Houston, TX – A high school history lesson left one student in tears. The lesson is about the holocaust and part of the assignment is to wear the Star of David. However, one parent said it made her daughter feel it was more like the scarlet letter.
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Miriam Youngblood is shocked at the history lesson plan she said is unacceptable. Her daughter, a junior at Dekaney High School told her she is being forced to do something that made her feel uncomfortable.
“(She) had to wear a yellow star of David that said “Jewed” on them like the ones our ancestors had to wear during the Holocaust,” said Miriam Youngblood.
Proud of her Jewish ancestry, her daughter was in tears and her family became upset. Youngblood spent all Tuesday morning calling school administrators. We called too and got in touch with the Spring I.S.D. Director of Communications. We were told the principal was too busy to talk on camera. Instead we were given a written statement:
“The purpose of the Holocaust remembrance project at Dekaney high school is to commemorate and honor the people who were victims of the Holocaust….students who did not want to participate in the activity were to speak to their teacher and they would be given the alternative assignment…”
Youngblood said that’s not true.
“Her instructor told me she had to wear the star as well as do a written assignment,” said Youngblood. “(If she didn’t) she would get a failing grade.”
Youngblood said she understands the teacher wanted to spread awareness about genocide and racism but she feels the lesson plan went too far.
“To make a Jewish student wear a Star of David that was used as a sign that our people were inferior,” said Youngblood. “Is not acceptable.”
Youngblood eventually received a call from the high school’s principal. She apologized to her and her daughter and told her she will not fail the project and doesn’t have to wear the Star of David.
What is so bad about wearing a Star of David? It will instill in Youngblood the feeling that her previous coreligionists felt. Soon people like her are going to be banning Holocaust education altogether–it brings back too many memories…
Well well well… the JEW decides not to participate in the Holocaust remembrance. What about the Nazi’s grandson who ends up in tears because of its implication?
Maybe no student should have to do what their teacher says… and we will get an ignorant next generation… but at least they won’t CRY.
the girl has my full support, no Jewish person should ever be forced to wear that.
doesnt sound like they are trying to teach about the holocaust. it sounds like they are trying to reenact and perpetuate the antisemitism that happened. i cant believe some school would want a jewish kid to wear a yellow star of david. you can show it in the photos and talk about it but to make her do it is like making her go thru the holocuast again. i can not believe this story. this is a big horror that they might try somtihng like this in a school.
That’s stupid. I would wear it proudly on the street and anywhere else. I’m proud to be a Jew and wearing this would only show that off.
Nebach, this jewish girl is in a goyishe school, and is the victim of intelluctual anti semitism . If her parents were smart they would put her into a jewish school, where she will be comfortable. The downside? Shh, this girl might become religous.
Reply to #1
Thates nothing wrong with wearing a star of david, there’s evrything wrong with focing someone to wear one against his or her will.
I am the child of holocaust victims. Obviously I and my parents should not be ashamed, the nazi animals should be ashamed.
In this story the child was made uncomfortable because she was singled out as a Jew in a racist, non Jewish crowd. This was not simply a lesson, this was a violation of hew civil rights. Had they chosen volunteers that were not Jewish they would have taught more.
Thats what you get for Jewish kids going to public or non Jewsih schools. A Jewish kid should be in yeshiva. It is Divine punishment for her assimilation that she is being forced to wear a yellow star.
The proper way to administer this lesson would have been to have the entire class wear the stars.
I wonder if it really said ‘Jewed’ or if the well-educated reporter meant to write ‘Jude’.
guys, you’re missing the story. She wasn’t singled out to wear the yellow star. The ENTIRE class Jew or non Jew wore them. So why would it make her uncomfortable?
I do not see anything wrong in wearing the star of david for holocaust day!! The girl is not going through the holocaust and it might teach her something. Crying about it !! boo hoo, why does she not cry for the millions who died??? Something is wrong here!!
The star of david is a religious symbol. Would it be okay if the teacher said wear a cross as they learned about the crusades or inquisition? Even if all students are being asked to wear it?
I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that they might have meant well, but, boy, was that ever a stupid idea. The decent thing at this point would be for the school to apologize profusely, and provide some remedial training to the faculty and staff that approved this nut-case idea.
These kinds of re-enactments are common in Jewish schools and after-school programs. Those are the proper settings for this kind of thing – where a Jew does not feel singled out. A goyishe school approaches this from an academic standpoint, whereas we obviously have a a personal perspective. Imagine you are the only Jew in your class and then you are asked (even if for learning purposes) to sit in a classroom wearing the star. It can be frightening to a child. The teacher was wrong and should have dropped the issue when the girl expressed her desire NOT to participate. Forcing her only made it appear like REAL antisemitism… not a game.
It would make sense to have had all the students, Jew and gentile alike, wear a Yellow Star, just as the King of Denmark and his people did in an act of solidarity witht he Jews. That would have been a meaningful history lesson.
She wasnt sangled out as a Jew everyone was supposed to wear one. she just cried because she feels uncomfortable feeling Jewish!
I like your priorities. Give up raising your child like a Jew for a good education. After all that’s what’s really important in life. Nebech.
If it were me, I’d never take it OFF. I’d wear it all the time to remind people of the hatred we Jews face every day. Let it make people uncomfortable. Too bad.
My nephew attends this school and he said he was offered an alternative assignment as the statement from the school said. I don’t believe we are hearing both sides of the story and it would be wrong to assume anything. My nephew was proud to not only wear the Star of David but also research his assigned person. And, for the record, all students enrolled in that class were asked to wear one in remembrance of the person they were assigned.
Not to sound insensitive or anything but don’t we pound the goyim with talk about the holocaust? By no means do I agree with the teacher “forcing” the young girl wear the star but were the other kids wearing it? If so, it doesn’t sound like she was singled out.
Im a student that goes to dekaney high school. We were told that this girl took everything to far which is true us students understand it was for the rememberance of jews. But theres always going to be that one person who will take it to the heart.