Inexplicably, a controversy rages within the Jewish INSTITUTIONAL communityit is sadly-necessary to

recognizeregarding whether to mandate all high-school grads in PA are taught about the Holocaust;
when I first learned of this issue -year ago, it seemed uncanny that ANYONE would oppose such efforts
but, as per an article just-published in the Jewish Exponent, the PA Jewish Coalition has dug-in its heels.
Therefore, it is desirable to let it all hang-out and, in the process, provide a peek into how Harrisburg
appears to function [or, rather, in this case, attempt NOT to act] regarding what should be a gimme.
Due to the need to divulge all available data, this Blast e-mail is intended to provide a taste of what
has transpired during private lobbying-efforts; that which follows will synthesize this analysis into what
appears to be a necessarily-enhanced level of discourse; know, for example, that Hank Butler is now
spreading the word that my episodic calls to Harrisburg has triggered receptionists to cry because of
my alleged forcefulness; my initiatives have been focused and, as the reader will adjudge, have yielded
exposure of just who is functioning as the Dybbuk in this protracted minuet [mixed-metaphors, sorry].

Provided yesterday was brief-mention of this concern: Every effort is being expended
to counter nefarious conduct of those who oppose the mandate, such as lobbyist Hank
Butler [representing the PA Jewish Coalition of non-profits], who ambushed the local
Federation Board meeting [a fortnight go] and coerced it to retreat from its support for
our efforts [by retreading assertions that had already been disproven]. The reader is
cordially invited to check-out this exhaustive summary of the database, amplified by an
even more exhaustive analysis of the database [encased within e-mail correspondence];
be forewarned that the last hyperlink will place before you [in a PDF-format, via scribd]
the equivalent of 24 pages of a Word document. [Ive functioned as the detail-man,
here, while primarily focused on enlightening the GOP-leadership within the legislature.]

Here is what I meant; without having included this item on its agenda, the local-Federation acted
without providing opposing views to be aired; they cannot reasonably claim they didnt know we exist,
and the local-Federation thereby knowingly acted precipitously, perhaps satisfying Robin Schatz and
Hank Butlerbut performing [another] disservice to the Jewish Community it purports to represent.
[Disclaimer: I stopped contributing years agoexcept to subscribe to the Exponent because on-line
content excludes ads, which are often fascinatingafter it committed misfeasance when it contributed
to Martin Goldsmiths $15-million severance after he left the CEO-spot @ Einstein Medical Center.]
Essentially, it endorsed warmed-over proposals that had already been debunked, thereby depriving
students a rudimentary knowledge of what transpired [and WHY it occurred] during the Shoah.

It may be noted that the structure of these Blast e-mails has vascillated between
being replete with hyperlinks and lapsing into first-person explanations; the former is
intended to mirror how I compose expert-reports, namely, to ensure that there is no
tenable school-of-thought other than that which is being presented via what may be
viewed as a meta-analysis of the news [indeed, inundating the reader with aggregated
citations that, themselves, amplify what should have been obvious anyway] and the
latter is intended to provide perspective accrued on a personal level that may not have
been available to most-others [such as when I referenced my fathers having treated
Rachel Carson for Breast Cancer, a half-century ago]. The goal [after having been getting
4 hours sleep regularly] has been to provide as much data as possible, ASAP, to arm
the reader during conversations and to motivate the reader to consider pursuing the
rather-distilled Action-Items that are thematic. Primary has been the need to accept
the non-alarmist, cogent explanation for why BHO is so dangerous; secondary has been
the need to ponder the rectitude of the personal interventions that have been pursued.
Religiously, all feedback has been conceptualized and integrated into follow-up essays
unless the writer has provided something that has already been covered and/or asked
that anonymity be respected; in the latter case, the input has often been mainstreamed
within a subsequent entry, so that the gravamen of the thought has been preserved.

