Educators from across the borough gathered for a hate crimes conference at Queensborough Community College (QCC) on Friday, May 15, which also served as the launch for new hate crimes curriculum.
On hand for the launch were Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly, Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown, Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, New York State Division of Human Rights Commissioner Galen Kirkland, Assemblymember Mark Weprin, QCC President Dr. Eduardo Martí and Dr. Arthur Flug, the Executive Director of the Kupferberg Holocaust Center at QCC.
Flug explained that the curriculum grew out of teaching students who did not identify the description of a hate crime as being recent but instead thought it happened during the Holocaust.
“Since the Holocaust was the greatest hate crime ever committed, it is fitting that teachers and principals come here to learn more about the nature of hate crimes and how to effectively react to them,” Flug said. “There was no recourse for the millions lost in the Holocaust, but that is not true for the victims of hate crimes today.”
Martí said that it is important to educate students so that when they see such behavior, they do not stay quiet.
“I’m absolutely convinced that, as a result of what we do here today, we will be able to better serve the needs of young people in schools who have been targets for either bias related incidents or hate crimes,” Kirkland said.
As the conference began, attendees learned about hate crimes through various presentations given by the New York Police Department’s Anti-Hate Crimes Taskforce, the Queens District Attorney’s Office, the New York State Division of Human Rights and New York City Commission on Human Rights, and the city’s Department of Education.
Following the presentations, the educators attended workshops and examined case studies.
“Acts motivated by hate or bias – particularly acts involving violence, intimidation and destruction of property based upon bias or prejudice – have no place in a civilized society,” Brown said. “This is especially true in Queens – the most culturally diverse county in the nation. A hate crimes curriculum will be particularly helpful in educating our young people about the destructive path to which these crimes lead.”
Marshall told the educators in the audience to speak to the students’ highest ideals, saying that they are the insurance for the future.
“I’m hoping that the people in this room are going to make the world a better place through all the wonderful things you’re going to do for the children,” she said.
After being initiated in Queens schools, the curriculum will be expanded to other city schools next fall.
