PHOENIX, AZ — Rep. Alma Hernandez’s bill strengthening instruction about the Holocaust and other genocides in Arizona’s schools was signed by Governor Doug Ducey on Thursday. Holocaust survivors, students, other lawmakers and educators joined the governor and Hernandez at the ceremonial signing.
The legislation requires young Arizonans to learn the enduring lessons of the Holocaust and the tragic consequences of religious and racial intolerance.
House Bill 2241 will require the State Board of Education to adopt requirements for students to be taught about the Holocaust and other genocides at least twice between 7th and 12th grades. Representative Alma Hernandez, an unwavering advocate for Holocaust survivors and Arizona’s Jewish community, sponsored the legislation.
“I can’t begin to express how proud I am to see this important legislation get signed,” said Hernandez. “Thank you to the Holocaust survivors, advocates, students and community leaders who supported House Bill 2241. This is a big win for not only Arizona’s Jewish community, but for the future of our state. My thanks also goes to Governor Ducey for his continued support in our efforts to reject antisemitism and expand Holocaust education.”
According to a Pew Research Center study conducted in 2019, fewer than half of respondents could correctly answer multiple-choice questions about the number of Jewish individuals who were murdered during the Holocaust or the way that Adolf Hitler came to power.