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A recent survey has sparked concern among Long Island residents as it reveals a surprising level of skepticism regarding the necessity of Holocaust education in public schools.
Conducted by the national research firm McLaughlin Associates, the survey gathered responses from approximately 400 individuals residing in the Nassau and Suffolk counties of Long Island, New York, a suburban area located just east of New York City. According to The New York Post, nearly one-third of those surveyed expressed the belief that Holocaust education should not be a compulsory component of school curricula, suggesting that Jewish people should “move on.”
The findings also revealed that about 15% of respondents either questioned the extent of the Nazi genocide, suggesting it might be “exaggerated,” or opted not to respond to the question, as reported by the publication.
The release of this survey coincided with the commemoration of the liberation of the Buchenwald concentration camp, a poignant reminder of the historical events in question.
In a historical photograph, child survivors are seen standing behind a barbed wire fence at the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in southern Poland on January 27, 1945, the day it was liberated by the Red Army. (Alexander Vorontsov/Galerie Bilderwelt/Getty Images)
Steven Krieger, a Long Island real estate developer who helped fund the study, said the findings highlight a broader need for awareness, according to The New York Post.
“The survey is intended to provide a roadmap for all of us — regardless of faith or ethnicity — because indifference or ignorance of how the Holocaust occurred threatens everyone,” Krieger said.
A memorial stone with the inscription “Buchenwald” stands near the gate of the former Buchenwald concentration camp in Weimar, Thuringia, on April 12, 2026, marking the 81st anniversary of the camp’s liberation. (Martin Schutt/picture alliance)
Gloria Sesso, president of the Long Island Council for Social Studies, called the results “inconceivable,” particularly the suggestion that Jews should “move on,” The New York Post reported.
She added that dismissing the Holocaust’s relevance in education is “irresponsible” and said the findings should serve as a wake-up call for teachers.
The findings come amid ongoing concerns about antisemitic incidents.
Commemorative plaques are displayed on a railtrack leading to the former Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi death camp site in Brzezinka near Oswiecim, Poland, during the annual March of the Living on April 14, 2026, honoring Holocaust victims. (Wojtek Radwanski/AFP)
Although Jews account for about 12% of New York City’s population, they are the targets of most hate crimes, according to the American Jewish Committee.
Between January and March, the NYPD recorded 143 hate crimes across the city, with 55% —78 incidents — directed against Jewish individuals or communities.
In January alone, 31 anti-Jewish incidents were reported, marking an 182% increase compared to the same time the previous year.
McLaughlin Associates could not be immediately reached by Fox News Digital for comment.