Jason Pounds, a Houston Schools english teacher, was appointed by Gov. Mike Kehoe to the Missouri Holocaust Education and Awareness Commission.
The commission was created by the Missouri legislature in August 2006 and is part of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. It is composed of 12 members, including nine from the public, the commission of higher education, commission of elementary and secondary education and the president of the University of Missouri system.
It sponsors programs and publications to educate the public about the crimes of genocide in an effort to deter indifference to crimes against humanity and human suffering, according to its website.
Pounds has taught various subjects including American history, American government, World War II, the Holocaust, early American history and modern American history.
He holds a social science career teaching certificate and an English 9-12 career teaching certificate. He earned his bachelor’s degree in history from Columbia College, a master’s degree in history from the University of Nebraska-Kearney and a master’s degree in holocaust and genocide studies from Gratz College in Pennsylvania.