ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on some of the curricular, organisational and ethical issues pertinent to teaching the Holocaust. The chief organisational issue we believe it necessary to address is that of school ethos, a characteristic of the educational system that has long been acknowledged as crucial to the promotion of citizenship and the teaching of democracy. A major ethical concern inherent in teaching about the Holocaust is the risk of unintentionally fostering anti-Semitism. Another ethical considerations related to teaching about the Holocaust is the extent to which freedom of speech should be permitted in the classroom. While the ethical dimension of inflicting pain has constantly to be borne in mind, teachers need to take cognisance of the pedagogic implications of painful material. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the ethical dimension of Holocaust education, drawing attention to some of the potential dangers inherent in teaching the subject such as giving credence to anti-Semitic stereotypes.