Respecting the stated-disclaimers [coupled with an explanation as to how I balance party-affiliation with
personal-politics], it is now desirable to tackle the update of the Holocaust-based effort that has been
pursued by myself, Rhonda Fink-Whitman and Chuck Feldman [of the Holocaust Remembrance Museum
and Education Center]; others serve as personal-contacts for each of us [based on prior networking], but
we have not abused the privilege of working with others [simply because its so easy to update them, for
we monopolize the factual-foundation of this created-controversy]. Indeed, until a few months ago,
when I spoke on the speaker-phone with Messrs. Transue and Miskin [vide infra], I had encountered
NOBODY who could articulate opposition to our efforts; in the process of expending untold hours
chatting-up anyone daring to interact, all contrary arguments were dutifully recorded and demolished.
Sometimes, these outcome-data were included in a Blast e-mail [to update interested-individuals], but
often it was felt to be politic to dismember people privately [with a limited number of people placed
within the cc-list]; throughout, we have remained laser-focused on the task-at-hand, refusing to be
distracted by the rhetoric of the politician/lobbyist/staffer who would routinely neuter people who were
lacking awareness of how devious such methodology can prove to be. We are motherhood/apple-pie,
they arentand they know itand they are increasingly desperate to protect their exposed-egos.

Indeed, they have also been added to the bcc list of this Blast e-mails, even after
they have vainly [and in-vain] attempted to put-off these initiatives; for example, know
that I received no reply to the following e-mail [which was the most-recent item in the
aformentioned upload of correspondence, as one reads chronologically from the
bottom, upwards], notwithstanding the fact that the recipient subsequently provided a
rather extensive/pungent quote to the Exponent [which is to be rebutted after ensuring
the reader has IDed the Dramatis Personnae].

From: Robert B. Sklaroff, M.D. [mailto:rsklaroff@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, April 08, 2014 3:50 PM
To: 'Stephen Miskin'; 'David Transue'
Cc: 'Rhonda Fink-Whitman'; 'rboop@pasen.gov'; 'Brendan Boyle'; 'Himebaugh, Nicholas
A.'; 'John Rafferty'; 'Candice Wynn'; 'Cawley, Jim'; {Jim Cawleys personal e-mail
address}; 'mikefolmer@pasen.gov'; 'mfolmer@pasen.gov'
Subject: RE: Genocide/Curriculum - A Proposal
Importance: High

Might you please rescind/revise the faulty input that was provided BOTH to the House
Education Committee and to the Senate???

From: Stephen Miskin [mailto:SMiskin@pahousegop.com]
Sent: Tuesday, April 08, 2014 3:38 PM
To: Robert B. Sklaroff, M.D.; David Transue
Cc: 'Rhonda Fink-Whitman'; gardened@comcast.net; rboop@pasen.gov; 'Brendan Boyle';
'Himebaugh, Nicholas A.'; John Rafferty; Candice Wynn; 'Cawley, Jim'; {Jim Cawleys
personal e-mail address}; mikefolmer@pasen.gov; mfolmer@pasen.gov
Subject: RE: Genocide/Curriculum - A Proposal

Dr. Sklaroff, thank you for your continued interest in the Holocaust Education bill
awaiting Senate action. The House won't be able to take any action until the
Senate votes on the bill.

The bill is in the Senate's purview right now. Thank you.

- Steve Miskin


-------- Original message --------
From: "Robert B. Sklaroff, M.D."
Date:04/08/2014 3:27 PM (GMT-05:00)
To: David Transue
Cc: 'Rhonda Fink-Whitman' ,gardened@comcast.net,rboop@pasen.gov,'Brendan
Boyle' ,"'Himebaugh, Nicholas A.'" ,John Rafferty ,Stephen Miskin ,Candice
Wynn ,"'Cawley, Jim'" , {Jim Cawleys personal e-mail
address},mikefolmer@pasen.gov,mfolmer@pasen.gov
Subject: RE: Genocide/Curriculum - A Proposal


David, Ms. Wynn confirmed that you were the author of the faulty staff-memo that
claimed INCORRECTLY that the current statute covers the unit [genocide, holocaust, and
human rights violations] in a cursory fashion; if this legislation is to be signed-off on
4/29/2014 [International Holocaust Remembrance Day], you are going to have to get-
off-the-dime [even if you wish not to call-me-back, despite my daily calls/e-mails during
the past week].

