California Senate Bill SB1419 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SB 1419AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 10, 2014 INTRODUCED BY Senator Wyland FEBRUARY 21, 2014 An act to amend Section  51225.3   51221.3  of the Education Code, relating to school curriculum. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 1419, as amended, Wyland. School curriculum: social studies:  genocide.  American military conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.   Existing law requires the adopted course of study for grades 7 to 12, inclusive, to include instruction in social sciences, and authorizes that instruction to include instruction on World War II and the American role in that war. Existing law encourages that instruction to include a component drawn from personal testimony, especially in the form of oral or video histories, as specified.   This bill would encourage the instruction in social sciences to include instruction on the American military conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, including Operation Desert Storm, and would encourage that instruction to include a component drawn on personal testimony, especially in the form of oral or video histories, as specified.   Existing law requires each pupil completing grade 12 to satisfy certain requirements as a condition of receiving a diploma of graduation from high school. These requirements include the successful passage of the high school exit examination and the completion of designated coursework in grades 9 to 12, inclusive. The coursework requirements include the completion of 3 courses in social studies, including United States history and geography, world history, culture, and geography, a one-semester course in American government and civics, and a one-semester course in economics.   This bill, commencing with the 2015-16 school year, would prohibit a pupil from receiving credit for passing a course in world history, culture, and geography, without exposure in that course to an oral history component, as defined, specifically related to genocides, as specified. To the extent that school districts would be required to provide a higher level of service in order for pupils to meet this requirement, the bill would create a state-mandated local program.   The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.   This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  yes   no  . State-mandated local program:  yes   no  . THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION 1.   Section 51221.3 of the   Education Code   is amended to read:  51221.3. (a) Instruction in the area of social sciences, as required pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 51220, may include instruction on World War II and the American role in that war. The Legislature encourages this instruction to include, but not be limited to, a component drawn from personal testimony, especially in the form of oral or video histories, if available, of American soldiers who were involved in World War II and those men and women who contributed to the war effort on the homefront. The oral histories used as part of the instruction regarding World War II shall exemplify the personal sacrifice and courage of the wide range of ordinary citizens who were called upon to participate. The oral histories shall contain the views and comments of their subjects regarding the reasons for American participation in World War II and the actions taken to end the war in the Pacific. These oral histories shall also solicit comments from their subjects regarding the aftermath of World War II in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. (b) The Legislature finds and declares that the current state-adopted academic content standards already include instruction on the Korean War and the Vietnam War in the appropriate grade level consistent with those standards. The Legislature encourages that this instruction include a component drawn from personal testimony, especially in the form of oral or video histories, if available, of American soldiers who were involved in those wars. (c) (1) The Legislature encourages the instruction required pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 51220 to include instruction on World War II and the role of Filipinos in that war, consisting of an accurate history of the contributions of the Filipino American veterans who fought courageously in the United States Army for freedom and democracy in World War II under the leadership of General Douglas MacArthur. (2) The Legislature encourages the instruction described in paragraph (1) to include a component drawn from personal testimony, especially in the form of oral or video histories of Filipinos who were involved in World War II and those men and women who contributed to the war effort on the homefront. The oral histories used as a part of the instruction regarding the role of Filipinos in World War II are encouraged to do all of the following: (A) Exemplify the personal sacrifice and courage of the wide range of ordinary citizens who were called upon to participate and to provide intelligence for the United States. (B) Contain the views and comments of their subjects regarding the reasons for their participation in World War II. (C) Solicit comments from their subjects regarding the aftermath of World War II and the immigration of Filipinos to the United States. (d) (1) Instruction in the area of social sciences, as required pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 51220, may include instruction on the Bracero program. (2) The instruction described in paragraph (1) may include a component drawn from personal testimony, especially in the form of oral or video histories of individuals who were involved with the Bracero program. Oral histories used as part of the instruction regarding the Bracero program may do all of the following: (A) Exemplify the economic and cultural effects of the Bracero program during and after World War II, including, but not limited to, its effects on the railroad system, agriculture, and immigration in California and the United States of America. (B) Contain the views and comments of their subjects regarding the reasons for their participation in the Bracero program and their immigrant story, generally. (3) This subdivision shall be carried out in a manner that does not result in new duties or programs being imposed on a school district. In that regard, the Legislature finds and declares that this subdivision does not mandate costs to local agencies or school districts and that materials used to comply with this subdivision shall be part of normal curriculum materials purchased by school districts in their normal course of business and purchasing cycles.  (e) (1) The Legislature encourages the instruction required pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 51220 to include instruction on the American military conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, including Operation Desert Storm.   (2) The Legislature encourages the instruction described in paragraph (1) to include a component drawn from personal testimony, especially in the form of oral or video histories of military veterans who were involved in those conflicts.   (3) Any oral histories used as part of the instruction described in paragraph (1) should exemplify the personal sacrifice, courage, and sense of duty of those who were called upon to serve.  All matter omitted in this version of the bill appears in the bill as introduced in the Senate, February 21, 2014. (JR11)