Woooow! I wish my professors of universal history would have had the passion and you commitment for your students learn even the hardest lessons.

In my case, I remember that the teachers focused on the domain we had over the dates (without teaching us to understand why), but perhaps the children, youth and adults of my country (Venezuela), are learning and understanding more about history than what they explain in the classrooms.

I was very struck by what you write in your post:

Others were executed for being enemies of the revolution. One common "crime" against the regime was to be well educated.

This part moves the deepest part of me because in effect it is what the government regime that we have does:
-The food is suppressed (and a hungry child only thinks about eating and not about learning)
-They suppress medicines and a sick child only thinks about being healthy

I congratulate you, I admire the effort in your classes. Hopefully one day they can study the Venezuelan case, where many die of hunger, others for not having medicines to cure themselves and although there is no genocide many flee to other countries to find a way out.