Horne extends deadline for Arizona schools to prove they teach about Holocaust

PHOENIX — Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne on Monday extended a deadline for schools to prove they teach students about the Holocaust and other genocides.

The deadline was pushed to Feb. 23, an extension of about a month after Horne initially required schools to prove they’re abiding by state law by Jan. 24.

“Since we first requested that schools attest to their compliance with the state mandate for Holocaust education for middle and high school students, we have received many responses, but not all districts and charters have replied,” Horne said in a statement.

“Arizona law is clear that this is a requirement for middle and high school students.”

Why is Arizona making sure schools are teaching about the Holocaust?

Horne has been critiquing antisemitism in educational spaces since Nov. 8, when a UNICEF and Amnesty International event was held at a Scottsdale high school.

Desert Mountain High School’s event supported Palestine and allegedly made Jewish students feel unsafe on campus, prompting Horne to push the mandate related to ARS section 15–701.02.

Horne called event materials related to that event anti-American and antisemitic.

Schools that don’t follow state law will be noted in the education department’s online school report card in red letters.

“As superintendent, I have the legal authority to make sure that laws pertaining to education in Arizona are being followed,” Horne said.

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