HB 1139 2024
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to required instruction in the history 2
of African Americans; amending s. 1003.42, F.S.; 3
revising required instruction in the history of 4
African Americans to include a comprehensive account 5
of the sociopolitical circumstances surrounding 6
slavery, including which political parties supported 7
slavery by adopting pro -slavery tenets as part of 8
their platform; providing an effective date. 9
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 11
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Section 1. Paragraph (h) of subsection (2) of section 13
1003.42, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 14
1003.42 Required instruction. — 15
(2) Members of the instructional staff of the public 16
schools, subject to the rules of the State Board of Education 17
and the district school board, shall teach efficiently and 18
faithfully, using the books and materials required that meet the 19
highest standards for professionalism and historical accuracy, 20
following the prescribed courses of study, and employing 21
approved methods of instruction, the following: 22
(h) The history of African Americans, including the 23
history of African peoples before the political conflicts that 24
led to the development of slavery ;, the passage to America;, the 25
HB 1139 2024
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
enslavement experience ; a comprehensive account of the 26
sociopolitical circumstances surrounding slavery, including 27
which political parties supported slavery by adopting pro -28
slavery tenets to their party platform; , abolition;, and the 29
history and contributions of Americans of the African diaspora 30
to society. Students shall develop an understanding of the 31
ramifications of prejudice, racism, and stereotyping on 32
individual freedoms, and examine what it means to be a 33
responsible and respectful person, for the purpose of 34
encouraging tolerance of diversity in a pluralistic society and 35
for nurturing and protecting democratic values and institutions. 36
Instruction shall include the roles and contributions of 37
individuals from all walks of life and thei r endeavors to learn 38
and thrive throughout history as artists, scientists, educators, 39
businesspeople, influential thinkers, members of the faith 40
community, and political and governmental leaders and the 41
courageous steps they took to fulfill the promise of democracy 42
and unite the nation. Instructional materials shall include the 43
vital contributions of African Americans to build and strengthen 44
American society and celebrate the inspirational stories of 45
African Americans who prospered, even in the most difficu lt 46
circumstances. Instructional personnel may facilitate 47
discussions and use curricula to address, in an age -appropriate 48
manner, how the individual freedoms of persons have been 49
infringed by slavery, racial oppression, racial segregation, and 50
HB 1139 2024
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
racial discrimination, as well as topics relating to the 51
enactment and enforcement of laws resulting in racial 52
oppression, racial segregation, and racial discrimination and 53
how recognition of these freedoms has overturned these unjust 54
laws. However, classroom instructi on and curriculum may not be 55
used to indoctrinate or persuade students to a particular point 56
of view inconsistent with the principles enumerated in 57
subsection (3) or the state academic standards. Each school 58
district must annually certify and provide evide nce to the 59
department, in a manner prescribed by the department, that the 60
requirements of this paragraph are met. The department shall 61
prepare and offer standards and curriculum for the instruction 62
required by this paragraph and may seek input from the 63
Commissioner of Education's African American History Task Force 64
or from any state or nationally recognized African -American 65
educational organizations. The department may contract with any 66
state or nationally recognized African -American educational 67
organizations to develop training for instructional personnel 68
and grade-appropriate classroom resources to support the 69
developed curriculum. 70
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The State Board of Education is encouraged to adopt standards 72
and pursue assessment of the requirements of this subsection. 73
Instructional programming that incorporates the values of the 74
recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor and that is 75
HB 1139 2024
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
offered as part of a social studies, English Language Arts, or 76
other schoolwide character building and veteran awareness 77
initiative meets the requirements of paragraph (u). 78
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 79