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Authorities with D.C. Public Schools have launched an investigation after reports that a staff member had third-graders reenact elements of the Holocaust.
The incident happened during a library class, the Washington Post reported. Officials said that the staff member, who has not been identified, made students simulate shooting their classmates and then had them pretend to dig mass graves. The instructor even told one of the students they would be portraying Hitler.
The mother of one of the students told WTTG that her child was instructed to pretend to choke and die in a gas chamber.
"They are traumatized. One parent said that their child was worried the teacher in question was hiding at their house. Children are having nightmares and generally having a very hard time," she told the news station.
School officials said that the instructor has been placed on leave while they investigate the incident.
"Earlier today, we received a report of a classroom of students receiving a lesson that included portraying different perspectives of the Holocaust," Principal MScott Berkowitz wrote in a letter to parents.
"Students should never be tasked with acting out any atrocity, especially genocide and war. Additionally, there were allegations of a staff member using hate speech during the lesson, which is unacceptable and not tolerated at our school," the letter said.