I have exhaustively/repeatedly documented otherwise, namely, that the topic-listing
omits some topics and places others under disparate subjects in a fragmentary fashion;
remember, I care not about whether the DoE composes an optional curriculum, or
whether a survey is performed in 16, or anything else that obfuscates the core-issue
[which, oh by-the-way, has NOT been subject to a compromise as had been whispered
into the ear of a Senator-colleague by Andy Dinniman].

My suspicion is that Mr. Hank Butler assisted you, for he has also been responsible for
FALSELY claiming that the suggestion we have been pushing (mandatory holocaust
education) would create an unfunded mandate, then claiming what we wish is
precedent-setting, then claiming our effort would unleash a torrent of personalized-
amendments, then claiming the DoE had to compose a curriculum, then claiming our
effort would create some sort of an onerous amendment, then[I believe he has
exhausted his roadblocks].

Now, however, you own both this seminal-memo [upon which the members have
predicated their postures, most prominently Rep. Clymer] and its offspring [the
suggested amendment submitted to the Senate, which has no names appended, but
which is gumming-up-the-works becauseout of courtesythe Senate doesnt want to
pass something that House leadership appears to oppose, even if 150+ members would
immediately support it].

I do not know how to help you identify an exit-ramp, other than to request that you
find a way to RESCIND [after further study?]
what appeared on Sen. Raffertys ipad, three months
agoASAP!



From: Robert B. Sklaroff, M.D. [mailto:rsklaroff@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, April 03, 2014 10:01 PM
To: 'David Transue'; 'Stephen Miskin'
Cc: 'Rhonda Fink-Whitman'; 'gardened@comcast.net'; 'rboop@pasen.gov'; 'Brendan
Boyle'; 'Himebaugh, Nicholas A.'; 'jrafferty@pasen.gov'
Subject: RE: Genocide/Curriculum - A Proposal

Greetings, again; Im going to be @ PLC tomorrow, but I could delay arrival if it would be
desirable to meet in Harrisburg before I go to Camp Hill.

Ill call @ 9 a.m. to gauge your whereabouts; another possibility, of course, is to
intersect if you will be @ the event; Im going to depart Sat. after lunch.

My legislative goal, actually, is simply to double-back to my original thought, and that is
to modify the mandated curriculum-topics to accommodate this unit.

The rest would fall naturally into place without the need for hoopla, although friendly-
amendments to add other topics/curricula would not present a problem.

[BTW, as requested, I asked Nick to ask Brendon to do something to undo the
unnecessary Thatcher-Critique that was delivered on the very day she was planted.]


From: Robert B. Sklaroff, M.D. [mailto:rsklaroff@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2014 1:16 PM
To: 'David Transue'; 'Stephen Miskin'
Cc: 'Rhonda Fink-Whitman'; 'gardened@comcast.net'; 'rboop@pasen.gov'; 'Brendan
Boyle'; 'Himebaugh, Nicholas A.'; 'jrafferty@pasen.gov'
Subject: Genocide/Curriculum - A Proposal
Importance: High

Greetings!

As promised, I spoke with my people after having circulated this summary-memo
[appended and reprinted infra], referencing ALL key-concerns unearthed.

There is general agreement that there would be no problem with the PDE composing a
model-curriculum, just as long as its local use would remain optional.

There is also general agreement that there would be no problem with the PDE
conducting educational studies in two years to accrue data assessing retention.

Yet, we feel strongly that there is NO DOUBT the current topic-listings [both in the
statute and in the DOEs portal, which are identical] are grossly-inadequate.

The key-word topics are not encompassed, even in a cursory fashion [recalling the
fatally-flawed staff-memo to the House Education Committee].

The key-words that are extant are buried, yielding a fragmented presentation of sub-
topics ABSENT a cohesive, focused study of this trenchant concern.

Thus, we would want the statute to be REFINED incrementallyinvoking an approach
which Id first articulated within 48-hours of first learning of this issue in November.

Specifically, for grades 4
th
6
th
10
th
12
th
, age-sensitive study must be provided on
the topic of Holocuast, Genocide, and Human Rights Violations.

We concur that it would be ideal were Governor Corbett to sign the appropriate
legislation on International Holocaust Day [4/28/2014].

I am aware that some perceive a Chinese Wall to exist between the two chambers, but
your having remitted the discretionary amendment to Sen. Rafferty is PIVOTAL.

