Bill Text: NJ A4545 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Requires school districts to include instruction on racial discrimination and social justice as part of implementation of New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Social Studies for middle school students.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 12-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2020-11-05 - Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee [A4545 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2020-A4545-Amended.html

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[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 4545

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED AUGUST 13, 2020

 

 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  HERB CONAWAY, JR.

District 7 (Burlington)

Assemblywoman  CAROL A. MURPHY

District 7 (Burlington)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman Vainieri Huttle

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Requires school districts to include instruction on racial discrimination and social justice as part of implementation of New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Social Studies for middle school students.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As reported by the Assembly Education Committee on October 22, 2020, with amendments.

  

An Act concerning public school instruction on ¹[certain events in United States history] racial discrimination and social justice¹ and supplementing chapter 35 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes. 

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

      1.  a.  A board of education shall include instruction on ¹[certain events in United States history, which involve]¹ racial discrimination and social justice¹[,]¹ in an appropriate place in the curriculum of middle school students as part of the school district's implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Social Studies.  ¹[The instruction shall include information on the following events:

     (1)   the death of Emmett Till in 1955, the circumstances surrounding his death, and the events following his death, including the role his death played as an important catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement; 

     (2)  the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and the 1960s;

     (3)   civil unrest stemming from racial discrimination that occurred during the 1990s including, but not limited to, the death of Rodney King and the ensuing riots that occurred in Los Angeles, California; and

     (4)   the death of George Floyd in 2020, the circumstances surrounding his death, and the events following his death, including the international protests against excessive police force that were triggered as a result of his death.]¹ 

     b.  The Commissioner of Education¹, in consultation with the Amistad Commission,¹ shall provide school districts with age-appropriate sample learning activities and resources designed to enhance students' overall understanding of ¹[the events enumerated in subsection a. of this section] issues surrounding racial discrimination and social justice¹.

 

     2.  This act shall take effect immediately and shall first apply to the first full school year following the date of enactment.