Recently students at the Niagara Academy partook of the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Mobile Museum of Tolerance (MMOT). Teacher Marla Rudin reached out to the Holocaust Education Resource Organization (HERO) of Buffalo so that students could experience its message of tolerance and how to confront bigotry, antisemitism, racism and hate in all forms and to get a better understanding of the Holocaust in both historic and contemporary context.
Students boarded the 32 seat self-contained classroom where a New York State educator, Brian, used a combination of immersive technology and facilitated dialogue to deliver a powerful lesson on combating hate. Social Studies teacher Brian Busch says, “We had a great time at the museum. Students recognized the messages people put out on social media may seem “funny” are in fact a lack of tolerance and many times a racist commentary. They reflected on ways they could promote diversity, unity and acceptance.”
The MMOT challenges visitors to draw lessons of the past to create a better future in age-appropriate manners. Principal Roger Broeker says that the students reacted positively to the lesson and had some interesting conversations.