The state House passes a bill that would require Louisiana public high schools to spend more time teaching students about the Holocaust and World War Two. Denham Springs Representative Valarie Hodges says students and young adults know very little about the murder of six million Jews by the Nazi regime.
“56% of millennials and Generation Zs do not even know what Auschwitz was, 63% do not know ix-million Jews died,” said Hodges.
Hodges says currently public schools are only required to spend one semester teaching students about the Holocaust and World War Two, but she believes it’s a topic that should be discussed throughout a child’s high school career.
“How America went to battle with the rest of the world and united with the rest of the world to bring down the most hideous extinction in mankind I believe,” said Hodges.
The bill passed on a 66-32 vote. Several Black lawmakers voted against the bill after Baton Rouge Representative Ted James tried to amend the bill to also include the required instruction of significant figures in Black history.
“If we are going to go down this road and make these types of recommendations and put these things in policy that I wanted to make sure that I had things that I felt were important as well,” said James.
James’ amendment failed on a 45-51 vote. The bill still needs House approval.
Comments