H.R. 768: Holocaust Education and Antisemitism Lessons Act

H.R. 768 assigns one job to the Director of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: study how the Holocaust is actually taught in American public schools, then report to Congress. The review has to cover every state, plus a nationally representative sample of school districts and a sample of the schools those districts run.

The questions are the basic ones with no verified national answer. Is Holocaust education required or optional? What do state standards say, and are districts implementing them? Is there anywhere at the state or local level that collects and distributes curricula and materials? Do teachers get training before they enter the classroom and after? How many hours does the subject get, and in which classes — history, English, somewhere else?

The bill's definition of Holocaust education reaches past the history itself. It covers the history of antisemitism, its roots, the propaganda and narratives directed at Jewish people, and how antisemitism changes shape over time. The study must also look at whether schools test students on identifying antisemitism, bigotry, hate, and genocide in contemporary settings, not only historical ones.

There is a practical half to the assignment. The Museum would catalog what is working — classroom discussion, homework and experiential learning with local museums and cultural centers, project-based learning, developmentally appropriate material taught through a trauma-informed lens, and lessons carried across subjects through the school year. It would also document the gaps: what keeps educators from meeting requirements already on the books, and what training and resources they say they need.

H.R. 768 writes no curriculum, sets no mandate, and moves no money — it produces a report. The study starts within 180 days of enactment, and the report is due to Congress by the earlier of two deadlines: 180 days after the study wraps, or three years after the bill becomes law.