Senate Bill S8673

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S8673

SPONSOR: MAYER
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to requiring the regents
of the university of the state of New York to make available to all
public and private schools in the state materials and pacing guides to
aid in the instruction of the Holocaust and other genocides

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To require SED to make available resources to support public and non-
public schools in teaching about the Holocaust and other genocides.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends section 801 of the education law by adding a new subdi-
vision 6 to require the state education department, subject to the
availability of funds, to make available materials and pacing guides to
aid schools in instructing students in the Holocaust and other geno-
cides. The regents must consult with Holocaust centers in developing
              

these materials, and must review and update them at least every ten
years.

Section 2 sets forth the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

New York, states across the country, and indeed, institutions across the
world, have long understood the value and importance of teaching young
people about the Holocaust. The United Nations encourages governments to
develop programs to teach their citizens about the Holocaust. UNESCO
notes that Holocaust education instills in students the necessity of
promoting human rights, the value of solidarity between people and
communities, and an understanding of the capacity of human beings to
commit terrible wrongs.'

Unfortunately, national surveys find that young people know less about
the Holocaust than older adults. And many Americans of all ages lack
basic knowledge about the Holocaust: fewer than half of Americans know
how many Jews were killed in the Holocaust or that Hitler came to power
through a democratic political process.2

As the last generation of Holocaust survivors age and living memory of
the Holocaust is lost, and in a time of rising antisemitism, it is more
important than ever to ensure young people have an opportunity to learn
about the Holocaust in a robust way and to hear the stories of, survi-
vors.

New York State law requires the Board of Regents to prescribe course of
instruction in "patriotism, citizenship, and human rights issues with
particular attention to the study of the inhumanity of genocide" and the
Holocaust.3 Chapter 490 of the Laws of 2022 required the State Education
Department to survey all districts in New York State to confirm they
were complying with the requirements in education law and the Social
Studies Learning Standards developed by the Board of Regents. While the
survey indicated that all districts are complying with the statutory
requirements, the results offered little qualitative information about
Holocaust education in New York State.  Anecdotal evidence suggests that
not every school is providing high quality, robust education about the
Holocaust.

This bill aims to facilitate high quality education on the Holocaust and
other genocides by requiring the State Education Department to make
available materials and pacing guides to aid in instruction of students
in the Holocaust and other genocides. The materials must be age appro-
priate and consistent with the K-12 Social Studies Framework. Further,
the SED must review the materials and update them as needed every 10
years.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
1 "Education About the Holocaust and Preventing Genocide: a Policy
Guide." United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization.
2017. Accessed February 13, 2024 at https://doi.org/10.54675/0SJZ5002.
2 "What Americans Know About the Holocaust." Pew Research Center.
Accessed on February 13, 2024 at
https://www.pewresearch.om/reliqion/2020/01/22/what-americans-know-about
-the-holocaust/Meens.
3 Section 801 of the Education Law.