We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to all of you who supported the effort to require Holocaust and genocide education in public schools across Washington State. We were recently notified that SB 5851 and HB 2037 failed to advance to the next stage in the legislative process and will therefore not pass. 

Although we did not initiate the legislation, we worked hard to support and move forward a strong, impactful bipartisan bill. Various versions of the bill passed in both the House and Senate education committees. The original bill was supported by the Washington Educators Association (the largest state teachers union), the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Washington State Minority Justice Commission. However, extreme political views obfuscated the legislation to fit their own agendas. 

Sadly, this meant that the best interests of our students and community were not realized. The failure of the bill can be attributed to the polarized world in which we live and the use of misinformation that was used to mischaracterize the bill.

At a time when 85% of Americans support Holocaust education in public schools, and when we are experiencing a frightening rise in antisemitism, the inability of our legislature to pass this bill gives permission for the machinery of antisemitism to thrive. 

The Holocaust Center for Humanity will continue to do what we have been doing for 35 years: provide quality education on the Holocaust and genocide for our students, teachers, and schools in over one third of our state's school districts. The JCRC of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle will continue advocating for and supporting our local community and communal organizations in Olympia and beyond. 

Thank you again to the thousands of people who responded to our legislative action alerts and thank you to the legislators who tried to champion this bill on behalf of the Jewish community and many other communities who have also experienced genocide. 

Together, we will keep fighting antisemitism and hate. 

Dee Simon
Chief Executive Officer
Holocaust Center for Humanity

Max Patashnik
Director
JCRC of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle