S-0773.2

SENATE BILL 5612

BySenators Rivers, Salomon, Frockt, Wilson, C., Carlyle, Billig, Wellman, Zeiger, Warnick, Palumbo, Pedersen, Van De Wege, Hasegawa, Holy, Hunt, Keiser, Kuderer, Liias, and O'Ban

AN ACT Relating to Holocaust education; amending RCW 28A.300.115; adding a new section to chapter 28A.300 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 28A.300.115 and 1992 c 24 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Every public middle school, junior high school, and high school is strongly encouraged 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 systemic, German state-sponsored persecution and murder of Jews and other innocent victims by the Nazi regime and its collaborators between the years 1933 and 1945. 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))of genocide and crimes against humanity. The studying of this material is intended to teach empathy, prepare students to be effective members of a pluralistic democracy, and be a reaffirmation of the commitment of free peoples never again to permit such occurrences.

(2) The office of the superintendent of public instruction ((may prepare and make available to all school districts instructional materials for use as guidelines for instruction under this section))must partner with expert Washington nonprofit organizations that teach the lessons of the Holocaust and support and train Washington teachers in instructing the lessons of the Holocaust or other acts of genocide to:

(b) Encourage and support middle school, junior high school, and high school teachers in implementing these best practices and curricula.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:

Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, and in order to broaden the reach of the instruction to public school students, the office of the superintendent of public instruction must work with expert Washington nonprofit organizations that teach the lessons of the Holocaust and support and train Washington teachers in instructing the lessons of the Holocaust and other acts of genocide to train middle school, junior high school, and high school teachers, who teach in subjects relevant to the topic, on using the best practices and curricula for the high-quality instruction developed under RCW 28A.300.115.

(a) How the best practices and curricula for high-quality instruction on the events of the period in modern world history known as the Holocaust developed under RCW 28A.300.115 are being implemented statewide;

(b) Whether, and how, the best practices and curricula should be modified;

(c) The number of teachers trained and supported on using the best practices and curricula in the past two years; and

(d) Whether the curricula should be required in public schools, and if so, in which grades.

(2) By December 12, 2022, and in compliance with RCW 43.01.036, the office of the superintendent of public instruction must summarize the feedback collected under subsection (1) of this section and report it to the appropriate committees of the legislature with a recommendation about whether the curricula should be required in public schools, and if so, in which grades.

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