SPONSOR:

Rep. Heffernan & Rep. Longhurst & Rep. Griffith & Rep. Spiegelman & Sen. McDowell & Sen. Sturgeon & Sen. Cloutier

Reps. Baumbach, Briggs King, Dukes, Jaques, Lynn, Osienski, D. Short, Viola, K. Williams; Sens. Lockman, Paradee, Richardson, Sokola, Townsend

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

150th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 318

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO HOLOCAUST AND GENOCIDE EDUCATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend Chapter 41, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 4141. Holocaust instruction.

(a) The Department of Education, with the approval of the State Board of Education, shall establish and implement a statewide curriculum on the Holocaust and genocide in grades 6 through 12 in each school district and charter school in this State.

(b) The study of the Holocaust serves as a frame of reference and prepares students to learn about other genocides throughout history. The study of the Holocaust and genocide is intended to do all of the following:

(1) Examine the ramifications of prejudice, racism, and intolerance.

(2) Prepare students to be responsible citizens in a pluralistic democracy.

(3) Reaffirm the commitment of free peoples to never again permit such occurrences.

(c) Instruction required under this section must be designed to do all of the following:

(1) Prepare students to confront the immorality of the Holocaust, genocide, slavery, and other acts of mass violence and to reflect on the causes of related historical events.

(2) Develop students’ respect for cultural diversity and help students gain insight into the importance of the protection of international human rights for all people.

(3) Promote students’ understanding of how the Holocaust contributed to the need for the term “genocide” and led to international legislation that recognized genocide as a crime.

(4) Stimulate students’ reflection on the roles and responsibilities of citizens in democratic societies to combat misinformation, indifference, and discrimination through tools of resistance such as protest, reform, and celebration.

(5) Provide students with opportunities to contextualize and analyze patterns of human behavior by individuals and groups who belong in 1 or more categories, including perpetrator, collaborator, bystander, victim, and rescuer.

(6) Enable students to understand the ramifications of prejudice, racism, and stereotyping.

(7) Preserve the memories of survivors of genocide and provide opportunities for students to discuss and honor survivors’ cultural legacies.

(8) Provide students with a foundation for examining the history of discrimination in this State.

(9) Explore the various mechanisms of transitional and restorative justice that help humanity move forward in the aftermath of genocide.

(d) In establishing and implementing a statewide curriculum on the Holocaust and genocide under this section, the Department of Education shall consult with organizations that have the primary purpose of providing education about the Holocaust, including the Halina Wind Preston Holocaust Education Committee of the Jewish Federation of Delaware.

(e) School districts and charters schools shall provide in-service training required under this section within the contracted school year, as “contracted school year” is defined in § 1305(e) of this title.

(f) The Department of Education may, with the approval of the State Board of Education, adopt regulations to implement and enforce this section.

Section 2. This Act is effective immediately and must be implemented during the 2021-2022 school year.

SYNOPSIS

This Act requires the Department of Education to establish and implement a curriculum on the Holocaust and genocide for students in grades 6 through 12. Teaching the lessons learned from the Holocaust and other genocides helps cultivate the spirit of human resilience, courage, heroism, and tolerance. Education about the Holocaust and genocide provide a context to learn about the danger that befalls us when hatred goes unchallenged and there is indifference in the face of oppression of others. The Halina Wind Preston Holocaust Education Committee can provide guidance, academic content assistance, resources, and assistance with curricula development to deliver quality Holocaust and genocide education.