EDITORIAL
History Lessons May Be Startling But Should Not Be Traumatic Our hearts go out to the children at Watkins Elementary School in Southeast who learned the hard way about the tragic events which led to the deaths of millions of innocent Jewish men, women and children during the Holocaust. The children, all third grade students, were led in an activity by a school librarian, which forced them to reenact the horrors actually experienced by the Jewish community in Germany as they were corralled into trains, taken to gas chambers and suffocated. Parents and caregivers must now hold their children closer and try to help them overcome the emotional and psychological damage that has occurred because of the incident which took place last Friday. Beyond the anger and amazement which all adults continue to voice, we find two questions that simply cannot be ignored. The first: how did an instructor with such a questionable track record even become hired by DCPS? The second, however, may be a bit more nuanced. It’s difficult to understand how an elementary school teacher could ever believe that reenacting an incident of such horror and depravity could be of benefit to children who have yet to reach puberty. In these days of cancel culture and revisionist history, with statues and monuments being toppled and destroyed, it’s essential that we continue to teach our children about the events that have shaped our nation and the world – from both the past and the present. And while history lessons may sometimes be startling and eye opening, they should not be traumatic in their presentation. DCPS has some explaining to do. And we’ll be there listening intently. WI
Take Time to Count Your Blessings
Christmas is the season to be jolly and share joy, love and laughter with our closest friends and family members. It’s the season to share good cheer with others whose names we’ll never know. It’s the season of fulfilling the wishes of little ones who’ve prepared lists or, better, PowerPoint presentations of the gifts for which they have desired. Most important, it’s the season of saying “thank you” to those who sent cards, gifts, or a message with sentiments of “Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays” to let you know how special you are to them. It’s the season to count your blessings. However, this is also the season to reconnect with our cultural roots, to remind us of the principles and values that define who we are or should become. The eight-day Jewish tradition of Hanukkah celebrates the values of leadership, freedom, hope, light, community, giving, resilience and belief. The seven-day African-American Kwanzaa tradition celebrates the principles of unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith. In Ward 8 in D.C.’s southeast quadrant, residents established a community code celebrating respect, responsibility, accountability, support and hard work. At the same time, families use this season to recommit themselves to family values, including kindness, honesty, integrity, fairness and mutual respect, to name a few. It’s the season to count your blessings. We also acknowledge the blessing our readers bring to us this season. Your letters, subscriptions, clicks, views, advertising, donations and news – positive news – mean everything to us. That’s why we count each one of you as our blessing and say, “Thank you!” We wish you a happy holiday season and hope you’ll take the time to count your blessings. WI
In Ward 8 in D.C.’s southeast quadrant, residents established a community code celebrating respect, responsibility, accountability, support and hard work.
TO THE EDITOR ‘Tis the Season
Bad Influences
Happy holidays to The Washington Informer Newspaper’s staff and all its readers. I look forward to more news and great stories in 2022!
The story “Study Reveals Racial Pay Gap in Influencer Marketing” surprises no one. If we make roughly 60 cents for every $1 they earn in general, why wouldn’t it apply to things like “influencer marketing.” Yet another example of unfairness and inequality we shoulder in this white-run, capitalistic society. Just my opinion.
Marlene Tompkins Washington, D.C.
Lynette Sanders Washington, D.C.
Readers' Mailbox
WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM / THE WASHINGTON INFORMER
The Washington Informer welcomes letters to the editor about articles we publish or issues affecting the community. Write to: lsaxton@washingtoninformer. com or send to: 3117 Martin Luther King Jr Ave., SE, Washington, D.C. 20032. Please note that we are unable to publish letters that do not include a full name, address and phone number. We look forward to hearing from you. DECEMBER 23 - 29, 2021 25
