EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb1003*
SENATE BILL 1003
F1 5lr3571
CF HB 493
By: Senator Benson
Introduced and read first time: February 1, 2025
Assigned to: Rules
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 SECTION IS TO D ESIGNATE 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
(B) (1) EACH COUNTY BOARD SHA LL DEVELOP AND IMPLE MENT A 22
PROGRAM OF EDUCATION FOR RUBY BRIDGES WALK TO SCHOOL DAY TO BE HELD 23
ON OR AROUND NOVEMBER 14 EACH YEAR. 24 2 SENATE BILL 1003
(2) THE PROGRAM OF EDUCAT ION MAY INCLUDE : 1
(I) A SYMBOLIC WALK TO SCH OOL, ENCOURAGING S TUDENTS 2
TO REFLECT ON THE SI GNIFICANCE OF RUBY BRIDGES’S HISTORIC WALK ; 3
(II) INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIA LS FOCUSING ON THE H ISTORY 4
OF CIVIL RIGHTS , THE IMPACT OF SCHOOL DESEGREGATION , AND THE ONGOING 5
STRUGGLE FOR RACIAL EQUALITY; 6
(III) DISCUSSIONS, ASSEMBLIES, OR PRESENTATIONS THA T 7
HIGHLIGHT RUBY BRIDGES AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT ; AND 8
(IV) INTERACTIVE PROJECTS HIGHLIGHTING THE IMP ORTANCE 9
OF DIVERSITY, TOLERANCE , AND JUSTICE , INCLUDING ARTWORK , ESSAYS, OR 10
ARTISTIC PERFORMANCE S. 11
(3) IN DEVELOPING A PROGRAM OF EDUCATI ON IN ACCORDANCE 12
WITH PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION , A COUNTY BOARD OR PU BLIC SCHOOL 13
IS ENCOURAGED TO : 14
(I) COLLABORATE WITH PARE NTS, COMMUNITY 15
ORGANIZATIONS , LOCAL LEADERS , AND CIVIL RIGHTS GRO UPS; AND 16
(II) PARTNER WITH LOCAL MUSEUMS , LIBRARIES, AND 17
HISTORICAL SOCIETIES TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH OPPORTUNITIES T O EXPLORE 18
THE HISTORY OF CIVIL RIGHTS. 19
(C) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVE LOP MODEL CONTENT FO R A 20
PROGRAM OF EDUCATION FOR RUBY BRIDGES WALK TO SCHOOL DAY. 21
(2) THE MODEL CONTENT DEVE LOPED BY THE DEPARTMENT IN 22
ACCORDANCE WITH PARA GRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION : 23
(I) MAY INCLUDE INSTRUCTI ONAL MATERIALS , INCLUDING 24
AGE–APPROPRIATE LESSON P LANS, DISCUSSION GUIDES , HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS , 25
AND MULTIMEDIA RESOU RCES; AND 26
(II) SHALL INCLUDE RESOURC ES TO ASSIST TEACHER S TO 27
ENGAGE STUDENTS IN D ISCUSSIONS ABOUT CIV IL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. 28
(D) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADOP T REGULATIONS TO CAR RY OUT THIS 29
SECTION. 30 SENATE BILL 1003 3
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall ta ke effect July 1
1, 2025. 2