BILL NUMBER: AB 1337INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Alejo FEBRUARY 18, 2011 An act to amend Section 201 of the Education Code, relating to educational equity. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1337, as introduced, Alejo. Educational equity. Existing law provides that it is the policy of the State of California to afford all persons in public schools, regardless of their disability, gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic that is contained in a specified definition of hate crimes, equal rights and opportunities in the educational institutions of the state. Existing law also provides that all pupils have the right to participate fully in the educational process, free from discrimination and harassment. Existing law further provides that California's public schools have an affirmative obligation to combat racism, sexism, and other forms of bias, and a responsibility to provide equal educational opportunity. This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes in a provision relating to legislative declarations and intent with respect to educational equity. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 201 of the Education Code is amended to read: 201. (a) All pupils have the right to participate fully in the educational process, free from discrimination and harassment. (b) California's public schools have an affirmative obligation to combat racism, sexism, and other forms of bias, and a responsibility to provide equal educational opportunity. (c) Harassment on school grounds directed at an individual on the basis of personal characteristics or status creates a hostile environment , and jeopardizes equal educational opportunity as guaranteed by the California Constitution and the United States Constitution. (d) There is an urgent need to prevent and respond to acts of hate violence and bias-related incidentsthat, which are occurring at an increasing rate in California's public schools. (e) There is an urgent need to teach and inform pupils in the public schools about their rights, as guaranteed by the federal and state constitutions, in order to increase pupils' awareness and understanding of their rights and the rights of others, with the intention of promoting tolerance and sensitivity in public schools and in society as a means of responding to potential harassment and hate violence. (f) It is the intent of the Legislature that each public school undertake educational activities to counter discriminatory incidents on school grounds and, within constitutional bounds, to minimize and eliminate a hostile environment on school grounds that impairs the access of pupils to equal educational opportunity. (g) It is the intent of the Legislature that this chapter shall be interpreted as consistent with Article 9.5 (commencing with Section 11135) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1981,et seq.), Title IX of the federal Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1681,et seq.), Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 794(a)), the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq.), the federal Equal Educational Opportunities Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1701,et seq.), the Unruh Civil Rights Act (Secs. 51 to 53, incl., Civ. C.), and the Fair Employment and Housing Act (Pt. 2.8 (commencing with Sec. 12900), Div. 3, Title 2, Gov. C.), except where this chapter may grant more protections or impose additional obligations, and that the remedies provided herein shall not be the exclusive remedies, but may be combined with remedies that may be provided by the above statutes.