RHODE ISLAND STATE HOUSE PASSES GENOCIDE EDUCATION BILL

PanARMENIAN.Net
June 10, 2011 – 11:25 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The Rhode Island State House Legislation has passed
the General Assembly instructing the Department of Education to help
local schools teach students about genocide as a critical component
of civic education, according to the Armenians Weekly.

The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Joshua Miller (D-Dist. 28, Cranston,
Warwick) and Rep. Anastasia P. Williams (D-Dist. 9, Providence),
directs the state Department of Education to post on its website
materials to help schools teach students about genocides including
the Holocaust and those in Armenia, Cambodia, Iraq, Rwanda and Darfur.

In 2000, the General Assembly passed a law requiring the Department
of Education to develop curricular materials on genocide and human
rights issues and guidelines for teaching them. The new bill, which
has been forwarded to the governor, will require that the curricular
materials for middle and high schools be posted online so it can be
easily accessed by schools.

The sponsors said they recognize that schools are struggling for
funding and that teachers are also pressed for time, so making the
curriculum available online would increase the likelihood that the
subject would be taught in schools.

“Genocides and human rights violations carried out by governments are
ugly chapters of history, but students are future leaders and voters
and they need to learn about mistakes of the past to keep them from
being repeated,” said Representative Williams.

Said Senator Miller, “One of the purposes of public education
is to raise new generations of informed, responsible citizens
who understand government. It’s critical that students learn that
sometimes governments have done the wrong thing, not only trampling
on the rights of minorities, but attempting to wipe out entire races
or cultures. Making curriculum on genocide available to Rhode Island
teachers online will make it much more likely that students will learn
about these subjects, which have had profound and lasting effects on
the world in which they live.”

The House bill (2011-H 5732 A) passed the Assembly yesterday and
will be forwarded to the governor. The Senate bill (2011-S 0290A)
passed the Assembly May 31 and has been transmitted to the governor.