COMMITTEES

THE ASSEMBLY Codes

STATE OF NEW YORK Health

Higher Education
ALBANY Insurance
Judiciary

CHARLES D. LAVINE
Assemblyman 13th District

CHAIR
Ethics and Guidance Committee

CO-CHAIR
Legislative Ethics Commission

April 2, 2017

Via Email

Dr. MaryEllen Elia

Commissioner of Education & President
of the University of the State of New York
New York State Education Building
89 Washington Avenue
Albany, New York 12234

Re: Condemnation of Prejudicial Assignment

Dear Commissioner Elia:

I write out of a sense of grave alarm over an egregious

assignment given to students of Oswegos New Visions Program who
were told to argue pro and con the merit of the ritualized
slaughter of 6 million defenseless Jewish civilians by the Nazis
and their allies.

This abhorrent instance follows a State Education department

apology in February 2017 over the inclusion of an Anti-Israeli
cartoon in a Regents examination.

I am sincerely troubled that sources have reported that you

defended the nature of the assignment.

I am the President of the New York Chapter of the National

Association of Jewish Legislators and a member of its national
board of directors. I do not, however, write solely in that
capacity.

ALBANY OFFICE: Room 441, Legislative Office Building, Albany, New York 12248 (518) 455-5456 FAX (518) 455-5467
DISTRICT OFFICE: 70 Glen Street, Suite 249, Glen Cove, New York 11542 (516) 676-0050 FAX (516) 676-0071
EMAIL: lavinec@assembly.state.ny.us
 COMMITTEES
THE ASSEMBLY Codes

STATE OF NEW YORK Health

Higher Education
ALBANY Insurance
Judiciary

CHARLES D. LAVINE
Assemblyman 13th District

CHAIR
Ethics and Guidance Committee

CO-CHAIR
Legislative Ethics Commission

I record my protest as someone who has experienced Anti-Semitism

and as someone whose entire European family--every single man,
woman and child--was murdered in the coldest blood by the Nazis
and their allies.

Dr. MaryEllen Elia

April 2, 2017
Page 2

I demand a public apology from the Oswego program and I demand

that you clarify and elaborate upon your apparent defense of the
assignment.

I urge you to recall that the Superintendent of the Albany

School District publicly apologized for a similar assignment in
April of 2013.

Will you please respond at your very earliest possible

convenience?

Sincerely,

Charles Lavine

cc: NAJL Members

ALBANY OFFICE: Room 441, Legislative Office Building, Albany, New York 12248 (518) 455-5456 FAX (518) 455-5467
DISTRICT OFFICE: 70 Glen Street, Suite 249, Glen Cove, New York 11542 (516) 676-0050 FAX (516) 676-0071
EMAIL: lavinec@assembly.state.ny.us
 COMMITTEES
THE ASSEMBLY Codes

STATE OF NEW YORK Health

Higher Education
ALBANY Insurance
Judiciary

CHARLES D. LAVINE
Assemblyman 13th District

CHAIR
Ethics and Guidance Committee

CO-CHAIR
Legislative Ethics Commission

ALBANY OFFICE: Room 441, Legislative Office Building, Albany, New York 12248 (518) 455-5456 FAX (518) 455-5467
DISTRICT OFFICE: 70 Glen Street, Suite 249, Glen Cove, New York 11542 (516) 676-0050 FAX (516) 676-0071
EMAIL: lavinec@assembly.state.ny.us