EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0493*
HOUSE BILL 493
F1 5lr0652
By: Delegates Fennell, Harris, Healey, Ivey, Martinez, Pruski, Roberts, Taylor,
Turner, Wilkins, and Williams
Introduced and read first time: January 20, 2025
Assigned to: Ways and Means
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Public Schools – Commemorative Day – Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day 2
FOR the purpose of designating a certain date as Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day; 3
requiring each county board of education to develop and implement a program of 4
education for Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day; requiring the State Department of 5
Education to develop model content for a program of education for Ruby Bridges 6
Walk to School Day; and generally relating to Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day. 7
BY adding to 8
Article – Education 9
Section 7–136 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 12
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14
Article – Education 15
7–136. 16
(A) THE PURPOSE OF THIS S ECTION IS TO DESIGNATE NOVEMBER 14 EACH 17
YEAR AS “RUBY BRIDGES WALK TO SCHOOL DAY” TO COMMEMORATE RUBY 18
BRIDGES, WHO, ON NOVEMBER 14, 1960, BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN 19
STUDENT TO INTEGRATE AN ALL–WHITE ELEMENTARY SCH OOL IN NEW ORLEANS, 20
LOUISIANA. 21
2 HOUSE BILL 493
(B) (1) EACH COUNTY BOARD SHALL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A 1
PROGRAM OF EDUCATION FOR RUBY BRIDGES WALK TO SCHOOL DAY TO BE HELD 2
ON OR AROUND NOVEMBER 14 EACH YEAR. 3
(2) THE PROGRAM OF EDUCAT ION MAY INCLUDE : 4
(I) A SYMBOLIC WALK TO SCH OOL, ENCOURAGING STUDENTS 5
TO REFLECT ON THE SI GNIFICANCE OF RUBY BRIDGES’S HISTORIC WALK ; 6
(II) INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIA LS FOCUSING ON THE HISTORY 7
OF CIVIL RIGHTS , THE IMPACT OF SCHOOL DESEGREGATION , AND THE ONGOING 8
STRUGGLE FOR RACIAL EQUALITY; 9
(III) DISCUSSIONS, ASSEMBLIES, OR PRESENTATIONS THAT 10
HIGHLIGHT RUBY BRIDGES AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT ; AND 11
(IV) INTERACTIVE PROJECTS HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANCE 12
OF DIVERSITY, TOLERANCE , AND JUSTICE , INCLUDING ARTWORK, ESSAYS, OR 13
ARTISTIC PERFORMANCES . 14
(3) IN DEVELOPING A PROGR AM OF EDUCATION IN ACCORDA NCE 15
WITH PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION , A COUNTY BOARD OR PUBLIC SCHOOL 16
IS ENCOURAGED TO : 17
(I) COLLABORATE WITH PARENTS, COMMUNITY 18
ORGANIZATIONS , LOCAL LEADERS , AND CIVIL RIGHTS GRO UPS; AND 19
(II) PARTNER WITH LOCAL MU SEUMS, LIBRARIES, AND 20
HISTORICAL SOCIETIES TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH OPPORTUNITIES T O EXPLORE 21
THE HISTORY OF CIVIL RIGHTS. 22
(C) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVE LOP MODEL CONTENT FO R A 23
PROGRAM OF EDUCATION FOR RUBY BRIDGES WALK TO SCHOOL DAY. 24
(2) THE MODEL CONTENT DEVELOPED BY THE DEPARTMENT IN 25
ACCORDANCE WITH PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION : 26
(I) MAY INCLUDE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERI ALS, INCLUDING 27
AGE–APPROPRIATE LESSON P LANS, DISCUSSION GUIDES , HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS , 28
AND MULTIMEDIA RESOU RCES; AND 29
(II) SHALL INCLUDE RESOURC ES TO ASSIST TEACHERS TO 30
ENGAGE STUDENTS IN D ISCUSSIONS ABOUT CIV IL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. 31 HOUSE BILL 493 3
(D) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADOP T REGULATIONS TO CAR RY OUT THIS 1
SECTION. 2
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 3
1, 2025. 4