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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 rather than prescribe classroom curriculum in statute: "I would encourage you to look at this as a possible amendment" so the state superintendent can fold Holocaust content into the K–12 history standards, she said. Kopas also proposed making the Holocaust a required "power standard" so it is consistently taught.
Several witnesses asked the committee to add the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism so instruction can address modern manifestations of antisemitism. Jake Bennett of the Israeli American Coalition for Action said adding the IHRA definition "is an absolute necessity to carrying out the intent of this bill" and argued it would help teachers distinguish contemporary antisemitism from legitimate criticism of Israel.
Speakers who described family experiences said the subject is essential. Ruth Jortsma, testifying as a private citizen, recounted how members of her family in the Netherlands sheltered people during World War II and said "future generations need to understand what happened and how it happened." Pastor Ron Ingett of Christians United for Israel warned of a reported rise in antisemitic incidents and said education is a primary response.
Opponents urged changes or expressed concerns. Andrew Alexis Farvel said the bill's proposed curriculum language is too prescriptive and risks imposing a single political framing. Cody Schuler of the American Civil Liberties Union said the bill as written is "incomplete" and urged amendments to ensure the curriculum addresses all groups targeted during the Holocaust, including LGBTQ+ victims, and to avoid First Amendment pitfalls around definitions of hate.
Department of Public Instruction assistant director Devon Eldridge told the committee the department can incorporate Holocaust content into the social‑studies standards and noted standards review and revision are on a multi‑year cycle; she said major standards work typically uses external facilitators and can cost in the range the department has used previously for similar reviews.
No committee vote was recorded during the hearing. Lawmakers asked staff and the department questions about timing, costs, and whether the committee should add a standards‑review approach instead of prescribing curriculum into Century Code.
The committee will decide later whether to amend the bill to rely on the state standards cycle or keep statutory language that would require reporting to legislative management.
