From one generation to the next: A case study of Holocaust education in Illinois

Currently a debate is underway concerning the current state of Holocaust education in the United States. Some scholars believe that its overall state is quite healthy, while others believe that it is in deep need of repair. To date, the literature about Holocaust education does not allow the debate to be answered because even the most basic analytic information is lacking: who teaches it, where it is taught, when it is taught, how it is taught, and why it is taught. For purposes of this study a new Holocaust questionnaire was developed and sent to a random sampling of public high schools in Illinois. Two research questions were formulated. The first was to answer those aforementioned basic analytic questions. The second was to ascertain those factors that cause particular schools to emphasize Holocaust education more than other schools. Two major hypotheses were considered in relation to emphasis: school-related factors and teacher-related factors. Correlations and multiple regression analyses were performed in order to ascertain those factors most statistically associated with emphasis. Given the limitations of the model, most factors that related to emphasis were directly or indirectly related to teacher training and preparation in Holocaust education.