Posted on May 7, 2018
HARTFORD – State Representative Mitch Bolinsky (R-Newtown) spoke and voted in favor of legislation that will require public school districts to teach Holocaust and genocide education and awareness within their curricula. The bill, S.B. 452 An Act Concerning the Inclusion of Holocaust and Genocide Education and Awareness in the Social Studies Curriculum, received unanimous bipartisan support in both the House and Senate and is heading to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law.
“Knowledge of history is our only way to maintain our perspective to not repeat mistakes and atrocities. Genocide takes years to develop through cultural misunderstandings and if our school children are unaware of the facts it can lead to a situation that allows the future victimization of groups of people. In Nazi Germany, anyone that was not of the Arian race was considered expendable. They were cast as inferior. But the Holocaust was far more the systemic attempt to extinct the Jews. It was a twisted attempt to also bring an end to Germany’s and the world’s people of color, Gypsies and anyone who was nothing more than different,” explained Bolinsky.
According to Bolinsky, among the 6-million Jews exterminated in the Holocaust, 1.5 million were innocent children. He also reminded his colleagues that the genocidal toll of the Holocaust included another 6-million souls who lost their lives because of their race, color, or religious affiliations.
Bolinsky further said, “I’m proud of the role America played in defeating the Nazis, liberating survivors and documenting the atrocities. We have a sacred obligation to the children in our state to educate them on the dangers of stereotyping people based on human constructs like race or religion. We must stand for the weak , teach our children to see the signs of persecution and prepare them with the courage to act. This bill is a small step to ensure that we will Never Forget.”
Please click here, to view Rep. Bolinsky’s remarks from the House Floor. The Governor is expected to sign this legislation into law over the coming days.
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