Pennsylvania takes Holocaust education seriously. Last June, the state passed Act 70, which directed the Department of Education to work with organizations with expertise in Holocaust and genocide education – like the Anti-Defamation League – to improve Holocaust education in PA.
While Act 70 did not mandate teaching about the Holocaust and other genocides, it sent a message loud and clear to schools across the state: “we want you to teach about this, and we are going to help you do it right.”
Randi Boyette, ADL’s Associate Regional Director of Education, served on the Advisory Committee to the Department of Education, and helped to craft the Act 70 Guidelines. Her advocacy helped include Echoes and Reflections, ADL’s award-winning Holocaust education resource developed in conjunction with USC Shoah Foundation and Yad VaShem, among the approved in-service offerings.
Since the end of the summer, there have been numerous Echoes and Reflections workshops offered as Act 70 trainings, and many more are scheduled for the months ahead. In just two months, approximately 250 teachers have increased their ability to teach about the Holocaust using the Echoes and Reflections resource.
ADL is proud to be leaders in promoting high-quality Holocaust and genocide education in Pennsylvania. To learn more about Echoes and Reflections, or to inquire about a training, contact us.