EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1181*
HOUSE BILL 1181
F1 4lr2621
CF SB 1058
By: Delegate Wilson
Introduced and read first time: February 8, 2024
Assigned to: Ways and Means
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Education – Curriculum Standards – Antihate and Holocaust Education 2
(Educate to Stop the Hate Act) 3
FOR the purpose of requiring the State Board of Education to adopt certain curriculum 4
standards and curriculum resources on or before a certain date; requiring the State 5
Department of Education to revise and enhance certain history and social studies 6
frameworks to include certain instruction; requiring all public schools and certain 7
nonpublic schools to include the revised and enhanced instruction in school curricula 8
beginning in a certain school year; requiring county boards of education to dedicate 9
a portion of Title II funds for professional development related to teaching the 10
requirements of this Act; encouraging certain nonpublic schools in the State to 11
include in the school’s curriculum at least a unit of instruction on certain topics 12
consistent with the purposes of this Act; and generally relating to antihate and 13
Holocaust education and curriculum standards. 14
BY adding to 15
Article – Education 16
Section 7–135 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 19
Preamble 20
WHEREAS, Hate, bigotry, and prejudice undermine the very fabric of our society, 21
jeopardizing the fundamental principles of equity, dignity, and respect for all individuals; 22
and 23
WHEREAS, Hateful sentiment is reaching unprecedented levels in contemporary 24
society and is reaching a critical mass that threatens both the physical and psychological 25
well–being of our residents; and 26
2 HOUSE BILL 1181
WHEREAS, Social media and technology are being used to disseminate false and 1
inaccurate information leading to the rising tide of hate crimes, discrimination, and 2
intolerance that threatens the harmonious coexistence of diverse communities; and 3
WHEREAS, Understanding American and world history can be critical in addressing 4
the dramatic rise in hate rhetoric and hate–related actions and crimes; and 5
WHEREAS, Education will help students understand the roots and ramifications of 6
prejudice, racism, and stereotyping, develop an awareness of the value of pluralism and 7
diversity, explore the dangers of remaining silent, apathetic, and indifferent to the 8
oppression of others, and learn how the abuse of power can lead to the implementation of 9
destructive policies resulting in government–sponsored policies ranging from social 10
engineering to genocide; and 11
WHEREAS, It is a policy of the General Assembly to avoid legislating the instruction 12
of the public school system, but the unprecedented expressions of hate, bigotry, and 13
prejudice have reached a critical and alarming mass requiring that the General Assembly 14
take unprecedented policy action to best achieve outcomes for the people of the State; now, 15
therefore, 16
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLA ND, 17
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 18
Article – Education 19
7–135. 20
(A) THIS SECTION APPLIES TO: 21
(1) ALL PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, MIDDLE SCHOOLS , AND 22
HIGH SCHOOLS ; AND 23
(2) ALL NONPUBLIC ELEMENT ARY SCHOOLS, MIDDLE SCHOOLS , AND 24
HIGH SCHOOLS THAT PARTICI PATE IN STATE–FUNDED EDUCATION PRO GRAMS. 25
(B) (1) ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2025, THE STATE BOARD SHALL 26
ADOPT CURRICULUM STA NDARDS AND CURRICULU M RESOURCES FOR 27
INSTRUCTIONAL CONTEN T ON: 28
(I) COMPREHENSIVE ANTIHAT E EDUCATION UTILIZIN G 29
HISTORICAL CONTEXTS THAT HAVE LED TO CON TEMPORARY RACISM AND 30
PREJUDICE; AND 31
(II) THE HOLOCAUST. 32
HOUSE BILL 1181 3
(2) THE CURRICULUM STANDA RDS AND CURRICULUM R ESOURCES 1
