Bill Text: NY S03181 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Requires the public school curriculum for children in kindergarten through grade twelve to include a minimum of two hours per week instruction in civics lessons.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2024-01-03 - REFERRED TO EDUCATION [S03181 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-S03181-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          3181

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                    January 30, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by Sen. HOYLMAN-SIGAL -- read twice and ordered printed, and
          when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education

        AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring  the  public
          school curriculum for children in kindergarten through grade twelve to
          include a minimum of two hours per week instruction in civics lessons

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. Section 801-a of the education law, as amended  by  chapter
     2  102 of the laws of 2012, is amended to read as follows:
     3    § 801-a. Instruction in civility, citizenship and character education.
     4  1.  The  regents  shall  ensure that the course of instruction in grades
     5  kindergarten through twelve includes a component on  civility,  citizen-
     6  ship  and character education. Such component shall instruct students on
     7  the principles of honesty, tolerance, racial and global  harmony,  media
     8  literacy,  personal  responsibility,  morals  and  ethics,  respect  for
     9  others, with an emphasis on discouraging acts of  harassment,  bullying,
    10  discrimination,  observance  of  laws  and  rules, courtesy, dignity and
    11  other traits which will enhance the quality of their experiences in, and
    12  contributions to, the community. The  instruction  shall  emphasize  the
    13  practical  application  of such lessons and the short-term and long-term
    14  impact on the student's life and on the lives of others of  implementing
    15  the lessons.
    16    2.  The  boards  of  education  and  trustees of the cities and school
    17  districts of the state shall require instruction to  be  given  in  such
    18  matters  for  a  minimum  period  of two hours per week, by the teachers
    19  employed in the schools therein, commencing with the two thousand  twen-
    20  ty-three--two  thousand twenty-four school year. All pupils over the age
    21  of five years who attend public schools shall receive such instruction.
    22    3. Such component shall include instruction of safe,  responsible  use
    23  of  the internet and electronic communications. The regents shall deter-
    24  mine how to incorporate such component in  existing  curricula  and  the

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD04941-01-3
        S. 3181                             2

     1  commissioner  shall  promulgate any regulations needed to carry out such
     2  determination of the regents. For the purposes of this section,  "toler-
     3  ance,"  "respect  for  others" and "dignity" shall include awareness and
     4  sensitivity  to harassment, bullying, discrimination and civility in the
     5  relations of people  of  different  races,  weights,  national  origins,
     6  ethnic groups, religions, religious practices, mental or physical abili-
     7  ties, sexual orientations, genders, and sexes.
     8    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.