LEGISLATION

Legislation establishing a commission:

Bill: SB2790
Year: 1996
Title: An Act Creating The Tennessee Commission On Holocaust Education
Legislation:
On May 3, 1984 the Governor signed a State Senate Joint Resolution which created a Commission on the Commemoration of Holocausts. The Commission was responsible for the annual recommendations for the observance of the Days of Remembrance of the Holocaust and other genocide. In 1996, a new law creating the Tennessee Commission on Holocaust Education was passed with additional appropriations for the Commission’s work. The new law st Education was passed with additional appropriations for the Commission’s work. The new law includes the following statement: “WHEREAS, the Legislature finds and declares that: (1) During the period from 1933-1945, six million Jews and millions of other Europeans were murdered in Nazi concentration camps as part of a carefully orchestrated program of cultural, social and political genocide known as the Holocaust; (2) All people should remember the horrible atrocities committed at that time and other times in human history as the result of bigotry and tyranny and, therefore, should continually rededicate themselves to the principles of human rights and equal protection under the laws of a democratic society; (3) It is desirable to educate our citizens about the events leading up to the Holocaust and about the organizations and facilities that were created and used purposefully for the systematic destruction of human beings; (4) It is the policy of the state of Tennessee that Holocaust history is the proper concern of all people, particularly students enrolled in the schools, colleges, and universities of the state of Tennessee; (5) Programs, workshops, institutes, seminars, and other teacher training activities for the study of the Holocaust have taken place during recent years at various high schools and colleges in the state of Tennessee; (6) It is desirable to create a permanent state-level commission, which as an organized body, on a continuous basis will survey, design, encourage, and promote implementation of Holocaust education and awareness programs in Tennessee and shall be responsible for organizing and promoting memorialization of the Holocaust on a regular basis, throughout the state….” Though funded by the state, the Commission is independent of the Department of Education.

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ACADEMIC STANDARDS

Social Studies Curriculum Standards (Grade 9-12):

Sociology
6.7 explore the idea of social mobility.
At Level 2, the student is able to
- describe assimilation in society;
- define ethnicity;
- discuss problems involving minorities and ethnic groups in society;
- cite examples of genocide and population transfer.

World History
1.4 examine how various individuals and groups use methods to diminish cultural elements and eradicate entire groups.
At Level 1, the student is able to
- identify specific examples of genocide such as the Holocaust.
At Level 2, the student is able to
- examine major methods used by the Nazis against the Jews during the Holocaust, including the use of propaganda, official sanction, expropriation of property, persecution, and genocide.
At Level 3, the student is able to
- evaluate the methods of ethnic cleansing used in the contemporary settings of the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda.

5.7 understand the impact of various global conflicts throughout history.
At Level 1, the student is able to
- recognize conflict and list several global wars, revolutions, ethnic conflicts, religious conflicts, genocide, or diplomatic exchanges.
At Level 2, the student is able to
- identify and classify the components of conflicts into causes, courses, and consequences.
At Level 3, the student is able to
- appraise the value of conflict by comparing the costs and benefits of global war, ethnic conflicts, genocide, and diplomatic exchanges.

These standards are mandatory in Tennessee.
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STATE RESOURCES

Tennessee Commission on Holocaust Education/Tennessee Holocaust Commission, Inc.
2417 West End Avenue
Nashville, TN 37240
Phone: 615.343.2563
URL: http://www.tennesseeholocaustcommission.org
E-mail: tnholcom@vanderbilt.edu

The Commission provides a variety of educational services and opportunities. It sponsors conferences for students, secondary school teachers, university faculties and the general public in addition to other special Holocaust programming.

Holocaust Studies Committee, Middle Tennessee State University
Box 23- Department of History
Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, TN 37129
Phone: 615.898.2645
Contact: Dr. Nancy C. Rupprecht
E-mail: nrupprec@mtsu.edu
URL: http://mtsu32.mtsu.edu:11806/

The Middle Tennessee State University Holocaust Committee encourages interdisciplinary study, teaching and scholarship in the areas of Holocaust and genocide studies as well as sponsoring lectures, exhibits, seminars, and performances related to these fields. It also holds a bi-annual international Holocaust Studies conference.

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Tennessee Department of Education
5th Floor AJ Tower, 710 James Robertson Parkway
Nashville, TN 37243–0379
URL: http://www.state.tn.us/education/