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Vernonia student tells board he never learned about the Holocaust, urges implementation of SB 664
Summary
High-school student Elam Saloa told the Vernonia School District board he never received instruction on the Holocaust or other genocides and urged the district to implement Senate Bill 664requirements so future students learn about past and present genocides.
A Vernonia High School student told the school board during public comment that he has never learned about the Holocaust or other genocides in district classes and asked the board to ensure state-mandated lessons reach all students.
"I have never learned about the Holocaust or other genocides in my school," Elam Saloa said, noting Senate Bill 664 passed in 2019 and set an implementation deadline for the 2020-21 school year. Saloa, who identified himself as a student at Vernonia since kindergarten, said he learned these topics on his own and urged the board to bring the lessons into classrooms so students "understand why it's important to stand up against injustice."
The comment came during the meeting's public-comment period, which the board had moved earlier on the agenda. Board members acknowledged the request and placed a follow-up item on the next meeting agenda for staff to report back on the district's implementation status and options for curricular materials.
The student framed the request as both historical and timely, mentioning contemporary conflicts by name in his remarks. Board members said they would provide information at the next meeting about where the district stands with state guidance and what changes, if any, are needed to meet statutory requirements.
