A bill introduced last week in New York would require schools to teach students about the swastika and the noose as symbols of hate. Lawmakers say it is in response to a statewide spike in hate crimes.
Students in grades 6 through 12 would receive specific instruction about the swastika, as the symbol of Nazi Germany, and the noose, as a symbol of racism and lynching.
State Senator Todd Kaminsky sponsors the bill. He says that education about what the two hate symbols mean is just as important as the prosecution of those who commit acts of intolerance.
“It’s incredibly important that when our young people go to school, they understand what these symbols mean, how they were used, and what pain they can inflict within our communities.”
Forty four hate crimes were reported in Nassau County so far this year, double what was reported during the first half of last year. Authorities found several swastikas drawn at Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park in Oyster Bay last week.
