Mayor Adams Announces New Curriculum on Hate-Crime

By Idy Perl

Amidst the rise of hate crimes across the states, Mayor Adams announced the release of a new curriculum to teach students in NY public schools about hate crimes and bias incidents.

The New York City Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes (OPHC), in collaboration with the New York City Department of Education (DOE), developed this 5-lesson curriculum to “enrich students’ understanding of diversity, sharpen critical thinking skills, and foster a culture of increased civic engagement — all of which are crucial skills for instilling social responsibility.”

Mayor Adams said in a statement that “our children are at a breaking point, and investing in programming that fosters a greater understanding of diversity and the importance of inclusion is an important way to dam one of the many rivers that feeds the sea of hate. Despite the uptick in hate crimes we are seeing across the city and nation — whether it be against someone’s religion, culture, gender, sexual orientation, or anything else — we know that New York City is the greatest city in the world because of our extensive diversity.” 

The lessons are available to students in grades 6-12 and are offered virtually to the public on the OPHC and “Facing History & Ourselves” websites.