Middle school students in Fairfax County Public Schools were given the option to sit out on a Holocaust survivor’s lecture.
Cooper Middle School will host a Holocaust survivor on March 18 to talk to seventh grade students. A subsequent email was sent to parents assuring them the lecture was not mandatory and that an “alternate assignment” could be provided upon request.
“We understand that all students have different experiences,” the email read. “If you prefer to opt your child out from participating in this presentation, please email your child’s history teacher and they will be provided an alternate assignment. Please email your child’s history teacher with any questions that you may have.”
In a statement to the Washington Examiner, FCPS confirmed that the lecture is an annual tradition.
“Some Jewish students have previously expressed discomfort while engaging in dialogue around this visit. For that reason, school leadership makes every effort to partner with families of these students, who are 12 and 13 years old, to keep them informed,” the statement read. “This opt-out allows the family the opportunity to make the best informed decision on behalf of their student.”
Meanwhile, Holocaust denial is growing among the younger generation, according to a December Economist-YouGov poll. Out of the 18- to 29-year-olds polled, 20% reportedly believed the Holocaust was a myth, and 23% agreed with the statement “The Holocaust has been exaggerated.” Out of those polled between 30-44, 8% reported the event was a myth, and for those ages 44-64, the number dropped to 2%. Zero percent of those polled over 65 reported the event was not real or exaggerated.
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This comes as anti-Jewish hate crimes were already on the rise nationally, increasing by 36% in 2022 compared to the previous year, according to FBI crime data.
According to the Anti-Defamation League, these 3,697 antisemitic incidents in 2022 were the highest number since the ADL began keeping data in 1979.
