Rep. O’Dea Supports Bill Requiring Holocaust Education in Social Studies Curriculum

HARTFORD – State Representative Tom O’Dea (R-New Canaan, Wilton), Deputy House Republican Leader-at-Large, voted in favor of S.B. 452, An Act Concerning the Inclusion of Holocaust and Genocide Education and Awareness in the Social Studies Curriculum.

“The Jewish population has still not recovered since 1939,” Rep. O’Dea said. “In fact, there were more Jewish people in the world in 1939 than there are today. That is disturbing. Genocide is not something unique to World War II. It is still persistent today, and we cannot ignore it. The events of the Holocaust are a lesson in the dark side of humanity, and it is something that we must teach our children before they enter the real world so they understand. We must teach our youth about the mistakes of the past because if we do not, they are doomed to repeat them. As long as I am alive, I will continue to fight against these atrocities.”

This bill would take effect for the upcoming school year beginning in the fall of 2018. Boards of Education are encouraged to utilize both existing material, public and private, as well as outside gifts, grants, donations and in-kind donations. In a recent study, twenty-two percent of millennials and over ten percent of adults said they had not heard of the Holocaust. Rep. O’Dea and his colleagues in the legislature introduced and passed this legislation because they believe educating the public about these events is the most effective way to combat them in the future.

S.B. 452 passed the House unanimously and is now in concurrence with the Senate. The bill now awaits Governor Malloy’s signature.