Long Island Holocaust Survey Sparks Alarm Among Educators

More than 1 in 4 registered voters do not think the Holocaust should be required teaching in schools, according to a recent poll.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 11:12pm

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An extremely blurred, out-of-focus photograph showing a classroom setting with indistinct figures, conveying a sense of dreamlike ambiguity and the importance of preserving Holocaust education.As educators work to strengthen Holocaust education, the hazy, abstracted scene reflects the need to ensure this critical history is not forgotten or trivialized.NYC Today

A survey of 400 registered voters on Long Island has found that more than 25% do not believe the Holocaust should be a required subject in schools. This has set off alarm bells among local educators, who say the findings show a lack of knowledge about one of the most tragic chapters in human history. The survey was funded by a local real estate company, B2K Development, and conducted in partnership with a coalition of history teachers.

Why it matters

The Holocaust is a unique and critical historical event that must be taught to ensure it is never forgotten or repeated. However, the survey results suggest there is indifference and a lack of understanding about the Holocaust among some members of the local community. Educators are concerned this could lead to the trivialization or minimization of the genocide of 6 million Jews.

The details

The survey found that more than 1 in 4 registered voters on Long Island do not think the Holocaust should be a required subject in schools, despite New York state mandating Holocaust education. Educators say the best way to monitor how well the subject is being taught is through testing, but there has not been a Holocaust-related question on the New York State Regents Exam in three years, and the Global Studies Regents will soon become optional.

  • The survey of 400 registered voters on Long Island was conducted in early 2026.

The players

B2K Development

A Long Island-based real estate company that underwrote the survey on Holocaust education.

Gloria Sesso

A member of the Long Island Council for the Social Studies, who says trivializing the Holocaust is a major concern.

Steven Barile

A senior at Connetquot High School who feels the Holocaust is not being taught enough to others.

Vincent Micilello

A junior at Connetquot High School who is shocked by the survey results and believes the Holocaust should continue to be taught.

Jason Halloren

A trustee of the Museum of American Armor in Old Bethpage, who says the survey must be a call to action to ensure the Holocaust is not forgotten.

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What they’re saying

“How do you move on from something like this? How do you say you can move on and people overestimated the number of people who were killed?”

— Steve Krieger, Founder, B2K Development

“The Holocaust is unique. To trivialize it, to say it's here and there and this is a Holocaust and this is genocide -- it trivializes it.”

— Gloria Sesso, Member, Long Island Council for the Social Studies

“I feel I understand it but not a lot of other people do, so I feel they can teach it a little more.”

— Steven Barile, Senior, Connetquot High School

“That's pretty shocking. I don't think that's how it should be at all. You should keep learning so history doesn't repeat itself.”

— Vincent Micilello, Junior, Connetquot High School

“Evil will prevail if good people do nothing. Well, if people don't know about it, then it is doomed to repeat itself.”

— Jason Halloren, Trustee, Museum of American Armor

What’s next

Educators and community leaders plan to use the survey results as a call to action to strengthen Holocaust education in local schools and ensure the history is not forgotten.

The takeaway

This survey highlights the critical need to maintain robust Holocaust education in schools and communities, to prevent the trivialization or minimization of one of the most tragic events in human history. Ensuring all students understand the Holocaust is essential to upholding the values of tolerance and preventing such atrocities from happening again.