Can history be taught in Vermont schools without teaching the Holocaust?
By William Moore
Does history teach us lessons that can change the way we see each other? And the way nations and people’s approach their differences? Can history show us how to avoid the mistakes of the past? History can begin a conversation but perhaps without it the conversation never starts?
Several Vermont based Holocaust education advocates joined with many Vermont legislators recently to call on the General Assembly to support Holocaust Education in all Vermont schools. They spoke in support of provisions of Senate Bill 167.
That bill would answer the above questions with Yes! Amid a tough slog for support of Holocaust Education in several bills, they explained at the Statehouse Cedar Creek Room recently why Holocaust History really matters.
As a main sponsor of the language and in stand-alone bills that urge teaching of the Holocaust in public schools, Rep. Avram Patt offered a personal story of his family. Along with Patt, Rep. Sarita Austin (D-Colchester) and Rep. Casey Toof (R-St. Albans) also urged the support of all other legislators as the Bill nears final steps in passage. It has passed the Senate and is currently awaiting the attention of House Education Committee Chair Rep. Peter Conlon.
Along with the legislators who spoke, Heidi Fishman, a Board Member of the Vermont Holocaust Memorial and author, sought to witness to the importance of the legislation with a personal story. Fishman spoke and displayed the doll her mother carried as she fled first Germany then the Netherlands to avoid Nazi persecutions and murder. That story is told vividly in her book “Tutti’s Promise” and is recommended for adults and young readers.
Fishman also stressed the early learning of “knowing what propaganda looks like” and noted that Vermont is one of only 10 states still not requiring the teaching of the Holocaust.
The Vermont Holocaust Memorial is a resource, a virtual educational organization — not a brick and mortar museum and advocates for Holocaust awareness and knowledge across all ages. https://www.holocaustmemorial-vt.org/
Aaron Goldberg, President of the Lost Mural Project offered the answer this way; in recent scientific polling the Millennial Holocaust Survey Knowledge & Awareness Survey concluded 79% of Millennials and Gen-Z believe that Holocaust Education is “a means of preventing another Holocaust”.
63% of the same respondents “do not know that 6 Million Jews were murdered and 36% thought that fewer than 2 Million Jews were murdered”. 64% of these youth believe that Holocaust education should be compulsory.
The Lost Mural Project organized a grassroots effort that completed the moving and painstaking restoration of the Lost Mural now located in the lobby of the Ohavi Zedek Synagogue in Burlington. In 2022 it was awarded one of only five Preservation Awards by the Preservation Trust of Vermont. That effort resulted in a living piece of art history directly birthed by the Holocaust experience of Vermont immigrants.
The Bill S.167, also referred to as the Miscellaneous Education Bill, contains a systematic request to ensure every school curriculum include Holocaust Education resources and components across Pre-K through 12th grade. It mandates nothing but seeks a Report back to the important committees via the Agency of Education as to what these School Districts are doing already. That Report would be provided by the Agency of Education to the 2026 General Assembly.
When published the report will inform legislators; “organized by supervisory union, regarding the inclusion of Holocaust education in curriculum across the State. Additionally, the report shall include an explanation of how curricula are developed, including an analysis of how Holocaust education fits into the standards for student performance adopted by the State Board of Education.” And –
“Included in the request from the Agency shall be Holocaust education resources, which shall be developed in consultation with the Vermont Holocaust Memorial.”
The Holocaust Education language in S. 167 was included by unanimous Vote in the Senate Education Committee and passed the entire Senate without opposition March 29.
The author is a Johnson resident.