Latest news with #Hiebert
Hamilton Spectator
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Holocaust education ‘not just a Jewish topic,' educator says
Lessons that build empathy through Holocaust survivor testimonies and case studies of Jewish life before 1933 are at the core of Manitoba's newest curriculum. Starting this fall, Grade 6, 9 and 11 teachers will analyze the systematic killing of six million Jews during the Second World War and what antisemitism looks like 80 years later. The curriculum developer told the Free Press that Manitoba students will be challenged to identify bystanders, victims, perpetrators, collaborators and survivors to grasp how propaganda and indifference enabled genocide. 'This is not just a Jewish topic, and I always try to tell this to people,' said Kelly Hiebert, who teaches high school history in Winnipeg. 'This is looking at the longest hatred of all time — but this can also relate to other marginalized and minority groups that have been persecuted over time.' The Nazi regime sought to exterminate Jews, but its early victims of persecution included members of the LGBTTQ+ community, Jehovah's Witnesses, communists and people of colour, among others, Hiebert noted. The career teacher, who does not practise Judaism, specializes in Holocaust and antisemitism studies. He's spent much of the last 10 months meeting with other teachers, museum curators and ethno-religious leaders to design a new social studies framework. The result is a curriculum that explores the Nazi seizure of power in Germany and subsequent creation of ghettos and concentration camps, Canada's response to Jewish refugees, and the lasting impact of the genocide on the world at large. Hiebert said the 'progressive scaffolding' model will teach students foundational knowledge and help them develop compassion for others through 'take action' assignments. The Manitoba government announced on Yom HaShoah in May 2024, also known as Holocaust Remembrance Day, that it was introducing mandatory education to combat antisemitism. Further details were revealed in the spring. One of the early tasks involved drafting a list of definitions. Both the Manitoba and Canadian governments have adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, 'a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews.' 'Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities,' it adds. Examples of it include the denial or downplaying of the use of gas chambers to target Jews and calling the state of Israel a 'racist endeavour,' as per the IHRA understanding. Hiebert called that definition the 'gold standard.' At the same time, he recommends teachers ask older students to critically examine the IHRA definition, along with the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism and a summary published by the Nexus Project, an American non-profit organization. As far as he is concerned, criticism of Israel becomes antisemitic only when it involves demonization, delegitimization and 'double standards that you're not using against China, you're not using against Russia, you're not using against Myanmar and the Rohingya people.' 'There will be disagreements (in Manitoba classrooms),' Hiebert said, reflecting on his 18-year career in education and the complex history in the Middle East that has led to current events. Incidents of both antisemitism and Islamophobia rose in the wake of Hamas militants' Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel and retaliatory violence that has turned into a 21-month-long war. 'Why this is so necessary now is to help students understand the historical significance of antisemitism, develop critical thinking and develop compassion and empathy for others,' he said. Hiebert said he is urging colleagues to prioritize building relationships, trust and respectful classroom environments before introducing these sensitive topics. Marianne Cerilli, a former teacher and NDP MLA who now runs her own consulting firm in Winnipeg, recently facilitated a workshop on teaching controversial topics. Cerilli said she was called upon by a rural teachers union to share her tips with its members in the spring. A survey of attendees revealed many of them felt unprepared to discuss politicized topics at school and they wanted more time to talk to colleagues about their experiences, she said. She advises teachers to brush up on conflict de-escalation and resolution techniques, consider personal biases and practise active listening. The education department will be available to work with teachers who have questions or concerns about the curriculum this fall, said Tracy Schmidt, minister of kindergarten-to-Grade 12 schooling. 'But we don't anticipate a whole lot of concern,' Schmidt said, adding she believes the rollout is 'a really positive step.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Holocaust education ‘not just a Jewish topic,' educator says
