Did I do the right thing in my German class?

[Gerstabs]

Today in German class, we were reading a book that talked about a Jewish boy in Germany during WWII. In once chapter, they can tell he is Jewish because he is circumcised. The German teacher taught us how to say it in German, said it was "ganz Normal" (completely normal) and defended it as a religious ritual. I was furious, but said nothing.

I'm in high school, BTW

What would you have done in my shoes?

[Kohuk]

Speak to liberal Jews.

[admin]

The German teacher taught us how to say it in German, said it was "ganz Normal" (completely normal) and defended it as a religious ritual.

Maybe you could sincerely ask about the vocabulary and usage for expressing the idea that it is routine, but not natural and not fair to impose without patient consent.

Mein Korper gehort mir (Ich kann Umlauten nicht wahlen).

[parsecskin]

Maybe you could sincerely ask about the vocabulary and usage for expressing the idea that it is routine, but not natural and not fair to impose without patient consent.

Mein Korper gehort mir (Ich kann Umlauten nicht wahlen).

Or "Ich arbeit mit stummen luten".

[Guest]

To answer your question, first of all it was your teacher's comment, and not I assume the focus of the book. Your role is to distinguish between the two (it's called critical thinking, and it's a skill you will need to learn as you mature). Your teacher is a person, and generally speaking people should be allowed their comments, but of course teachers should also be aware of what a neutral position is, which is one of the hallmarks of good instruction, especially when talking to your age group, and he certainly should be aware (but may not be) that the usual meaning of the word "normal" is essentially meaningless. It only has a very specific and non judgmental meaning in some situations (maybe this is what he meant). So..........yes, I think you did the right thing in this instance.

What you can do is talk to him one-on-one and ask him what he meant by "normal" vs "natural" vs "usual". I suspect it was a poor word choice on his part, but if not, then you would know his position on the subject. He gets to have one, however ignorant it is.

If there will be a paper due on the book, then just address the book, rather than going off on a tangent. If there is an opportunity given to you to address the issue in written form (unlikely) then question the use of the word "normal" vs et al, if you think it's important enough for this class, ie relevant to the subject matter. But there is a wise old saying: "pick the hill you're willing to die on". This implies choosing both the place and time to fight the good fight. In my opinion, a high school class isn't that hill, and one guy's opinion isn't the real issue. So ... be aware of ignorance when you hear it, but move on. That won't be the end of it, believe me.

All this has been a good start for you in critical thinking, beginning with the question "is the viewpoint of every 'authority' in my life to be accepted?" Certainly has relevance in association with WWII Germany, you betcha.

[Mandible]

As maddening as it might be to say nothing, it might have been the right thing. On the phrasing of "normal" the context might be a little more important. In a place like Nazi Germany, being circumcised wouldn't be just seen as "not normal" but an indicator of who to kill. A mark that every jew in that time would have to be careful to NEVER let anyone else see. As bad as circumcision is, it's not worth killing anyone over even if they think it's a sacred ritual.