On February 15th, Iowa House Bill HF-2545 was signed into law, introducing mandatory holocaust education in Iowa schools. This event represents growing recognition of the need for comprehensive education on this tragedy in order to combat the threat of rising antisemitism in America.
The signing took place at temple Emmanuel, where governor Kim Reynolds met with leaders of the Jewish community in the Quad Cities, who were in support of the legislation.
Titled “A bill for an act providing for education on the Holocaust for students and teachers in school districts,”, this legislation outlined new education standards for holocaust curriculum as well as justification for the addition to curriculum requirements. According to House File 247, a segment from a similar bill that also attempted to mandate holocaust education, antisemitism “remains a persistent, pervasive and disturbing problem in contemporary American society” and “it is a matter of high priority that students in this state be educated concerning the Holocaust.”
The bill goes on to depict key topics for classrooms to address, including (but not limited to) causes of the holocaust, the history of antisemitism and societal response to the holocaust.
Both pieces of legislation represent a part of a larger nationwide initiative to bring attention to the holocaust within schooling. While the bill does not cite sources within its text, statistics point toward an decreasing trend in holocaust knowledge and awareness among Americans. 31 percent of Americans and more than 4 in 10 millennials believe that substantially less than 6 million Jews were killed during the holocaust. Additionally, 7 out of 10 of those surveyed answered that “fewer people seem to care about the Holocaust than they used to.”
Students have noticed the lack of education surrounding the Holocaust. “It’s very upsetting that people don’t know about the true scale of this tragedy, and I think it’s important that we teach these topics so that something like this never happens again,” stated senior Lucas Haas.
In addition to the troubling statistics related to holocaust knowledge, antisemitic rhetoric has been on the rise following the war in Gaza. Claims have been made against online “anti-zionist” groups regarding antisemitic rhetoric, and recent protests against the war in Gaza have left Jewish students feeling threatened on college campuses across the country.
Senior Reid Yoder recognized the harm in this developing trend. “It’s a shame that people don’t know what happened overseas and how that can be affecting others in their own school community,” he explained.
In past years, it has become clear that action needs to be taken to prevent another holocaust; education mandates like HF-2545 are laying the foundation for a brighter future. By teaching topics that are both meaningful in American history and safeguarding against antisemitism, educators can ensure future generations are informed about the atrocities of the past, fostering empathy, tolerance and a commitment to preventing similar tragedies.