Whether intended or not, this is viewed as evidence of ongoing House-level
opposition [among leadership] to a Mandate, a logjam that can be broken.

Therefore, my goal is to convince you to modify this document and remit a
revision via the identical pathway you previously had employed.

I dont carry any proxy, but I daresay Sen. Rafferty would be PLEASED to be told that the
House would overwhelmingly support a Mandateand the caucus would act
accordingly.

Frankly, some of my colleagues have initiated efforts to recruit support from
the school-boards and the school-teachers, but this can be passed solely by the GOP.

Indeed, it shouldnt be partisan, and one could easily anticipate House-passage
[after senate-passage], recalling the 99-99 vote on Rep. Boyles Amendment.

Ill call you later-on today to discern if I have missed ANYTHING crucial in this succinct
summary of the salient features of this [should-never-have-arisen] controversy.

Thank you for you time!


From: Robert B. Sklaroff, M.D. [mailto:rsklaroff@gmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, March 29, 2014 12:24 AM
To: 'David Transue'; 'Stephen Miskin'
Cc: 'Rhonda Fink-Whitman'; 'gardened@comcast.net'; 'rboop@pasen.gov'; 'Brendan
Boyle'; 'Himebaugh, Nicholas A.'; 'jrafferty@pasen.gov'
Subject: Genocide/Curriculum - A Proposal

I reformulated the database, yielding my proposal [common ground of Amended-
Senate and Original-House versions], in the attachment.
[Just place me into a padded-cell with Mr. Hank Butler for two minutes and you will
necessarily witness conflict-resolution.]
This constitutes a free-standing summary [a Friday info-dump if you will] of everything
anyone articulated.
[Of course, please-advise ASAP if anything was omitted, and it will be promptly
circulated.]
Will call on Tuesday-a.m. for feedback [from either/both of you].

Robert B. Sklaroff, M.D., F.A.C.P.
Medical Oncology/Hematology Telephone: (215) 333-4900
Facsimile: (215) 333-2023
Smylie Times Building - Suite #500-C
8001 Roosevelt Boulevard rsklaroff@gmail.com
Philadelphia, PA 19152 http://www.doctor-bob.biz/rsklaroff

March 28, 2014

Holocaust Education Mandate
[analysis/synthesis/proposal]


Executive Summary: I propose that the House concur with the view that its
submission to the Senate be modified to account for glitches therein; the current
subject-listing must be revised by adding a Holocaust/Genocide/Human Rights
Violation unit [to be employed in an age-sensitive fashion in 4
th
, 6
th
, 10
th
, and 12
th

grades]. The topic, therefore, must be Mandated, with the DoE providing optional
curriculum consistent with Keystone Exams. And data-collection should be planned
to be accrued two academic years after initiation of this program, to determine what
constitutes the optimal program [or components thereof].

Provided in this memo is both an synthesis of the logic leading to the above
proposal, based upon all available data [pp. 1-4], and an analysis of the database that
had been accrued during the past four months [pp. 5-17]. All arguments promulgated
by both sides have been articulated in a disinterested fashion, during which time
the Mandatory lingo has evolved.

*

House Bill 1424 PN 2766 - Re-Reported as Amended, the key-legislation, has
provoked strife within the Jewish Community, yielding uncertainty within the
legislative realm; I have debunked claims of Mr. Hank Butler [representing the PA
Jewish Coalition (of myriad local Federations)] that this Mandate [1]would
constitute an unfunded-mandate, and/or [2]would establish precedent were it
to be adopted as a subject-mandate. Thus, opposition has morphed into a claim that
this Mandate [1]would constitute a burdensome mandate, and/or [2]would
trigger submission of a spate of provincial educational mandates. Here, respectively,
a subject mandate would be perceivable as less burdensome than submission of a
curriculum mandateone would thinkalthough this is what House leaders like;
also, advocates for the Holocaust/Genocide/Human Rights Violation Mandate
would view the threat of amendments favorably, for they either would already
have been subsumed by the overall topic or would easily be added to the aggregate-
unit, strengthening its impact.

