A school teacher in Oswego, New York, Michael DeNobile, who teaches in a countywide program for high school students, has given an assignment asking them to argue for the extermination of Jewish people.  DeNobile’s assignment asked students to put themselves in the shoes of Adolf Hitler’s staff, under the guise of “going outside your comfort zone and training your brain to logistically find the evidence to prove a point.”  Superintendent Christopher Todd defended the assignment, saying “We embrace creativity.”  New York State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia also defended the assignment, saying "I think it's certainly a question where you want students to think on both sides.”  

Statement of Steven Goldstein, Executive Director of the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect:

“This assignment ranks as the most evil, immoral and educationally objectionable assignment to students we’ve ever heard of.  We call for the immediate firings of the teacher and of the superintendent who approved the assignment.  It would be unconscionable for this teacher to remain in the classroom, and for the superintendent to remain in educational leadership, a moment longer.  We are equally repulsed by the unconscionable reaction of state Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia, who also defended the assignment.  We call on the New York State Regents to fire her at once.”