French President Nicholas Sarkozy has stirred a hornet's nest by suggesting that all French schoolchildren should study the 11,000 French children who died in the Holocaust.

He wants every 10-year-old to know the name and life story of an individual Jewish child who died. Apparently, some of his critics are worried that kids will be traumatized by identifying with these victims.

"I don't think we can impose remembrance," former Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said. Having pupils "adopt" a Holocaust victim was "something very heavy to carry around."

I think it's a great idea that other nations should copy. It preserves memory and helps educate a new generation. Ten-year-olds are more resilient than people realize. I'm generally impressed with Sarkozy. He's a breath of fresh air for France which has an unfortunate history with regard to the Jews and Israel and a fast-growing Muslim population, some of whom seem attracted to extremism and anti-Semitism.