Therefore, I have proposed that the Amendment-submission by the House Majority
Caucus Leadership be itself amended. The proposal [which has not been submitted
by any Senator] would call for the DoE to compose a cogent curriculum, predicated
on the concept that it has license to perform this task when the topic is to be
included in the Keystone Examinations; it would then call for a study to be
conducted in two years, through which data could be collected [for the first time]
regarding whether use of this curriculum worked.

It should be noted that Mr. Butler no longer represents one subset entity, namely,
the Jewish Federation; it flipped and now supports the Mandate, while Pittsburgh
apparently is still constituting the major support for portraying Jewish interests
statewide as opposing the Mandate. Candidly, once I had demonstrated that Mr.
Butler had acted so very deceitfully [e.g., convincing Republicans that the Mandate
imposed the horrid unfunded-mandate upon overburdened government], efforts
were directed towards undoing the harm he had done to whichever Republicans
would identify themselves to me. This approach led to todays chat with House-
GOP Staff, both of whom appear to have positions of high-respect; David Transue
is Senior Education Advisor to Republican Leadership and Steve Miskin is Press
Secretary to the Republican Leader at PA House of Representatives.

I would amend it because [1]it would be desirable to maintain the lingo of a
Mandate; and [2]it would be desirable to dispense with performing a study when
its results are intuitive [students who are instructed on this topic are apt to know
more than people who are not instructed on this topic]. Indeed, it would be
preferable to compare the efficacy of a DoE-curriculum with those that may be
chosen from another entity [or even self-composed]. Thus, a Mandate that would
maintain local control over the final-decision would allow for the DoE-authored
effort to compete with other programs.

As per the documents generated during the past four months, I have scrutinized this
issue while harboring the intent to achieve consensus, a perspective shared by Sen.
John Rafferty. Quite candidly, during [1]an introductory chat during a GOP-
Event; [2]a phone chat two days hence; and [3]an hour-long chat [1:1] @ the
MontCo GOP-Headquartersthere appeared to be a meeting-of-the-minds that had
culminated in passage of the Mandate-lingo [must supplanting may] by the
Senate Appropriations Committee. Some suggest an initial vote reflected the
existence of dissension, but the final-vote tally was unanimous
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/RCC/PUBLIC/listVoteSummary.cfm?sY
ear=2013&sInd=0&chamber=S&cteeCde=3&theDate=12/09/2013&rNbr=651
and, therefore, the bill languishes until it is submitted for a full Senate vote
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/BI/SFN/2013/0/HB1424P2766.pdf
which is not likely to transpire until logjams have been IDed and resolved.

The lobbying-effort has been maximal on an issue that should not be divisive, at-
first-blush, publicly by those supporting the Mandate and quietly by those
opposing it. Champions of this legislation have emerged (at various times) on a
bipartisan plane, and political theorists have conjured myriad explanations for what
has transpired and for what should be the goal. Being more linear than most, I
have taken people @ face-value and, candidly have been pleasantly surprised by the
warmth exuded by Sen. Rafferty [R] and Rep. Boyle [D]plus by their staffs; Ive
spoken with others and they should not feel slighted for not having been cited
herein, but these individuals stand-out as having conveyed a feeling that they get it.

Certain roadblocks appear to have been traversed, among them the bug-a-boo of the
GOP, the threat of an unfunded mandate. Noting that the fiscal-note is a one-time
$7000, arguments shifted to whether the 501 local school boards would recoil if
told to do this; those representing Phillys Holocaust Awareness Museum and
Education Center exemplify those who would gladly assist localities to whatever
degree desired [gratis], for they offer services ranging from handouts/movies to
educators/survivors [on-site and in Philly]; exemplifying this capacity is the fact that
~200 students were at the NE-Philly JCC today [3/28/2014], having arrived by bus-
caravan from Reading [for a 10 a.m.-noon program].

A key-concern is that the current statutory mandate [validated by provision of an
identical document from the DoE portal that is exclusively accessed by School
Boards] is, charitably-phrased, a FRAGMENTED amalgam of topics that SHOULD
be taught as a UNIT. Demonstrated, specifically, are: [1]absence of key-words,
[2]inclusion of key-words in-isolation, and [3]placement of key-words within
sub-sub-categories that dangle.

