Open letters of support to Michigan State Senator and Representative regarding the amendment of a school code

Michigan_state_capitolThe President of the Congress of North American Bosniaks (CNAB) sent letters of support to Michigan State’s Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville as well as Michigan State’s House Representative Klint Kesto. The letters state that CNAB supports the Senate Bill 1075 and House Bill 5578, to amend the Revised School Code (MCL 380.1278) to require that Michigan’s social studies curriculum and statewide assessment program include instruction and testing about genocides, including the Holocaust.

Please see below for summaries of the letters:

I am writing to you on behalf of over 300,000 Bosniak Americans that our organization represents, many of whom live in Michigan. We support the Senate Bill 1075 and House Bill 5778 of 2014 , to amend the Revised School Code (MCL 380.1278) to require that Michigan’s social studies curriculum and statewide assessment program include instruction and testing about genocides, including the Holocaust. Education about genocide and Holocaust is critical in teaching current and future generations about the evils of undemocratic societies and the need to respect plurality of opinions and beliefs in the world.

Bosniak Americans are an important segment of our population, in Michigan and throughout the country and this bill honors those Bosniak Americans who with their families survived the horrors of genocide committed by Serbian forces and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Our representative and an immediate past president of the Congress of North American Bosniaks (CNAB), Dr. Haris Alibašić can provide insight and expertise on the issue of genocide committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina and can provide support in developing curriculum and statewide assessment program.

Thank you for your leadership on this critical issue.

On behalf of the CNAB Board of Directors,

Hamdija Custovic, President