TDSB genocide studies class — Ukrainian Famine denied

The Toronto District School Board has decided to not include the Ukrainian Famine (Holodomor) in their Genocide Studies course.

Here is the committee report.

They do acknowledge that the Holodomor killed more people than the three included genocides combined and that they will review their decision in the future. I think one huge concern is the review committee itself. The three committee members’ expertise is slanted in favour of the genocides chosen. The committee should be more representative.

Another problem with the three genocides that they’ve chosen is that anti-Islamic bias could be intensified because of them. Depending on how the Armenian genocide is taught, this could be the case. Care must be taken to point out that the 15% of Armenians who survived the genocide were saved by Muslims — who risked their own lives to do so. We must acknowledge the Muslim heroes while at the same time acknowledging the genocide.

The Holocaust is the only genocide that every student already knows about. Having it on this course is not necessary. An in-depth course should focus on what has not yet been taught. I can’t think of a better way to do this than to include a genocide that killed upwards of 10 million people, yet no one seems to know about.

Something else that the course is entirely missing is self-reflection. All of the genocides on the course are about things that happened somewhere else, where Canada has no role or culpability. Our treatment of First Nations people should be on the course for that reason. But also, the Holodomor should be on for that reason. After all, the fact of the Holodomor was successfully suppressed in this country because Canada was allied with Stalin during WWII. We had to pretend that he was a good guy. Otherwise how could we align ourselves with the biggest mass-murderer of the 20th century? Had Canada been allied with Hilter during WWII, would we be eager to teach Holocaust studies? So if the point of genocide studies is to increase self-awareness and reflection, the Holodomor must be taught. Otherwise, it’s just another exercise of us vs them.

Author: Marsha

I write historical fiction, mostly from the perspective of young people who are thrust in the midst of war.

4 thoughts on “TDSB genocide studies class — Ukrainian Famine denied”

  1. Ukrainian Genocide –

    I wish to advise those who do not believe that the forced starvation of 10 million innocent Ukrainians who died between 1932 – 33 that the Alberta Government will bring in legislation this fall recognizing Holodomor as a true genocide. I certainly hope other Provinces will follow Alberta’s lead.

    God bless

    Molly Anne Warring, Author, Paradise Acres and Lost Paradise, the last in this trilogy, Return to Paradise does mention Holodomor in the novel…to be released in late June, 2008

    1. Re: Ukrainian Genocide –

      Hi Molly,

      Ontario introduced the legislation in April. It was Brantford MPP Dave Levac who brought forth the independent member’s bill. Saskatchewan and Manitoba are also doing the same. And there is a bill introduced federally as well. This is definitely progress.

  2. Ukrainian famine

    I don’t deny that the famine occurred, nor that it was man-made (by Stalin), nor that it was a crime against humanity. But was it a genocide, in the sense of a deliberate attempt to wipe out a people on the basis of ethnicity? If that was the case (lebensraum for Russians?), how do you explain the presence of Nikita Khrushchev in the Politburo?

    Dr.Dawg
    http://drdawgsblawg.blogspot.com

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