Specifically,

Genocide is buried
Conflict and Cooperation Among Social Groups and Organizations
Domestic Instability (political unrest, natural and man-made
disasters, genocide)
Nazi is REALLY buried
B. Evaluate historical documents,
material artifacts and historic sites
important to world history since 1450.
Documents, Writings and Oral
Traditions (e.g., Declaration of the
International Conference on
Sanctions Against South Africa;
Monroe Doctrine, Communist
Manifesto, Luthers Ninety-five
Theses)
Artifacts, Architecture and
Historic Places (e.g., Robben
Island, New York World Trade
Center, Hiroshima Ground Zero
Memorial, Nazi concentration
camps)
Historic districts (e.g., Timbuktu,
Centre of Mexico City and
Xochimilco, Taj Mahal and
Gardens, Kremlin and Red Square)
World War II appears twice in a generic context, with identical listings on pages 11 &
14
Military Conflicts (e.g., World
War I, World War II, Persian
Gulf War)
and the other terms [human rights Holocaust Armenia Cambodia] are
not covered.
In my opinion, the current state-of-affairs is dismal, crying for revision.

This is NOT to suggest that any one individual is responsible for this cursory
coverage, for it has probably evolved following a series of revisions; nevertheless, it
is what it is, and it clearly is grossly inadequate. Furthermore, it would not
necessitate public hearings to help people appreciate these conclusions, for they
cannot be disputed by any reasonable person.

Candidly, I would not want to have to ask the Dems to work on their pet
lobbying-groups [School Teachers and School Boards] just yet, noting that some
local entities endorsed the mandate; correct or incorrect, Rep. Boyle claims there are
150 positive House votes available for the Mandate were the bill to be released to the
floor. [Some may claim everything he is doing is geared towards the GOP-Primary
for the 13
th
Congressional District but, frankly, from a disinterested viewpoint, its
difficult to detect this dynamic.

In any case, Ive been told that the Senate wont move until its informed that the
House would look with favor upon whatever it would adopt; meanwhile, the House
awaits action by the Senate, hoping a bill can be signed on Holocaust Remembrance
Day [4/28/2014], with House leadership disclaiming any potential to impact
whatever the Senate might do. These two messages can be rectified without
damaging the credibility of either party, simply by noting that the House crossed the
Chinese Wall when it provided text to the Senates GOP-Caucus [as shown to me
by Sen. Rafferty, on his tablet] and, thus, the House can again cross the Wall by
amending what it had remitted, along the lines of what the Senate Appropriations
Committee has adopted. It can be provided impetus to do so by concurring with the
analysis herein, and then functioning accordinglyunraveling the Gordian Knot.

What to do?

[1]House Leadership must recognize that the current Statute is grossly inadequate;
Holocaust/Genocide/Human Rights Violation must be taught as a unit,
supplanting the fragmented presentation of some of these topics within headings
that are tangential to the profound lessons all students must learn in their formative
years [repeatedly], for the forces that have yielded these tragedies historically are
ever-present in contemporary newscasts.

[2]House Leadership must repudiate, therefore, a cursory coverage of this topic,
supplanting it with a cogent, comprehensive, curriculum that would then be
amenable to be included in the Keystone Examinations; legislation prompting the
DoE to compose this coursework should be promulgated, for OPTIONAL use by
the 501 local School Boards.

[3]After said-curriculum has been composed, this unit should be mandated for use
in all K-12 School Districts in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, although each
School Board would be empowered to choose which coursework curriculum to
implement in its locality; here, voluntary-entities could be invited to provide
educational-enhancements, being then reimbursed or functioning gratis as per
whatever private arrangements might be adopted.

[4]House Leadership should modify its suggested amendment accordingly,
until/unless any additional impediment might be conjured; indeed, all known
amendments [regarding individual ethnic concerns] should be scrutinized avidly to
determine if their adoption as friendly amendments would yield a superior
proposal that could obtain bipartisan support [or whether their intent would have
already been encompassed within the topic-triad].

Omitted from this Blast e-mail is the bottom section of the aforementioned hyperlink, which both
trashed the emanation from Hank Butler [point-by-point] and included an e-mail sent to him by the PDE
[that gently/firmly informed him that the PDE prefers curriculum be composed by local school boards].