FINAL BILL REPORT

SSB 5612

C 85 L 19

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Concerning Holocaust education.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education (originally sponsored by Senators Rivers, Salomon, Frockt, Wilson, C., Carlyle, Billig, Wellman, Zeiger, Warnick, Palumbo, Pedersen, Van De Wege, Hasegawa, Holy, Hunt, Keiser, Kuderer, Liias and O'Ban).

Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

House Committee on Education

Background: Current state law encourages every public high school to include in its curriculum instruction on the events of the period in modern world history known as the Holocaust, during which six million Jews and millions of non-Jews were exterminated. The instruction may also include other examples from both ancient and modern history where subcultures or large human populations have been eradicated by the acts of humankind. Studying this material is a reaffirmation of the commitment of free peoples never again to permit such occurrences.

The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) may prepare and make available instructional materials for use as guidelines for this instruction.

Summary: Holocaust Instruction. Every public middle, junior high, and high school are strongly encouraged to include instruction on the events of the Holocaust, which is defined as the systemic, German state-sponsored persecution and murder of Jews and other innocent victims by the Nazi regime and its collaborators between the years 1933-1945. The instruction may also include other examples of genocide and crimes against humanity.

In addition to this study being a reaffirmation to never again permit such occurrences, studying this material is intended to examine the ramifications of prejudice, racism, and intolerance and prepare students to be responsible citizens in a pluralistic democracy.

Best Practices and Guidelines. OSPI, in collaboration with an expert Washington nonprofit organization that teaches the lessons of the Holocaust, must:

• develop best practices and guidelines for high quality instruction;

• encourage and support middle, junior high, and high school teachers in implementing them; and

• train teachers who teach in subjects relevant to the topic subject to appropriations.

Beginning September 1, 2020, middle, junior high, and high schools offering this instruction must follow the best practices and guidelines that are developed.

OSPI must electronically publish the best practices and guidelines on an annual basis.

Report. By November 14, 2022, OSPI must collect feedback from expert Washington nonprofit organizations about:

• how the best practices and guidelines for high quality instruction are being implemented statewide;

• whether and how the best practices and guidelines should be modified;

• the number of teachers trained and supported in the past two years; and

• whether instruction should be required in public schools, and if so, in which grades.

By December 12, 2022, OSPI must work with expert Washington nonprofit organizations to summarize the feedback and report it to the Legislature with a recommendation about whether instruction should be required in public schools, and if so, in which grades.

Votes on Final Passage: