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New oversight on Holocaust teaching in Palm Beach County

Posted at 4:57 PM, Jul 31, 2019
and last updated 2019-07-31 17:08:30-04

There's new oversight into how Palm Beach County students learn about the Holocaust. It comes after the former principal of Spanish River High said in an email: "I can't say the Holocaust is a factual, historical event because I am not in a position to do so as a school district employee."

The principal was reassigned and the superintendent later recommended that his contract not be renewed.

The Palm Beach County School District and the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach Bounty came up with a plan after they met this week.

Here are the recommendations the district agreed to accept and support:

-Demonstrate a clear commitment to the full implementation of the state's Holocaust education mandate.
-Provide training for principals and administrators about Holocaust education
-And support the formation of a joint task force to monitor the district's implementation of the mandate.

The vice president of the Jewish Community Relations Council, Josephine Gon, says it's important for all students to learn about this time in history. "It is not only to know an historical fact and atrocity but to understand the implications of anti-Semitism and of bigotry and of intolerance and where these things can lead."

The Palm Beach County School District is already training principals and administrators.

The state mandate on teaching children about the Holocaust requires all districts to incorporate lessons into grades K through 12.