Integrating Assyrian Genocide within Illinois School Curricula
By Michelle Mkrdichian & Mary Oshana
The Assyrian Chaldean Syriac Student Movement of Chicago is pushing for the awareness of the Assyrian Genocide in the schools of Chicago and its surrounding suburbs. The education of the Assyrian Genocide in classrooms is a definite way of healing the injustices and reoccurring waves of persecutions afflicted against our rich identity and our people. During the June 29th, 2008 meeting of the ACSSM, the committee on Assyrian Genocide Awareness was established from the ad-hoc taskforce in order to pressure local schools to integrate the teaching of the Assyrian Genocide within their curricula.
According to the statement issued by the U.N., a Genocide "means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group." The Assyrian Genocide, undoubtedly, fits the definition. As stated by Professor Abdul-Massih Saadi, Ph.D., This inclusive definition of Genocide by the U.N. presented a spectrum of acts and policies. All five of defined points of Genocide unequivocally are applicable to our Assyrian people, from physical massacres to forcible de-culturation."
Mary Oshana, the head of the ad-hoc taskforce and now the appointed chair of the Assyrian Genocide Awareness Committee of ACSSM, contacted Mike Hatfill, director of the Illinois State Board of Education’s curriculum and instruction. He noted on feasible advice, "Illinois does not have a statewide curriculum. Our state is a local control state. Each district looks at the state standards and builds their curriculum around the standards. Each district is responsible for the material they cover. There are two things you may want to consider. First, go to your school board or Superintendent and make them aware of your concerns. Since you and others that share your believes are stakeholders in your district, they must listen to you and allow you to present your ideas to the board. Second, contact your local state official. Tell them you believe Assyrian genocide should be a state mandated piece of curriculum in the schools in Illinois and see if they can get it made into law." The committee will be scheduling meetings with various superintendents in the upcoming weeks. Since this initiative is at a grassroots level, everyone is needed to contact their local school district and campaign for this needed awareness.
Hatfill also expressed his warm solidarity and hopes we are successful because "it is very important that people are made aware of the atrocities that were afflicted upon the Assyrian people."
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Visit www.acssm.org for more information on how to help within integrating the Assyrian Genocide within Illinois schools.
