Currently, Pennsylvania schools are not required to teach about the Holocaust, genocide, or other human rights violations. This lack of education contributes to alarming gaps in historical knowledge, with more than one in ten young adults in a study reporting that they have never heard of the Holocaust. As Holocaust survivors age and pass away, their stories risk being lost forever, leaving future generations without firsthand accounts of the atrocities or the knowledge to prevent history from repeating itself.
 
My legislation would require all Pennsylvania schools to teach about the Holocaust, genocide, and human rights violations. Schools would be able to utilize educational instruction and resources already developed and provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to teach this material in an age-appropriate way.
 
Holocaust education is more than just a history lesson: it fosters empathy, combats ignorance, and challenges discrimination. By ensuring all students learn about human rights violations such as the Holocaust, we can promote a more inclusive and ethically responsible society. This education benefits all Pennsylvanians by encouraging understanding and acceptance of others.
 
Please join me in co-sponsoring this legislation to ensure that every Pennsylvania student learns about the Holocaust and its ongoing implications. Together, we can honor the victims and ensure their stories are not forgotten by future generations.