ADOPTED UNDER PARAGR APH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION S HALL BE 2
AGE–APPROPRIATE , INTERDISCIPLINARY , AND CO NSISTENT WITH OTHER 3
REQUIRED GRADE LEVEL INSTRUCTION. 4
(C) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL : 5
(I) REVISE AND ENHANCE TH E HIGH SCHOOL HISTOR Y 6
FRAMEWORK TO INCLUDE INSTRUCTION ON THE H ISTORY AND CONTRIBUT IONS OF 7
HISTORICALLY DISADVA NTAGED RACIAL AND ET HNIC GROUP S, INCLUDING: 8
1. AFRICAN AMERICANS; 9
2. NATIVE AMERICANS; 10
3. ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS; 11
4. HISPANIC AMERICANS; 12
5. JEWISH AMERICANS; 13
6. ARAB AMERICANS; AND 14
7. OTHER HISTORICALLY DI SADVANTAGED RACIAL A ND 15
ETHNIC GROUPS; 16
(II) REVISE AND ENHANCE TH E ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SOCIAL 17
STUDIES FRAMEWORK FO R GRADES 4 AND 5 TO INCORPORATE INSTR UCTION 18
ADDRESSING THE HOLOCAUST WITHIN THE GRADE 5 UNIT; 19
(III) REVISE AND ENHANCE TH E MIDDLE SCHOOL SOCI AL 20
STUDIES FRAMEWORK FO R GRADES 6 AND 7 TO INCORPORATE A STU DY OF THE 21
ROOTS OF ANTISEMITIS M THAT LED TO THE HOLOCAUST TO HELP STU DENTS 22
CONTEXTUALIZE THE ST UDY OF THE HOLOCAUST IN HIGH SCH OOL; AND 23
(IV) REVISE AND ENHANCE TH E HIGH SCHOOL HISTOR Y 24
FRAMEWORK TO STRENGT HEN THE REQUIR ED HOLOCAUST INSTRUCTION IN: 25
1. THE UNITED STATES HISTORY CURRIC ULUM, TO 26
REQUIRE STUDENTS TO STUDY THE AMERICAN RESPONSE TO THE HOLOCAUST BY 27
FIRST UNDERSTANDING THE ORIGINS OF THE HOLOCAUST; AND 28
2. THE MODERN WORLD HIST ORY CURRICULUM , TO 29 4 HOUSE BILL 1181
REQUIRE STUDENTS TO EVALUATE THE CAUSE, COURSE, AND CONSEQUENCES OF 1
THE HOLOCAUST. 2
(2) THE REVISED AND ENHAN CED HISTORY AND SOCI AL STUDIES 3
FRAMEWORKS DEVELOPED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION M AY NOT 4
EXPAND THE TOTAL AMO UNT OF INSTRUCTION R EQUIRED FOR A NY GIVEN COURSE . 5
(D) BEGINNING IN THE 2025–2026 SCHOOL YEAR , ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS 6
AND ALL NONPUBLIC SC HOOLS THAT PARTICIPA TE IN STATE–FUNDED EDUCATION 7
PROGRAMS SHALL INCLU DE THE REVISED AND E NHANCED INSTRUCTIONA L 8
CONTENT DEVELOPED UN DER SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION IN SCHOO L 9
CURRICULA. 10
(E) (1) EACH COUNTY BOARD SHA LL DEDICATE A PORTIO N OF TITLE II 11
FUNDS FOR SUBSTANTIV E PROFESSIONAL DEVEL OPMENT ON TRAINING O N 12
TEACHING THE REQUIRE MENTS OF THIS SECTIO N. 13
(2) TEACHERS PARTICIPATIN G IN PROFESSIONAL DE VELOPMENT ON 14
TRAINING ON TEACHING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION: 15
(I) SHALL BE PAID OR REIM BURSED AT LOCALLY NE GOTIATED 16
RATES; AND 17
(II) MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR C ONTINUING PROFESSION AL 18
DEVELOPMENT CREDITS . 19
(F) IT IS THE INTENT OF T HE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT: 20
(1) THE CURRICULUM STANDA RDS ADOPTED BY THE STATE BOARD 21
UNDER SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION BE T HE MINIMUM REQUIRED FOR 22
TEACHING THESE ESSEN TIAL TOPICS TO STUDE NTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOL S ACROSS 23
THE STATE; AND 24
(2) ALL SCHOOLS IN THE STATE ARE ENCOU RAGED TO INCORPORATE 25
ANTIHATE EDUCATION I NTO THE FULL RANGE O F SUBJECTS TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS 26
TO PROVIDE THE MOST BENEFIT TO STUDENTS . 27
(G) EACH NONPUBLIC ELEMEN TARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOL IN T HE 28
STATE THAT DOES NOT P ARTICIPATE IN STATE–FUNDED EDUCATION PRO GRAMS IS 29
ENCOURAGED TO INCLUD E IN THE SCHOOL ’S CURRICULUM AT LEAS T A UNIT OF 30
INSTRUCTION ON THE T OPICS DESCRIBED IN S UBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION 31
USING OR BASED ON TH E CURRICULUM STANDAR DS ADOPTED BY THE STATE 32
BOARD. 33 HOUSE BILL 1181 5
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTE D, That this Act shall take effect July 1
1, 2024. 2