The Holocaust was a mass genocide consisting of horrifying treatment and the murder of millions of innocent people. There is simply no other way to put it.

A recent survey taken in the Southlake School District in Texas, showed that students often do not know what the Holocaust was, who was targeted, the enormous number of people who were brutally murdered and cannot name a single of the hundreds of concentration camps in Europe. The school district’s reaction to this revelation was the absurd proposal that there should be “opposing views” taught on the Holocaust, some even denying its occurrence.

It is truly heartbreaking that children and adults in the state of Texas have such little knowledge of the Holocaust. 

The history of the Holocaust is well documented, and there is no “opposing view” to study. 

As a proud Jew, hearing that there are people in our country who believe otherwise, was frightening and disturbing. It is tragic that there are such misinformed and uneducated people who not only believe this false information but actively teach it to the next generation.

There is a powerful quote, attributed to multiple people, that says, “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” This is my greatest fear. If we cannot learn from our mistakes as a society, we are bound to regret it in the future.

Now, more than ever, with the remaining Holocaust survivors slowly passing, it is so important that children learn the truth.

Furthermore, this failure to acknowledge the Holocaust is not only ignorant of a horrible event in history, but also dishonoring to the millions of people who were tortured and killed.

We can do better than this. Education is so important and that starts in the schools. I am so grateful for the incredible job that West Hartford Public Schools does in incorporating history and societal issues into our curriculum with Community. Though I know it can be hard to stay focused and give it your all in your Community class, it is so important to stay involved and connected.

I challenge you to try your hardest to participate in the next Community lesson, whether that’s sharing an idea with one person, the entire group or just giving it your full attention. The future is in our hands and we cannot let ourselves forget the past.