Ontario expands Holocaust education in schools

Ontario is expanding mandatory Holocaust education in Grade 10, including to add learning about contemporary impacts of rising antisemitism.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce says it will help to combat a rise in hate and promote the fundamental Canadian values of democracy, freedom, civility and respect.

The government says that starting in September of 2025, the Grade 10 history course will explicitly link the Holocaust to extreme political ideologies — including fascism — antisemitism in Canada in the 1930s and 1940s, and the contemporary impacts of rising antisemitism.

The current Grade 10 History curriculum involves learning on how the Holocaust impacted Canadian society and the attitudes of people in Canada toward human rights.

CIJA commends Min. @Sflecce & @ONgov for enhancing Holocaust education, investing in anti-hate supports, educational resources and initiatives to combat antisemitism in schools.

This precedent-setting Holocaust education curriculum & investment in ‘Unlearn It’ better ensures… pic.twitter.com/7QsrfSd0jZ

— CIJA (@CIJAinfo) November 1, 2023

Last year, the government announced mandatory learning on the Holocaust would be included in Grade 6, which includes the responses of the Canadian government to human rights violations during the Holocaust.

Lecce also says the government is putting $650,000 this year to community organizations such as the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs to provide resources on antisemitism and on Holocaust learning.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 1, 2023.

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