The bill aims to enhance the state's public school curriculum by expanding Holocaust and genocide studies to include:
Genocide Against Native Americans: Educating students about the systemic persecution and atrocities committed against Native American populations.
The Sand Creek Massacre and Other Massacres: Providing detailed accounts of events like the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre, where peaceful Cheyenne and Arapaho villagers were attacked by the U.S. Army, as well as other similar incidents.
Colorado Native American Residential and Boarding Schools: Examining the history and impact of institutions designed to assimilate Native American children, often involving forced removal from their families and suppression of their cultures.
This legislative effort seeks to offer a more comprehensive understanding of these historical events, ensuring that students recognize their significance within Colorado's history and the broader American narrative.
Summary
The bill expands the Holocaust and genocide studies curriculum
taught in public schools to include the genocide against Native Americans, the Sand Creek massacre and other massacres, and the Colorado Native American residential and boarding schools.