Lessons that build empathy through Holocaust survivor testimonies and case studies of Jewish life before 1933 are at the core of Manitoba's newest curriculum. Starting this fall, Grade 6, 9 and 11 teachers will analyze the systematic killing of six million Jews during the Second World War and what antisemitism looks like 80 years later. The curriculum developer told the Free Press that Manitoba students will be challenged to identify bystanders, victims, perpetrators, collaborators and survivors to grasp how propaganda and indifference enabled genocide. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES History teacher Kelly Hiebert specializes in Holocaust and antisemitism studies and spent much of the last 10 months meeting with other teachers, museum curators and ethno-religious leaders to design a new social studies framework. 'This is not just a Jewish topic, and I always try to tell this to people,' said Kelly Hiebert, who teaches high school history in Winnipeg. 'This is looking at the longest hatred of all time — but this can also relate to other marginalized and minority groups that have been persecuted over time.' The Nazi regime also singled out members of the LGBTTQ+ community, Jehovah's Witnesses, communists and people of colour, among others, Hiebert noted. The career teacher, who does not practise Judaism, specializes in Holocaust and antisemitism studies. He's spent much of the last 10 months meeting with other teachers, museum curators and ethno-religious leaders to design a new social studies framework. The result is a curriculum that explores the Nazi seizure of power in Germany and subsequent creation of ghettos and concentration camps, Canada's response to Jewish refugees, and the lasting impact of the genocide on the world at large. Hiebert said the 'progressive scaffolding' model will teach students foundational knowledge and help them develop compassion for others through 'take action' assignments. The Manitoba government announced on Yom HaShoah in May 2024, also known as Holocaust Remembrance Day, that it was introducing mandatory education to combat antisemitism. Further details were revealed in the spring. One of the early tasks involved drafting a list of definitions. Both the Manitoba and Canadian governments have adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, 'a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews.' 'Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities,' it adds. Examples of it include the denial or downplaying of the use of gas chambers to target Jews and calling the state of Israel a 'racist endeavour,' as per the IHRA understanding. Hiebert recommends teachers ask older students to critically examine the IHRA definition, along with the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism and a summary published by the Nexus Project, an American non-profit organization. As far as he is concerned, criticism of Israel becomes antisemitic only when it involves demonization, delegitimization and 'double standards that you're not using against China, you're not using against Russia, you're not using against Myanmar and the Rohingya people.' 'There will be disagreements (in Manitoba classrooms),' Hiebert said, reflecting on his 18-year career in education and the complex history in the Middle East that has led to current events. Incidents of both antisemitism and Islamophobia rose in the wake of Hamas militants' Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel and retaliatory violence that has turned into a 21-month-long war. 'Why this is so necessary now is to help students understand the historical significance of antisemitism, develop critical thinking and develop compassion and empathy for others,' he said. Hiebert said he is urging colleagues to prioritize building relationships, trust and respectful classroom environments before introducing these sensitive topics. Marianne Cerilli, a former teacher and NDP MLA who now runs her own consulting firm in Winnipeg, recently facilitated a workshop on teaching controversial topics. Cerilli said she was called upon by a rural teachers union to share her tips with its members in the spring. Wednesdays Columnist Jen Zoratti looks at what's next in arts, life and pop culture. A survey of attendees revealed many of them felt unprepared to discuss politicized topics at school and they wanted more time to talk to colleagues about their experiences, she said. She advises teachers to brush up on conflict de-escalation and resolution techniques, consider personal biases and practise active listening. The education department will be available to work with teachers who have questions or concerns about the curriculum this fall, said Tracy Schmidt, minister of kindergarten-to-Grade 12 schooling. 'But we don't anticipate a whole lot of concern,' Schmidt said, adding she believes the rollout is 'a really positive step.' Maggie MacintoshEducation reporter Maggie Macintosh reports on education for the Free Press. Originally from Hamilton, Ont., she first reported for the Free Press in 2017. Read more about Maggie. Funding for the Free Press education reporter comes from the Government of Canada through the Local Journalism Initiative. Every piece of reporting Maggie produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Dog owner describes 'unnerving' encounter with aggressive deer in Winnipeg neighbourhood
