Credit: CBS New York

Lawmakers in Nassau County are targeting an uptake in hate crimes.

New legislation is being unveiled to better teach the meaning of hate symbols like the swastika and the noose.

It’s been a bad year for New York, particularly Nassau County, for hate crimes. There have been about 44 incidents this year so far compared to last year’s 20. Legislators say something needs to be done to teach young people about blatant hatred.

Just last week, seven swastikas were scrawled on a pavilion in an Oyster Bay park. Nooses have been used in the workplace and beyond.

Surprisingly, there is nothing in the school curriculum in New York that specifically requires teachers to teach about these symbols for hate, which are shorthand for racism and antisemitism. Now, there is a push to change that.

A bill will be introduced to the state legislature that will require that teachers discuss the meaning and history of the noose and the swastika beginning in middle school and through high school as well.

“We know a lot of young offenders that we deal with in the DA’s office, when we ask them why it is they painted that or drew that or what it means to them, they often can’t even tell us what it means. They don’t know,” said Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas. “And that’s what really promoted this. If we can educate our youngsters about the pernicious nature of these symbols that I’m confident that those hate symbols and those acts will decrease.”

Lawmakers gathered this morning with leaders from the Anti-Defamation League and the NAACP calling for this to be a change in the state curriculum. They say that they have a crisis on their hands and it’s better to teach young people about these symbols before an intervention happens rather than an intervention afterwards.

This legislation will be introduced in January.