A bill before the North Dakota House Education Committee would mandate the teaching of the Holocaust in schools.
Supporters of the bill say younger generations have little information on what happened in the Holocaust. Ron Inget is a pastor at New Life Church in Bismarck. He told the Committee education is the way to fight antisemitism – and he said there has been a rising tide of antisemitism in the US.
"The recent 2024 pro-Hamas protests and riots on college campuses all over this nation has demonstrated that the United States is seeing unprecedented levels of antisemitism," Inget told the Committee. "IN 2023, the Anti-Defamation League tabulated more than 8000 anti-Semitic incidences across the US< which is an increase in one year of 140 percent."
Some who testified say the state should not set any curriculum – but that the Department of Public Instruction should adopt standards. Aimee Copas is the executive director of the North Dakota Council of Educational Leaders. She suggested this language.
"Each school district shall provide grade-level appropriate Holocaust education," Copas told the Committee. "And it must be incorporated into the United States and World History curriculum as required."
The committee did not take immediate action on the bill.
