WASHINGTON STATE

Washington State House Democrats

HOUSE DEMOCRATS

Rep. Senn’s floor statement on Holocaust

The following remarks were made on February 25, 2016 in support of an amendment to the House Supplemental Operating Budget. Amendment 826 provides $250,000 to Western Washington University for the endowment of the Jaffee Professorship in Jewish History and Holocaust Studies. Both the amendment and the budget were approved by the House.

 

Rep. Tana Senn, D-41
Rep. Tana Senn, D-Mercer Island

Thank you madam Speaker. I first want to start by thanking the good gentleman from the 8th for his beautiful words and for bringing this motion forward.

 

Hate, bigotry, and prejudice are all learned behaviors and as we go out and try to recruit more teachers for our schools as one of the focuses of this budget, we need to make sure that those teachers are learned in the Holocaust. That they understand how to teach tolerance and love and inclusion, instead of that hate, bigotry, and injustice. I think it’s very important that we provide these funds to Western Washington University, who graduates more teachers than any program in our state so that they can help teach our teachers how to teach these important values that our Washingtonians hold for our children.

Thank you so much, I urge a yes.