Finally, the lights come on. “We’ll stop here,” Mr. Bartley says. “The rest of the movie focuses on the men leaving the conference. I hope you have a solid foundation for your side of the debate. Next week, you’ll have time to partner up and go over your arguments. Happy Friday, and those of you going to the dance tonight, I’ll see you there.” The screen holds the image of two SS officers giving each other the Nazi salute.

The bell rings.

As people head to the door, I bolt over to Mr. Bartley. “This assignment is immoral.” He looks up from his desk, surprised, probably since I never speak up in class. “I won’t advocate for murdering innocent people.”

Logan comes to my side with her notebook. “I’m not doing this assignment, either. No one should. It’s offensive and reprehensible.”

Mr. Bartley picks up a stuffed folder and puts it in his computer bag. “Offensive. Reprehensible. Immoral.” He ticks off each word with a finger. “I agree. But this is not only history, it’s our contemporary world. Along our own border with Mexico, our immigration officers separated children from their parents. They were locked up and deeply traumatized, not knowing what would happen next or if they would be reunited. Our own government violated basic human rights. For some, the result was death. We haven’t learned from history. In one form or another, human beings continue to show their ugliness.”

“That’s exactly our point,” Logan says. “Those kinds of actions take place when people care more about policies than human beings. That happened in Nazi Germany. You watched the movie. There was no debate. Heydrich made it clear that the goal was to exterminate every Jew. He brought those Nazi leaders together to ensure their compliance.” She consults her notebook, then looks up. “Kritzinger was the only one who seemed to object to murder, as if starving Jews in ghettos or working them to death was a better option, but he was swayed. By giving us this assignment, you’re asking us to legitimize the Nazis’ reasons for genocide.”

Mr. Bartley tilts his head side to side, as if we’re a pain in his neck. He stands and walks over to his closet, and says, “Don’t be naive.”

“Seriously?” Logan’s voice squeaks.

He looks at us with pity as he takes his coat off the hook. “Genocide takes place every single day. People justify their position of hate every. Single. Day. In their minds, they have legitimate reasons. My job as a history teacher is to expose you to different perspectives. Throughout your lives you’ll face opinions opposite to your own. I am preparing you to respond. This is a safe environment to explore and debate these issues. You find genocide offensive? Good! This assignment should make you uncomfortable. Life is often uncomfortable.”