On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus Rep. Katherine Clark joined the U.S. House of Representatives in passing the Never Again Education Act, bipartisan legislation to provide states and schools with the resources they need to bring Holocaust education into their classrooms.
“From the mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pennsylvania to the violence that occurred in our own community of Arlington, Massachusetts, we are seeing a surge in anti-Semitic bigotry and violence in this country that must be confronted and condemned,” said Clark. “Education and understanding are the greatest weapons against intolerance. This important legislation will help ensure that all our children learn and understand how bigotry and hate are perpetuated in society so that we may never again allow these dangers to grow unchecked.”
“We are pleased that the House has taken action, on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, to ensure that the lessons of the Holocaust will be passed from one generation to the next,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO and national director of the Anti-Defamation League. “We look forward to this law’s swift passage and to working closely with teachers and districts to ensure that Holocaust education is uniform and consistent across the country.”
According to the Anti-Defamation League, acts of anti-Semitism have been on the rise since 2014, with 2017 being the worst year for anti-Semitic hate crimes in the United States since the group began tracking this data in the 1970s.
The Never Again Education Act will:
• Extend the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s education programming to teachers across the country, requiring the museum to develop and disseminate accurate, relevant and accessible resources to improve awareness and understanding of the Holocaust and educate individuals on the lessons of the Holocaust as a means to promote the importance of preventing genocide, hate, and bigotry against any group of people.
• Support and expand a centralized website maintained by the Holocaust Museum where educators can find curriculum materials. Funding through this bill may also be used to support teachers in bringing the lessons of the Holocaust into their classrooms in other ways, including developing, disseminating, and implementing principles of sound pedagogy, increasing engagement with state and local education leaders to encourage the adoption of these resources, and evaluating and assessing the effectiveness and impact of Holocaust education programs.
• Support an expansion of the museum’s professional development programs, through activities such as local, regional, and national workshops, teacher trainings with Holocaust education centers and other partners, and engagement with local educational agencies and schools.
• Authorize $10 million dollars over five years to go to these activities.
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