Bipartisan bill seeks to enhance Holocaust education in public schools

WASHINGTON - US Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada) and James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), introduced on Tuesday the Holocaust Education and Antisemitism Lessons (HEAL) Act, "to strengthen Holocaust education at public schools as well as awareness of available Holocaust educational resources in local communities."

A large bipartisan group of 60 lawmakers introduced the House version of the Bill earlier this year.

If signed into law, the bipartisan HEAL Act will direct the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to conduct a study on Holocaust education efforts in public schools nationwide, to determine which states and school districts require or do not require Holocaust education in their curriculum; identify the standards and requirements schools mandate on Holocaust education and identify the types and quality of instructional materials used to teach.

What are lawmakers saying about the bill?

Senator Rosen said in a statement that one of the most effective ways to combat the rise of anti-Jewish bigotry “is to improve how we teach about the Holocaust and talk about the dangers of antisemitism.” 

“Never again means ensuring we never forget the important lessons from one of history’s darkest chapters, and our bipartisan legislation will help ensure that Holocaust education in the US is accurate and comprehensive,” she said.

Senator Lankford said in a statement that “antisemitism and anti-Jewish crimes remain sadly on the rise in our nation and around the world.”

“Our HEAL Act will help assess the current Holocaust-related resources available to schools and communities to ensure educators have the tools they need to teach future generations about the atrocities of the Holocaust and the devastating impact of antisemitism,” he said.

Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League noted that “at a time of historically high antisemitic incidents and attitudes, a consistent and thorough Holocaust education curriculum is necessary to ensure that future generations are equipped with the knowledge and understanding needed to combat hatred and prejudice in all forms.”

Rep. Josh Gottheimer (New Jersey--D), the lead sponsor of the House version of that bill said that we all have an obligation to teach future generations about this evil. We have an obligation to try to heal our communities.

 “We cannot — and we must not — ever ignore the stunning rise in antisemitism and Holocaust denial — across Europe, around the world, and increasingly, here at home in the United States, including the violent, antisemitic attacks we have experienced in my own home state of New Jersey and around the country,” he said. “The mounting evidence that knowledge about the Holocaust is beginning to fade should also alarm us all.”