusing or heartfelt stories, videos, and memes as an escape from the trials and tribulations of daily life.

But the folks at We Rate Dogs recently took a departure from their usual content.

Keep ReadingShow less