HLS 22RS-409 ORIGINAL
2022 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 747
BY REPRESENTATIVE GAROFALO
CURRICULA: Requires instruction on the "I Have a Dream" speech and prohibits
including certain concepts regarding sex, race, ethnicity, and national origin in
content standards, curricula, textbooks, and staff professional development programs
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 17:351.1(B)(1)(a) and (C)(4) and to enact R.S. 17:277.1 and
3 3996(B)(67) and (68), relative to education; to require instruction on the "I Have a
4 Dream" speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as a prerequisite to high school
5 graduation; to prohibit the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education from
6 approving state content standards containing certain concepts pertaining to sex, race,
7 ethnicity, and national origin; to prohibit the state board and the state Department of
8 Education from endorsing or recommending curricula, textbooks, or instructional
9 materials that contain such concepts; to prohibit public school governing authorities
10 from adopting or purchasing curricula, textbooks, instructional materials, or staff
11 professional development trainings or resources that contain such concepts; to
12 provide relative to requests for proposals and contracts; and to provide for related
13 matters.
14Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
15 Section 1. R.S. 17:351.1(B)(1)(a) and (C)(4) are hereby amended and reenacted and
16R.S. 17:277.1 and 3996(B)(67) and (68) are hereby enacted to read as follows:
17 §277.1. "I Have a Dream" speech; required instruction
18 The governing authority of each public high school shall provide for
19 instruction relative to the "I Have a Dream" speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,
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1 as a prerequisite to graduation. This instruction shall be integrated into an existing
2 course of study.
3 * * *
4 §351.1. Textbooks and other instructional materials; review; adoption; procurement;
5 distribution
6 * * *
7 B.(1)(a) The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall
8 establish a transparent, digital process whereby the state Department of Education
9 shall review textbooks and other instructional materials in the core subject areas of
10 English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies and determine the
11 degree to which each aligns with state content standards. The state board shall not
12 approve any content standards that provide that a particular sex, race, ethnicity, or
13 national origin is inherently superior or inferior to another. The department may
14 review textbooks and instructional materials in other subject matter areas as it deems
15 necessary or upon request of a public school governing authority. Neither the state
16 board nor the department shall endorse or recommend any curricula, textbooks, or
17 instructional materials that provide that a particular sex, race, ethnicity, or national
18 origin is inherently superior or inferior to another.
19 * * *
20 C.
21 * * *
22 (4)(a) Textbooks and instructional materials adopted for use in public
23 elementary and secondary schools shall accurately reflect the contributions and
24 achievements of people of differing races and promote an understanding of the
25 history and values of the people of the United States and Louisiana, including the
26 free enterprise system, private property, constitutional liberties, democratic values,
27 and traditional standards of moral values.
28 (b) No public school governing authority shall adopt or purchase any
29 curricula, textbooks, or instructional materials or staff professional development
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1 trainings or resources that provide that a particular sex, race, ethnicity, or national
2 origin is inherently superior, inferior, advantaged, disadvantaged, privileged,
3 underprivileged, biased, or oppressed relative to another. Reference to this
4 prohibition shall be included in any request for proposal for curricula, textbooks,
5 instructional materials, or staff professional development trainings or resources and
6 in any contract for the purchase thereof by any public school governing authority or
7 any other entity that receives state funds and purchases these items for elementary
8 and secondary educational purposes.
9 * * *
10 §3996. Charter schools; exemptions; requirements
11 * * *
12 B. Notwithstanding any state law, rule, or regulation to the contrary and
13 except as may be otherwise specifically provided for in an approved charter, a
14 charter school established and operated in accordance with the provisions of this
15 Chapter and its approved charter and the school's officers and employees shall be
16 exempt from all statutory mandates or other statutory requirements that are
17 applicable to public schools and to public school officers and employees except for
18 the following laws otherwise applicable to public schools with the same grades:
19 * * *
20 (67) Instruction regarding the "I Have a Dream" speech by Dr. Martin Luther
21 King, Jr., R.S. 17:277.1.
22 (68) Prohibition against adoption or purchase of curricula, textbooks,
23 instructional materials, or staff professional development trainings or resources that
24 provide that a particular sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin is inherently superior
25 or inferior to another, R.S. 17:351.1(C)(4)(b).
26 * * *
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HB NO. 747
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 747 Original 2022 Regular Session Garofalo
Abstract: Requires instruction on the "I Have a Dream" speech by Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr., as a prerequisite to high school graduation and prohibits inclusion of certain
concepts relative to sex, race, ethnicity, and national origin in state content standards,
curricula, textbooks, and professional development.
Proposed law requires instruction on the "I Have a Dream" speech by Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr., as a prerequisite to high school graduation.
Present law requires the State Bd. of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) to
prescribe a process for textbook review, adoption, procurement, and distribution. Also
requires BESE to establish a transparent, digital process whereby the state Dept. of
Education (DOE) shall review textbooks and determine the degree to which each aligns with
state content standards. Proposed law additionally:
(1)Prohibits BESE from approving standards that provide that a particular sex, race,
ethnicity, or national origin is inherently superior or inferior to another.
(2)Prohibits BESE and DOE from endorsing or recommending any curricula, textbooks,
or instructional materials that provide that a particular sex, race, ethnicity, or national
origin is inherently superior or inferior to another.
(3)Prohibits public school governing authorities from adopting or purchasing any
curricula, textbooks, instructional materials, or staff professional development
trainings or resources that provide that a particular sex, race, ethnicity, or national
origin is inherently superior, inferior, advantaged, disadvantaged, privileged,
underprivileged, biased, or oppressed relative to another.
Proposed law requires inclusion of reference to (3) above in any request for proposal for
these items and in any contract for the purchase thereof by any public school governing
authority or any other entity that receives state funds and purchases these items for
elementary and secondary educational purposes.
Proposed law is applicable to all public schools, including charter schools.
(Amends R.S. 17:351.1(B)(1)(a) and (C)(4); Adds R.S. 17:277.1 and 3996(B)(67) and (68))
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