In a recent meeting, Gina Peddy, Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Carroll Independence School District in Southlake Texas, advocated for having books that teach opposing perspectives on the Holocaust. Later, the district apologized for the statement and said they recognize that “there are no two sides of the Holocaust.”
“As the Superintendent of Schools, I express my sincere apolgy regarding the online article and news story released today,” Lane Ledbetter, the superintendent, stated. “Additionally, we recognize there are not two sides of the Holocaust. As we continue to work through the implementation of HB3979, we also understand this bill does not require an opposing viewpoint on historical facts. As a district, we will work to add clarity to our expectations for teachers and once again apologize for any hurt or confusion this has caused.”
Peddy’s statement stems from House Bill 3979, which limits the teaching of critical race theory. Critical race theory explains how racism has shaped legal and social systems in the U.S. as opposed to being merely individual prejudices. The House bill went into effect last month and forces teachers to teach controversial topics, such as racism, with their opposing perspectives to account for personal biases.
While this bill would work in theory, it tries to solve different issues with one law. The law was meant for talking about racism and critical race theory in a classroom setting but has evolved into law for general censorship. Toth’s legislation says a teacher cannot “require or make part of a course” a series of race-related concepts, including the ideas that “one race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex,” or that someone is “inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive” based on their race or sex.
These kinds of blanket statements not only misrepresent the issues such bills attempt to legislate but put any teacher attempting to address systemic issues in danger. The precedent set by this legislation creates the opportunity for additional issues like “two sides of the Holocaust” to continue.
Texas has already been in trouble with parents about books in classrooms. Recently, a parent shared that their child brought home a book called, “This Book is Anti-Racist” by Tiffany Jewell and that it went against their “morals and faith.”
Politicians are now arguing for and against the bill. Senator Kelly Hancock from Texas argues that what Southlake did does not reflect on the bill or legislature. While another Senator, Beverly Powell, states that the bill is causing confusion and fear. Clearly, this bill does not work and should be recalled and edited.
“Already, we are seeing the impact of a vague and unnecessary bill that leaves teachers and administrators confused and afraid to teach the history of the Holocaust or the Civil War without teaching ‘both sides,'” Senator Powell said on Twitter.
The Jewish community in Southlake was outraged about Peddy’s original statement. Jake Berman, a resident, and former student shared his experience with antisemitism during school and stated that the Texas law makes it harder for teachers to talk accurately about controversial subjects. Such educational concerns can have far-reaching implications.
The Holocaust is not an event that has multiple sides. The fact that teachers were even suggested to teach ‘opposing’ perspectives of the Holocaust shows the deep tension between teaching accurate history and appeasing calls for “unbiased” education.
