Educators witness signing of Virginia Holocaust Education Bill during summer class

Students in this summer's School of Continuing Studies (SCS) Teacher Education Institute enjoyed the privilege of witnessing Virginia Governor Tim Kaine sign into law the Virginia Holocaust Education Bill on Tuesday, June 23, 2009.

The thirty-three teachers enrolled in the Institute, titled "Questions of Conscience: Teaching about the Holocaust and Genocide," witnessed the signing at the Virginia Holocaust Museum.

The class, a cooperative effort of SCS and the Virginia Holocaust Museum, provided teacher participants with tools necessary to teach the sensitive subjects of genocide and Holocaust to their students.

The new law requires teachers to include specific Holocaust lessons in middle school and high school. According to Kaine, the state will send lessons to teachers over the Internet to keep down the costs of adding the new curriculum.

Learn more about the Teacher Education Institute and read the WTVR news coverage about the signing event.

Posted June 30, 2009