For his work educating students about genocide, a Penta Career Center instructor was recognized by Armenian National Committee of America–Western Region.
At the April 13 Penta board of education meeting, social studies teacher Dr. David Harms discussed the recognition and his receipt of the Armenian Genocide Education award.
He was among 11 educators from various public schools and universities who provided unique instruction, support and education about the Armenian genocide, according to the committee.
The award was presented virtually to Dr. Harms by Sedda Antekelian, the committee’s vice chair, and Katia Karaguezian, a committee member.
In a video, Dr. Harms explains how he incorporates “The Promise” film into his classroom as students learn about Dr. Gregory Stanton’s “Ten Stages of Genocide.”
After viewing the film, students were instructed to create museum displays that teach others about the Armenian genocide. Dr. Harms presented the
Dr. Harms presented the board with a brief overview of the project and atrocities to Armenians that occurred between 1915 and 1923.
In 1915, the Ottoman government began a systematic decimation of its civilian Armenian population. The persecutions continued until 1923 when the Ottoman Empire was replaced by the Republic of Turkey.
It is estimated the Armenian population was 2 million in 1915, and by 1918 it had dwindled to 1 million, with hundreds of thousands homeless and stateless refugees.
After learning the history, Dr. Harms introduced students to Dr. Stanton’s 10 stages which are used to determine whether events constitute genocide.
Those stages are:
•Classification–All cultures have categories to distinguish people into “us and them” by ethnicity, race, religion or nationality. Bipolar societies that lack mixed categories, such as Rwanda and Burundi, are the most likely to have genocide.
•Symbolization–People give names or other symbols to the classifications and apply the symbols to members of groups. Classification and symbolization are universally human and do not necessarily result in genocide unless they lead to dehumanization.
•Discrimination–A dominant group uses law, custom and political power to deny the rights of other groups. The powerless group may not be accorded full civil rights, voting rights or even citizenship. The dominant group is driven by an exclusionary ideology that deprives the less powerful.
•Dehumanization–One group denies the humanity of the other. Members of the lesser one are equated with animals, vermin or diseases. Dehumanization overcomes normal human revulsion against murder, making it acceptable. At this stage, hate propaganda is used to vilify victims.
•Organization–Genocide is always organized, usually by the state, often using militias to provide deniability of state responsibility. Sometimes organization is informal or decentralized.
•Polarization–Extremists drive the groups apart. Hate groups broadcast polarizing propaganda. Motivations for targeting a group are indoctrinated through mass media. Laws may forbid intermarriage or social interaction. Extremists target moderates, intimidating and silencing the center.
•Preparation–Plans are made for genocidal killings. National or perpetrator group leaders plan a “final solution” to the targeted group. They often use euphemisms to cloak their intentions, such as referring to their goals as “ethnic cleansing,” “purification,” or “counter-terrorism.” They build armies, buy weapons and train troops and militias.
•Persecution–Victims are identified and separated out because of their ethnic or religious identity. Death lists are drawn up. In state sponsored genocide, members of victim groups may be forced to wear identifying symbols. Their property is often expropriated. Sometimes they are segregated into ghettoes, deported into concentration camps or confined to a famine-struck region and starved.
•Extermination–This begins and quickly becomes a mass killing legally called “genocide.” It is “extermination” to the killers because they do not believe the victims to be fully human. When it is sponsored by the state, armed forces often work with militias to do the killing.
Acts of genocide demonstrate how dehumanized the victims have become. Dead bodies are dismembered; rape is used as a tool of war to genetically alter and eradicate the other group. Destruction of cultural and religious property is employed to annihilate the group’s existence from history.
•Denial–This final stage lasts throughout and always follows genocide. It is among the surest indicators of further genocidal massacres. Perpetrators of genocide dig up mass graves, burn the bodies, try to cover up evidence and intimidate witnesses. They deny committing any crimes, and often blame what happened on victims. They block investigations and continue to govern until driven from power by force.
Dr. Harms said one of the hardest stages for students to understand was denial, asking “How could people deny it happened?”
The instructor said he was surprised to receive the award, noting he was asked to submit the instruction for recognition.
“This really is an honor,” he said. “Teaching is something, but being recognized by an actual group is really something.”
He thanked the school board for “allowing me to have the opportunity to teach this.”
Superintendent Ed Ewers commended Dr. Harms, presenting him with the Penta Pride award for April.
“This is just one more way to recognize our staff,” the superintenden said.
The next board of education meeting will be at 5:15 p.m., Wednesday, May 11, in the board meeting room, 9301 Buck Road, Perrysburg Township, and is open to the public.