A moment of fascination turned into discomfort and fear for a Winnipeg dog owner who encountered a deer Thursday. "At first it seems like it's really kind of this magical moment, this really interesting animal that we're making a connection with," Marlowe Hiebert told CBC News. "Then the next thing the deer gets aggressive. It's like, 'OK, this script is going off.'" Hiebert and his eight-year-old Sheltie dog, Macy, were walking down Browning Boulevard in the city's Westwood neighbourhood on Thursday morning when a deer darted out from in front of a group of parked cars. The deer came to a full stop almost two metres from them and locked eyes with Macy, before it started to stomp its hooves aggressively, Hiebert said. Hiebert and Macy began walking up the sidewalk, trying to get away for their own safety, but the deer tagged along, following them down the front lawns. "This little girl would probably be really hurt if a deer would attack," Hiebert said, referring to his dog. Left to their own, with no one else around to distract the deer, Hiebert stopped and stomped his own feet, trying to give the deer an aggressive posture, but the animal didn't flinch. "It wasn't until we came past pine trees and got some visual break between us that she did let us go," Hiebert said. It's not unusual to see a deer coming through the neighbourhood, Hiebert said. During the winter he has seen up to four deer laying under a pine tree on his front lawn. "They don't seem that big when you're standing near them," he said. "But you begin to look at the length of those legs and the speed with which they could likely move them. "It was a little unnerving to have an animal like that be that aggressive." A spokesperson for the province said they received several reports about the deer aggressively defending its fawn in the area, but there have been no reports of the animal making contact with residents. The protective behaviour of the deer is expected to be short-lived, lasting a few weeks until the fawn can move on its own, the spokesperson said. Relocation will only be used as a last resort, the province said, given it can cause stress to the deer and the fawn. In the meantime, warning signs have been installed by the province, and the public is urged to be cautious and avoid the area or use an alternate route. Deer sightings on the rise Wildlife encounters like this are very rare, only happening once every year or two, the province said. But Winnipeg is not isolated from having wildlife, especially when considering the city's design, said Barret Miller, manager of education and programming at Assiniboine Park Conservancy. Developments around the city are being built to co-exist with forested areas in open grasslands that sit along river streams, he said, making Winnipeg an ideal habitat for whitetail deer. "It's no longer just open yards and big houses, it's now a mix of shrubs, trees," he said. "It's not necessarily that the numbers are increasing. We're just seeing them more widespread across the city." Any animal species, regardless of how docile it might seem to be, can be aggressive, Miller said. Deer have tight and muscled legs designed to help them jump, but they can also be used to kick, Miller said. The same amount of force they use to jump three metres in the air can be used to kick. That's the reason Miller said it's best to be at least five to 10 metres away from a deer while keeping a smaller posture and making as little noise as possible. But if the deer starts "taking an unhealthy interest in you" and it is becoming a rather unsafe situation, he recommended to be large, loud and back away. "Just talk to that animal in a very deep, bassy voice. Puff up your shoulders, pull the dog in on the leash and skirt around that animal," said Miller. It is also important not to approach the fawn when the deer isn't around. People might think the animal has been abandoned, but the fawn was, in most cases, only left behind while its mother looked for something to feed it, Miller said. "Give them the space to be the mom they need to be, and they're going to give us the space we need to be human, and we'll get along," he said.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
St. Paul businesses call sinkhole timing a small blessing
The Minnesota Wild were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Play-offs on May 1, and a giant sinkhole opened up on West Seventh Street — a block away from the Xcel Energy Center — exactly one week later. Coincidence? Yes. Still, some businessowners are calling the timing a small blessing. No one wants a gaping hole running some 35 feet into the ground to open in front of their business. But if it had to happen, better that it take place in the post-season lull after professional hockey has let out and before the height of the summer concert season. At the Downtowner Woodfire Grill, there's been 'no impact on our business,' said general manager Patrick Johnson, shortly after Tuesday's lunch rush. 'It's been busy.' That sentiment was shared by a driver for Domino's pizza, a server at Tom Reid's Hockey City Pub and other frontline staff at West Seventh Street businesses. Private contractors under the supervision of St. Paul Public Works will spend up to two months repairing the man-sized sink hole that opened on the evening of May 8, forcing ongoing partial road closures between Chestnut and Walnut streets. Officials with the Xcel Energy Center said their day-to-day operations and events are not impacted by the sinkhole. They reminded fans attending Wednesday's Minnesota Frost game that they need to plan ahead due to road closures connected with the sinkhole. General traffic is being detoured between Kellogg Boulevard and Grand Avenue, though West Seventh in that stretch remains open for local business access, with one lane open in each direction. Sidewalks are unaffected. 