R.I. Senate approves bill on teaching students about Armenian Genocide
Rhode Island House of Representatives is going to discuss the bill of teaching students about the Holocaust and other genocides, providencejournal.com informs.
The bill was approved unanimously by the Senate with 36 for and no one against it. It mandates in middle school or high school the teaching of the Holocaust and other genocides in, but not limited to, Armenia, Cambodia, Iraq, Rwanda and Darfur.
If approved, teaching is required to begin in the 2017-18 school year.
The lead sponsor of the bill is Sen. Gayle L. Goldin, D-Providence, who said: “When we look at what’s going on globally, the impact of war and strife, it’s important to place them in a larger historical context, so our children understand the long-term impact of genocides and the Holocaust, so we don’t repeat that history.”
Seven states — California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania — have similar legislation. A current law in Rhode Island only encourages the awareness education.
