Triad students take Davidson County's first Holocaust and Genocide elective

Oak Grove High School in Midway is teaching a 90-day elective titled Holocaust and Genocide Studies during the second semester, a first-of-its-kind offering in Davidson County Schools, teacher Luke Sealey said in early March 2026 coverage. Sealey told reporters, “I think this is a topic that young people, whether they know a lot about it or not, are genuinely drawn toward.”

The curriculum asks students to examine the history, religion and culture of the Jewish people and the events leading up to, during and after the Holocaust, along with modern-day genocides and contemporary antisemitism. Sealey described using survivor testimony and human stories as central to the class: “Just to be able to get human stories here from other people … and be able to connect with those things. I think that’s the magic of being able to teach this class.”

During one recent lesson students listened intently as a speaker identified only as Cytron-Walker recounted a hostage incident in which a group was held for eleven hours. Cytron-Walker said, “What did the gunman say? His mantra over-and-over-again was, ‘I love death more than you love life,’” and added, “He believed all the antisemitic lies. He believed all the conspiracy. He wanted to get a convicted terrorist out of jail, and he thought if he kidnapped Jews, he could get whatever he wanted … This is real, and this is dangerous.” Teachers urged students not to diminish antisemitism, to report it and to report all forms of hate.

The class discussion was framed by a definition of antisemitism used in the reporting: “Antisemitism is hostility, prejudice or discrimination against Jews.” The coverage cited the Anti-Defamation League statistic that “over half of all Jewish people have experienced antisemitism first-hand over the past year,” and presented ADL teaching tools such as a Timeline of the Holocaust covering 1933-1945, the online student activities program Explore the Past, Shape the Future, the Awareness to Action digital course for middle and high school students, and free professional learning modules for educators.

Instructors referenced OSCE/ODIHR classroom guidance to manage difficult discussions, recommending that students “be a respectful and attentive listener,” “use respectful speech,” give each participant equal time to speak or “mic sharing,” be honest and have honest intentions, allow others to keep or change their perspectives, and have the intention to create trust and learn from each other rather than discredit others. The guidance also advises teachers to keep rules of engagement posted and visually accessible and to write “Rules of Engagement” on the board and invite students to add to the list.

Teachers and students described the work in the new elective as urgent and consequential, with coverage characterizing the instruction as “some of the most important work they’ve done” as the class proceeds through its 90-day term in Davidson County Schools.