'We don't want through-traffic there,' said Lisa Hiebert, spokesperson for St. Paul Public Works, on Tuesday. 'This is why we're saying local business access only.' Otherwise, there have been no direct water or sewer impacts reported by businesses, according to the city. City crews are examining whether water may have loosened and weakened the earth in the affected area. 'It's a good argument for why we need to reconstruct roads,' Hiebert said. 'What we can say is a lot of time, sinkholes are caused by voids caused by water, but it's still a little early to say what it was and what it wasn't. Sources of water can come from many places.' Filling the hole will be no simple patch job. Contractors will have to dig more than 30 feet through sandstone and limestone, assess damages and then rebuild the sanitary sewer tunnel. The work, which began Monday, will involve installing new utility connections for surrounding businesses, building out a new shaft to the surface and then replacing the road surface, without damaging a 20-inch water main. To ensure worker safety, crews will install temporary supports for the depth of the project. 'Nobody ever wants things like this to happen, but this is a good example of how quickly the city and the agencies came together to limit impacts to businesses in the surrounding area,' Hiebert said. 'The businesses, everybody was really great to work with.' Giant sinkhole on West Seventh Street will require digging down 30 feet Public media outlets MPR and TPT brace for federal funding cuts Thirty-five-foot sinkhole shuts down part of West 7th Street St. Paul, MN Wild trim Xcel Center's state request from $400M to $50M Minnesota loosens distance exemption on state employee return to office order
Winnipeg Free Press
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Province announces mandatory Holocaust education, partnership with Jewish Heritage Centre
Grades 6, 9 and 11 students will receive explicit instruction about the Holocaust and learn about Jewish cultural traditions and contributions to Manitoba in the fall. The province announced a formal partnership with the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada Thursday — Yom HaShoah, also known as Holocaust Remembrance Day. 'We have in our archive a letter that was sent 50 years ago to the provincial government asking for mandated curriculum,' said Belle Jarniewski, executive director of the centre. Jarniewski, a daughter of Holocaust survivors, said she is thrilled about the changes and the centre's role in organizing a May 13 conference to brief teachers on them. Manitoba Education has been reviewing social studies curriculum in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel that have led to more than 18 months of bloodshed in the region. Kelly Hiebert, a high school history teacher from Winnipeg, was tapped to oversee the initiative that will eventually include age-appropriate lessons for students of all ages. While existing curriculum documents acknowledge concepts such as propaganda and antisemitism, they focus generally on the Second World War and Canada's role in it. Hiebert has been tasked with creating more clear and explicit directions for teachers so all Grade 12 graduates are well-versed in the Nazi regime's genocide of Jews between 1941 and 1945. 'It is so important for students to not only learn about the history, but what that means today for our current context and all the complexities of the world that we're living in,' Education Minister Tracy Schmidt, told reporters at the legislature after question period. The Manitoba Legislative Assembly observed a moment of silence earlier in the afternoon to honour the six million Jews who were murdered during the Holocaust. Numerous MLAs and visitors in the gallery — including Hiebert and Jarniewski — donned yellow Star of David lapel pins. Nazis forced Jews to wear similar patches in Germany and other occupied nations during the Second World War to segregate and systematically sort them into ghettos and concentration camps. Jarniewski said it's important the curriculum has extensive resources on the genocide, as well as information about modern-day Judaism and how it is thriving in local communities. That's why her organization chose to organize an upcoming professional-development session for teachers at Congregation Shaarey Zedek, a bustling and state-of-the-art synagogue, she said. Registration is open to teachers who deliver Grade 6-12 instruction to learn more about the imminent curriculum changes. Jarniewski said she wants participants to learn about the history of antisemitism in Canada and how it has continued and 'mutated.' Online radicalization and trauma-informed teaching are among the topics that will be discussed during breakout sessions. Substitute-teacher coverage is being made available to participants. Maggie MacintoshEducation reporter Maggie Macintosh reports on education for the Free Press. Originally from Hamilton, Ont., she first reported for the Free Press in 2017. Read more about Maggie. Funding for the Free Press education reporter comes from the Government of Canada through the Local Journalism Initiative. Every piece of reporting Maggie produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
