Both teacher and student have compromised on each other's opinions. This proves that if people try, they can understand each other. Our tenth grade English class had just finished reading Remarque's book, All Quiet on the Western Front, the story of WW I from a German boy's narration, and I think most of the students were interested in this book and enjoyed the film version when we finished. We had some lively discussions about war, weapons, Germany's loss, and the Treaty of Versailles. The book just led perfectly into the next book the class was going to read, and that was Elie Wiesel's autobiography, Night.
History is history, and it happened a long time ago.
I think the question was a valid one, but the tone in which it was said, just surprised me, I guess. The student sounded angry, and I felt that to go too far in explanation or defense of the book, Night, would be tricky. Luckily, the bell rang, and after leaving the class, my head was still ringing with her question. I saw a colleague and told him what happened, and I'm glad now that he was just there to let me talk about the experience. We both agreed that it would be a challenge.