Arizona schools to include 1915 Sayfo Genocide in curriculum following historic approval

ARIZONA, USA — On 10 August, the Arizona Department of Education approved a new plan to revise the curriculum for secondary schools, covering grades 7 through 12. The updated curriculum will now include lessons on the 1915 Sayfo Genocide, during which the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean), Armenian, and Greek peoples were persecuted by the Ottoman Empire during World War I.

This decision marks a significant milestone, as the plan will incorporate lessons on the origins and impacts of genocides.

The change follows years of advocacy and a campaign led by the Center for Genocide Studies in Arizona. Various historians and experts have emphasized the importance of recognizing and teaching about this genocide in a manner comparable to how the Holocaust and other genocides are taught.

The curriculum, developed by Dr. Erin Hagis and Professor Hannibal Travis, aims to educate students about the history, causes, and lasting effects of the Sayfo Genocide on the affected peoples. It will include books, materials, photographs, and personal stories of martyrs and descendants of the Sayfo victims.

This decision was not made overnight; discussions began in April 2021 after the proposal was submitted. Arizona’s Governor approved the proposal in July 2021.

The proposal also includes information on other historical atrocities, such as the 1933 Simele Massacre, the 2014 atrocities committed by the Islamic State (ISIS), and ongoing efforts to uproot the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people from their lands.

Sabri Atman, an official from the Sayfo Center, expressed his gratitude for the implementation of this plan, highlighting its significance in the field of education.