August 30, 2003

State Superintendent Of Education Promises To Promote Teaching Of Armenian Genocide

Sacramento, CA, August 18, 2003 – During a meeting with Assemblyman Steve Samuelian (R- Clovis), Assemblyman Dario Frommer (D-Glendale) and representatives of Armenian-American organizations, California’s Superintendent of Education committed to furnishing public school students with better instruction on the Armenian Genocide.  O’Connell was presented with newly published lesson plans developed by the Bay Area Armenian National Committee and the San Francisco Unified School District, "Human Rights and Genocide:  A Case Study of the First Genocide of the 20th Century." O’Connell said he was impressed with the work which has been done, and that he would work with the Assemblymen and the Armenian-American representatives to more widely distribute and implement the materials. 

The upbeat meeting was made possible by a request from the Assemblymen, who have displayed a keen interest in providing California students with a more adequate understanding of the history and consequences of the first genocide of the twentieth century. During the meeting, Raffi Momjian, the Bay Area ANC Education Project Director explained that the lesson plans were the result of years of work and coordination with public school educators and administrators, in an effort to make them as useful and comprehensive as possible.  The lessons fulfill many of the state’s curriculum requirements for 10th grade World History courses.

Dr. Thomas Adams, the Director of Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources for the Department of Education was also present at the meeting, and pledged to assist the ANC in its continued efforts to work with California public high schools on human rights and genocide instruction.  During the meeting, various ideas and specific action plans were discussed.  Also in attendance was a representative from the Armenian Assembly of America and two Fresno area Armenian-American community members.

"We are confident that now, with the availability of such comprehensive teaching resources and the support and assistance of the California Department of Education, we will be able to more effectively assist high schools across the state to begin teaching about the Armenian Genocide" stated Momjian.