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House committee hears broad support and some objections to mandatory Holocaust education bill
Summary
Lawmakers and dozens of witnesses told the House Education Committee that Holocaust instruction should be guaranteed in North Dakota schools; supporters urged adding contemporary antisemitism content and the IHRA definition, while civil liberties and some educators urged narrower standards-based approaches or broader inclusions.
The House Education Committee on Wednesday heard more than an hour of testimony on House Bill 15‑27, which would require Holocaust education in K–12 schools and ask the Department of Public Instruction to report back to legislative management on implementation.
Representative Roger Mackey (R‑District 26), who presented the bill, told the committee that "no matter the demographic of the school population, students should have an opportunity to learn about the Holocaust." Mackey said the measure is intended to ensure the subject is not omitted by local districts and to create a reporting mechanism.
The bill drew support from educators, faith leaders and Jewish‑community groups. Amy Kopas, executive director of the North Dakota Council of Educational Leaders, urged lawmakers to use the state's standards‑review process…
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