Catholic School apologises for Hitler costume prize

Many outlets have covered this story, but only J-Wire: Jewish Online News from Australia and New Zealand, noted it was a Catholic school and that during judging in an assembly fellow students were chanting “HITLER HITLER” and the kids selected the winner. Thanks J-wire! I want to know what the hell the fourth year student was reading? Mein Kampf?

Random kid in Hitler costume image.

Catholic School apologises for Hitler prize
August 28, 2010  |  www.jwire.com.au

A Catholic primary school in the inner-city are a of Perth awarded a prize to a pupil who characterised Adolph Hitler for a book-week dress-up day.

As the judges, who included the school’s principal, were going through the decision-making process, the child dressed as Hitler received chants of “Hitler” from his schoolmates as he was being assessed.

The principal told media that he “took umbrage” to the calls being chants. He said they were part of “the voting process”. He said that other characters’ names were called out during the voting.

The school received complaints from parents some of whom objected to the child wearing a swastika on his uniform.

An apology has been circulated to the parents who were offended and The West Australian reports that Junior schoolteachers will “debrief students in a pastoral way to ensure students understand the significance of their choice of character and the impact it has on other people”.