DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CONTACTS

Office of Social Studies, Public Schools fo the District of Columbia-Curriculum and Instruction
Address: Washington, DC
Work Phone: 202-727-1000

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA LEGISLATION

Legislation:
There is no legislation regarding the teaching of the Holocaust.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ACADEMIC STANDARDS

Standard Type: History/Social Studies
Grade Level: Middle & High School (grades 7-12)
History/Social Studies: The Holocaust is explicitly mentioned in the DCPS Social Studies Standards. DC Public Schools Social Studies Content Standards: 10th grade: 10.6.3: Analyze the assumption of power by Adolf Hitler in Germany, the resulting acts of oppression and aggression, and the human costs of the totalitarian regime. 10.7.4: Describe how economic instability led to political instability in many parts of the world and helped to give rise to dictatorial regimes such as Adolf Hitler’s in Germany and the military’s in Japan. 10.8.1: Compare the German, Italian, and Japanese drives for empire in the 1930’s, including the 1937 Rape of Nanking, other atrocities in China, Italian invasion of Ethiopia, German militarism, and the Stalin-Hitler Pact of 1939. 10.8.5: Explain the background, course, and consequences of the Holocaust, including its roots in the long history of Christian anti-Semitism, 19th century ideas about race and nation, and Nazi dehumanization of the Jews. 10.9.5: Explain the background of the Holocaust (including its 19th century roots about race and nation); the dehumanization of the Jews through law, attitude, and actions, such as badging, ghettoization, and killing processes; and how the Holocaust affected world opinion regarding the need for a Jewish state. [Grade 11] Content Standard 3: Students recognize scientific, technological, and economic changes and understand how they have affected societies, culture, and politics throughout history; Essential skills: interprets the postwar economic policies of the U.S. after WWI and WWII with regard to domestic and foreign matters. (see http://www.k12.dc.us/dcps/curriculum/content/Social%20Studies/s-ss-11ush.pdf) [Grade 11] Content Standard 7: Students understand the historical evolution of political ideas, ideologies, and institutions. They see how different political institutions have affected human life and how technological, economic, social, cultural, religious, and philosophical forces in history have shaped politics; Essential skills: explains the consequences of WWI/WWII and how the wars reshaped the 20th century for Americans and Europeans; explains the origins of and course of WWII, the reasons for the victory, and the reshaping of the United States' role in world affairs after the war. (see http://www.k12.dc.us/dcps/curriculum/content/Social%20Studies/s-ss-11ush.pdf)
Web Site: http://www.k12.dc.us/dcps/standards/general/DCPS-horiz-soc_studies.pdf.

Standard Type: English/Language Arts
English/Language Arts: The Holocaust is not addressed explicitly in the District of Columbia’s Standards for Teaching and Learning: English.
Web Site: http://www.k12.dc.us/dcps/curriculum/content/scnd-stl.htm

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HOLOCAUST RESOURCES

For Holocaust-related resources in DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, click on the following link:
http://www.ahoinfo.org/membersdirectory/