STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 4634 2023-2024 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY February 21, 2023 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. MCGOWAN -- read once and referred to the Commit- tee on Education AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to including the attacks on September 11, 2001 in courses of instruction in patriotism and citizenship The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The opening paragraph of subdivision 1 and subdivision 3 of 2 section 801 of the education law, as amended by section 27 of part A of 3 chapter 56 of the laws of 2020, are amended to read as follows: 4 In order to promote a spirit of patriotic and civic service and obli- 5 gation and to foster in the children of the state moral and intellectual 6 qualities which are essential in preparing to meet the obligations of 7 citizenship in peace or in war, the regents of The University of the 8 State of New York shall prescribe courses of instruction in patriotism, 9 citizenship, civic education and values, our shared history of diversi- 10 ty, the role of religious tolerance in this country, and human rights 11 issues, with particular attention to the study of the inhumanity of 12 genocide, slavery (including the freedom trail and underground rail- 13 road), the Holocaust, [and] the mass starvation in Ireland from 1845 to 14 1850, and the attacks on September 11, 2001, to be maintained and 15 followed in all the schools of the state. The boards of education and 16 trustees of the several cities and school districts of the state shall 17 require instruction to be given in such courses, and may include educa- 18 tional resources provided by national and accredited institutions that 19 are recommended for priority use, by the teachers employed in the 20 schools therein. All pupils attending such schools, over the age of 21 eight years, shall attend upon such instruction. 22 3. The regents shall determine the subjects to be included in such 23 courses of instruction in patriotism, citizenship, civic education and 24 values, our shared history of diversity, the role of history of diversi- EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD06556-01-3
A. 4634 2 1 ty, the role of religious tolerance in this country, and human rights 2 issues, with particular attention to the study of the inhumanity of 3 genocide, slavery (including the freedom trail and underground rail- 4 road), the Holocaust, [and] the mass starvation in Ireland from 1845 to 5 1850, and the attacks on September 11, 2001, and in the history, mean- 6 ing, significance and effect of the provisions of the constitution of 7 the United States, the amendments thereto, the declaration of independ- 8 ence, the constitution of the state of New York and the amendments ther- 9 eto, and the period of instruction in each of the grades in such 10 subjects. They shall adopt rules providing for attendance upon such 11 instruction and for such other matters as are required for carrying into 12 effect the objects and purposes of this section. The commissioner shall 13 be responsible for the enforcement of such section and shall cause to be 14 inspected and supervise the instruction to be given in such subjects. 15 The commissioner may, in his or her discretion, cause all or a portion 16 of the public school money to be apportioned to a district or city to be 17 withheld for failure of the school authorities of such district or city 18 to provide instruction in such courses and to compel attendance upon 19 such instruction, as herein prescribed, and for a non-compliance with 20 the rules of the regents adopted as herein provided. 21 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.