This summer, the Alabama Holocaust Education Center will launch its inaugural statewide educator conference. Called Teaching the Holocaust: Standards. Strategies. Stories., the June 2-3 event is geared specifically for Alabama educators who are preparing to implement new Holocaust education standards starting in fall 2026.
“Teachers across the state are being asked to teach the Holocaust more deeply and intentionally than ever before,” says AHEC Executive Director Lisa Bachman. “Alabama’s new Holocaust education standards are the most comprehensive in the nation, and this conference is AHEC’s response to that call for action.”
While previous standards for Alabama public schools only required educators to mention the Holocaust as a consequence of World War II, the new standards cover a lot more ground. Social studies teachers will now need to teach about topics such as propaganda and misinformation, Hitler’s rise to power in prewar Germany, and the evolution of the “Final Solution” — the Nazi plan to exterminate European Jews during World War II.
In addition, the AHEC also will focus on intersecting the new standards with other disciplines, including language arts and music.
While the AHEC has long guided Alabama educators on how to talk about the Holocaust in the classroom, the state’s new guidelines present a welcome challenge to reach many more teachers than ever before.
Historical grounding and more
Over two days, conference attendees will gain historical grounding, classroom-ready strategies, and practical tools they can use immediately, whether they’re new to Holocaust education or looking to strengthen what they already teach. Two keynote speakers will be Erin Gruwell and Michael Barenbaum.
Gruwell, whose classroom story inspired the 2007 film Freedom Writers starring Hilary Swank, is a living testament to how teaching the Holocaust empowers students to find their voice, challenge prejudice, and see themselves as agents of change.
Berenbaum is one of the world’s preeminent Holocaust scholars and the lead historical consultant for the 2025 film Nuremberg starring Russell Crowe. Bridging rigorous scholarship and public history, his work has gained a reputation of helping educators present a complex subject with accuracy, humanity, and clarity.
“In addition to valuable preparation, this conference will help teachers connect with other educators and feel supported and inspired,” Bachman says. “If you’re an educator who is passionate about helping students understand the consequences of hatred and the importance of moral choice, you won’t want to miss this experience.”
Photos courtesy Alabama Holocaust Education Center; be sure to make a reservation if you plan to visit…