I, as a long time member of Turkish- American community, regrettably heard that Michigan House of Representatives passed a bill, HB 4493, would originally ensure that the school district's or public school academy's social studies curriculum for grades 8 to 12 includes age- and grade-appropriate instruction about genocide, including, but not limited to, the holocaust. And the legislature recommended a combined total of 6 hours of instruction for grades 8 to 12. Unfortunately, there were some amendments at the House, and the version that passed this week includes references specifically to "Armenian genocide." As a next step the Senate Education Committee will discuss it in March. 

As a member of Turkish American community, I don’t want to have the curriculum about the Armenian genocide in our children’s education because of the following reasons:

1-      There is NO legal decision that labels the events happened in 1915 as “genocide”.

2-      Even among the historians there is NO consensus on describing the 1915 events as “genocide”.

3-      Neither the United Nation nor the Senate of USA has accepted the term.

4-      It is a great concern that it will be a one-sided and misleading education because of the uncertainty of what material will be used in the curriculum.

5-      AND, more importantly, It will have a negative effect on our children, and will create hatred among the children.

Personally, I believe curriculum on genocides and holocaust is an important aspect of our children’s education. However, referring to this controversial issue of 1915 Armenian events in this curriculum will neither improve the Turkish-American nor Turkish-Armenian relationships. 

Therefore, please join us to demand that Education Committee members reject this bill at their meeting in March 2016!