North Dakota State Standards

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North Dakota Holocaust Education Summary

Legal Status

  • Mandated by law: Pending (House Bill 1527 introduced in January 2025)
  • Recommends adding grade-level Holocaust education within the U.S. history curriculum (Chapter 15.1‑21 NDCC)
  • Defines “Holocaust,” “antisemitism,” and “Nazi” by law and requires instruction on causes, events, resistance, aftermath, and U.S. involvement
  • Superintendent must report annually on district compliance beginning July 1 each year

How the Holocaust Appears in North Dakota’s Standards

Middle & High School (Grades 7–12)

  • Instruction must address:
    • Causes and outcomes of the Holocaust
    • History of antisemitism, concentration camps, resistance, and postwar trials
    • Role of individual responsibility and U.S. involvement
    • Connections between intolerance and mass violence

Supplemental Teaching Tools Encouraged

Educators may enrich lessons with:

  • Primary sources, testimony, and historical documents
  • Regional materials such as “The Mission of Herman Stern” documentary
  • National curricula from Echoes & Reflections and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum

Teaching Notes for North Dakota Educators

AreaGuidance
Mandated by LawNo (HB 1527 pending)
Included in CurriculumPending adoption—if passed, it will be required within U.S. history for Grades 7–12
Instructional ScopeComprehensive content covering history, causes, personal responsibility, U.S. efforts
ReportingAnnual compliance report by Superintendent to Legislature and Governor
Professional DevelopmentNot specified, but districts are encouraged to use standardized resources

Conclusion

North Dakota lawmakers have introduced HB 1527, which would require all school districts to provide age-appropriate Holocaust education in Grades 7–12. Although the bill passed the House in February 2025, it failed in the Senate as of April and remains under consideration. If enacted, it would mandate comprehensive coverage of Holocaust content—including causes, events, human responsibility, and U.S. roles—and establish an annual compliance reporting system. Educators can enhance lessons using local and national resources to support meaningful student engagement.

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Leslie Benitah is a journalist, filmmaker, and third-generation Holocaust survivor dedicated to preserving memory and com- bating historical denial through storytelling. Holding a PhD in Journalism from the Sorbonne, she began her career as a journalist, later becoming editor-in-chief, and eventually serving as Executive Producer for TF1, France’s leading network, where she helped shape primetime content for millions of viewers.

After moving to Miami in 2006, she ran a major French- language publication before returning to film, directing critically acclaimed documentaries and collaborating with top production companies for over 20 years.

Driven by activism and education, Leslie co-founded The Last Ones—a groundbreaking documentary series that has amassed millions of views across social media and is used as an official educational tool in schools worldwide. Featuring over 150 survivor testimonies filmed across multiple continents, The Last Ones bridges past and present, ensuring younger generations remain engaged with Holocaust history. Leslie frequently speaks in schools, advocating for education as the most powerful tool against misinformation and hate.