Tom Horne Superintendent | Arizona Department of Education
Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne has marked the two-year anniversary of the attack on Israel by highlighting the importance of Holocaust education in Arizona schools.
“Today marks two years since the cowardly attack on Israel in which approximately 1,200 people were murdered and many others who were raped, tortured and taken captive. This was followed by massive demonstrations all around the world… in favor of the attackers. If those demonstrators had had Holocaust study at school, they would not have been so quick to endorse Hamas’ murder, rape, and torture of innocent Jewish people. To date there are still 48 hostages – living and dead - that have not been released by Hamas, which perpetrated these attacks,” Horne said.
He also spoke about his family's history: “My parents were Polish Jewish refugees from Hitler. My father predicted the Nazi invasion of Poland and urged his extended family and friends to also leave. But it is hard for people to leave their culture and language, and all of my extended family were eventually killed in the Holocaust. This is a stark reminder that we as a society must never forget such evil. That is why I will always remain committed to ensuring Arizona public schools implement Arizona law regarding instruction on the Holocaust and other genocides. Each district and charter is required to attest to their compliance on their State Report Card to ensure transparency on this important issue.”
The Arizona Department of Education offers resources, training, and support for educators so they can meet state requirements for teaching about the Holocaust and other genocides at least once during middle school and once during high school through its dedicated resource webpage.
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