Armenian National Institute
1518 K Street, NW Suite M
Washington, D.C. 20005
Phone: (202) 383-9009
Fax: (202) 383-9012
E-mail: [email protected]
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PRESS RELEASE
June 23, 2005
NEW JERSEY COMMISSION ON HOLOCAUST EDUCATION INTRODUCES NEW ARMENIAN
GENOCIDE CURRICULUM
The State of New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education announced on
June 20, 2005, the introduction of a new human rights and genocide
curriculum focusing on the Armenian Genocide. The curriculum represents
a new threshold in public education on the Armenian Genocide – making NJ
the first state in the country to recommend comprehensive courses on the
subject to teachers in public and private schools.
Holocaust and genocide education has received strong support from both
legislators and educators in the state. As such, the NJ Commission on
Holocaust Education developed one of the earliest models for teaching
the Armenian Genocide and this year, on the occasion of the 90th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, adopted the outstanding new
resource book entitled “Crimes Against Humanity and Civilization: the
Genocide of the Armenians” developed by Facing History and Ourselves
Foundation (FHAO) of Brookline, Massachusetts, as its new curriculum.
Additionally, the Commission developed a special teacher’s guide for the
FHAO resource book, which it is distributing to educators statewide.
Executive Director of the Commission, Dr. Paul Winkler, who announced
the new curriculum at a press conference in the State House, thanked the
Armenian National Institute (ANI) for its cooperation in developing the
NJ teacher’s guide and for originally alerting the Commission of the new
advances in teaching about the Armenian Genocide. Dr. Winkler also
recognized the Armenian Assembly of America for bringing this initiative
to the attention of then NJ Governor James McGreevy two years ago.
The Commission on Holocaust Education is an official body of the state
of New Jersey, which was established in 1982 under Governor Tom Kean as
the Council on Holocaust Education. Later, Governor McGreevy, as a
state Assemblyman, voted to make the council a permanent commission and
introduced the original mandate legislation. In 1991 Governor James
Florio signed the legislation establishing the Commission and in 1994,
Governor Christine Todd Whitman enacted the law mandating the teaching
of the Holocaust and genocide. Current acting Governor and President of
the Senate Richard J. Codey has been a strong advocate of Holocaust and
genocide education.
Prior to the announcement on the new curriculum, the General Assembly
passed a resolution commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide. The resolution was cosponsored by Assemblywoman Joan Voss and
Assemblyman Robert Gordon. Introducing the resolution, Assemblywoman
Voss, a former history teacher, spoke about the importance of
remembrance and education. “The world closed its eyes to the Armenian
Genocide,” Voss said. “It is frightening how similar the Holocaust was
to the Armenian Genocide.”
Assemblyman Gordon, in his remarks on the floor noted that “the emotion
runs strong in the Armenian community for their losses in the Armenian
Genocide.” They were joined by colleagues who made additional floor
statements. Assemblyman William Payne, also an educator, invoked the
memory of Reverend Martin Luther King in defending human rights.
Assemblyman Bill Baroni spoke of the challenges Armenia continues to
face in its relations with modern-day Turkey.
Former New Jersey Assembly Speaker Chuck Haytaian was also on hand as a
special guest for the bill’s passage. He was recognized in the Assembly
by the current speaker, Albio Sires, and given the floor after a
standing ovation by former colleagues from both sides of the aisle. He
spoke movingly of the losses in his family during the Armenian Genocide
and of the importance of continuing to stand witness to the memory of
the victims and the survivors. He was joined in the gallery by other
guests from the Armenian-American community, clergy, and students from
the Hovnanian School in New Milford, New Jersey.
The bill’s passage was followed by a press conference. Voss told members
of the media that New Jersey is one of the few states that has mandated
teaching on human rights and genocide and commended the Commission for
its leadership role. ANI Director Dr. Rouben Adalian, for his part,
thanked all the educators and curriculum developers of the New Jersey
Commission including Helen Simpkins, Vernoy Paolini, Gary Kulhanjian,
and Dr. Joan Rivitz, for their commitment to human rights education, and
Dr. Mary Johnson of FHAO who coordinated with the Commission. FHAO was
represented at the press conference by Shannon Planck.
The Armenian National Institute is a Washington-based organization
dedicated to the study, research, and affirmation of the Armenian
Genocide.