In the context of both rising antisemitism in the U.S. and the increasing popularity of states mandating the teaching of the Holocaust in K-12 schools, William Smith asks, are such legislative mandates effective? Can states achieve ambitious goals like preventing future genocides and reducing antisemitism by requiring that students learn about the Holocaust? He reviews the limited research on Holocaust education mandates, and Holocaust education generally, with analysis suggesting that such curriculum mandates may not be having the desired effects on student learning. He poses theories about the factors limiting the effectiveness of these mandates.
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