SAN ANTONIO – Advocates praised the passage of SB1828 two years ago, designating the last week of January as Holocaust Remembrance Week in Texas public schools.
Holocaust Remembrance Week coincides with the liberation of more than 7,000 Jews who survived the horrors of Auschwitz.
“We were very grateful that finally, some meaningful Holocaust education would take place…rather than students just learning that six million Jews died during World War Two,” said Varna Ratner, who is among the volunteers who initiated and championed SB1828.
The bipartisan bill, which had unanimous support, gives teachers in grades K-12 the option to focus on the history and lessons from the Holocaust during the last week of January.
Ratner said there are teachers who are doing “really remarkable, meaningful week-long lessons” while other schools are taking a different approach.
“Some schools are only doing like an announcement in the morning that it’s Holocaust Remembrance Week, and maybe it’s teaching one little bit in their announcement,” Ratner said.
“Does watching a movie during the week fulfill the requirement of educating the children? We don’t think so,” said Nammie Ichilov, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of San Antonio.
However, as a former educator, Ichilov said he understands if a teacher feels uncomfortable or unprepared to tell their students about the Holocaust even if they’re trying to do it in an age-appropriate manner.
“I would probably say there are people who simply don’t understand how to do it,” Ichilov said.
To help them, Ichilov said the Jewish Federation of San Antonio and Holocaust Memorial Museum have resources for educators and students alike, as well as student tours, traveling exhibits and virtual lectures.
“We really want to be able to reach out to the districts and let them know we are here as your partner in helping your teachers fulfill this mandate,” Ichilov said.
For teachers who choose to teach the Holocaust, Ichilov said the Jewish Federation has a training session scheduled for Dec. 8.
“I personally think we need to do widespread teacher training,” Ratner said.
Sharon Greenwald, another SB1828 advocate, said she’d rather see the law amended, “so that all school districts are accountable to teach one week of tolerance and empathy for all identities.”
State Sen. Jose Menendez, who sponsored SB1828, released the following statement regarding the bill:
“In light of the recent anti-Semitic protests in San Antonio and across the State of Texas, it is more necessary than ever to ensure future generations do not forget nor question the atrocities of the Holocaust. Through providing students with historical facts directly from the Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission, our students will not only be educated about the Holocaust, but will also have a sense of responsibility to recognize and uphold human value. While it is not currently mandatory, our office will fight to ensure that the Holocaust and Holocaust Remembrance Week is taught in our public schools and continue to stand against this attempt to erase history.”