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Holocaust lessons for teenagers aim to stamp out school racism
Education officials hope a new programme teaching children about the Holocaust will help stamp out racism in schools.
The Think Equal scheme has been designed by the Holocaust Educational Trust (HET) to get teenagers thinking about what lessons can be learned from atrocities in the Second World War.
The term-long course, aimed at 13 and 14-year-olds, will examine the Nazi's attitudes to equality and human rights alongside racial tensions in today's society.
It will be launched today at a dinner to celebrate the trust's 20th anniversary, attended by schools minister Ed Balls and Auschwitz survivor Elie Wiesel.
A trust spokesman explained: "The project reaches disaffected young people from multi-cultural backgrounds and focuses their understanding of the contemporary lessons of the Holocaust.
"Students are given the opportunity to consider their own individual identity, learn about the dangers of stereotyping and reflect on their responsibility as citizens today." The programme gives students the chance to hear a Holocaust survivor speak about their experiences.
It has been tested in inner city schools in London, including Tower Hamlets, Newham and Haringey, where teachers say they have seen an improvement in children's playground behaviour.
HET chief executive Karen Pollock said: "It has had a really positive effect. You could hear a pin drop when the children listened to the Holocaust survivor speak, and their thoughtful and intelligent comments showed they had really taken it on board.
"They may not have even thought about these issues before or related the past to what's happening around them now. Hopefully the next generation will create a better society and prevent anything like the Holocaust happening again.
"Already it's changed children's attitudes so they are integrating better in the playground."
The pilot project has been so successful it is being rolled out across the country.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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