Bill Text: CA AB2319 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Educational equity.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-02-27 - Read first time. [AB2319 Detail]

Download: California-2011-AB2319-Introduced.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 2319	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member V. Manuel Pérez

                        FEBRUARY 24, 2012

   An act to amend Section 201 of the Education Code, relating to
educational equity.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2319, as introduced, V. Manuel Pérez. Educational equity.
   Existing law provides that California's public schools have an
affirmative obligation to combat racism, sexism, and other forms of
bias, and a responsibility to provide equal educational opportunity.
   This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to that
provision and other related provisions.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 201 of the Education Code is amended to read:
   201.  (a) All pupils have the right to participate fully in the
educational process, free from discrimination and harassment.
   (b) California's public schools have an affirmative obligation to
combat racism, sexism, and other forms of bias,  and
  as well as  a responsibility to provide equal
educational opportunity.
   (c) Harassment on school grounds directed at an individual on the
basis of personal characteristics or status creates a hostile
environment and jeopardizes equal educational opportunity as
guaranteed by the California Constitution and the United States
Constitution.
   (d) There is an urgent need to prevent and respond to acts of hate
violence and bias-related incidents that are occurring at an
increasing rate in California's public schools.
   (e) There is an urgent need to teach and inform pupils in the
public schools about their rights, as guaranteed by the federal and
state constitutions, in order to increase pupils' awareness and
understanding of their rights and the rights of others, with the
intention of promoting tolerance and sensitivity in public schools
and in society as a means of responding to potential harassment and
hate violence.
   (f) It is the intent of the Legislature that each public school
undertake educational activities to counter discriminatory incidents
on school grounds and, within constitutional bounds, to minimize and
eliminate a hostile environment on school grounds that impairs the
access of pupils to equal educational opportunity.
   (g) It is the intent of the Legislature that this chapter shall be
interpreted as consistent with Article 9.5 (commencing with Section
11135) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the
Government Code, Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42
U.S.C. Sec. 1981  ,  et seq.), Title IX of the
Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1681  ,
 et seq.), Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of
1973 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 794(a)), the federal Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq.), the federal
Equal Educational Opportunities Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1701  ,
 et seq.), the Unruh Civil Rights Act (Secs. 51 to 53,
incl., Civ. C.), and the Fair Employment and Housing Act (Pt. 2.8
(commencing with Sec. 12900), Div. 3, Gov. C.), except where this
chapter may grant more protections or impose additional obligations,
and that the remedies provided  herein   in this
chapter  shall not be the exclusive remedies, but may be
combined with remedies that may be provided by the above statutes.