PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 116
PRINTER'S NO. 1922
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
139
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY MASTRIANO, STEFANO, ARGALL, BAKER, BARTOLOTTA,
BROOKS, BROWNE, MARTIN, MENSCH, PHILLIPS-HILL, PITTMAN,
J. WARD, K. WARD, REGAN AND YUDICHAK, JANUARY 28, 2021
SENATOR MARTIN, EDUCATION, AS AMENDED, SEPTEMBER 20, 2022
AN ACT
Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
act relating to the public school system, including certain
provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
laws relating thereto," in terms and courses of study,
providing for moment of silence on September 11 anniversary.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
section to read:
Section 1555. Moment of silence on September 11
anniversary. --(a) Each school entity shall conduct a moment of
silence during instructional hours for students and faculty to
observe the anniversary of September 11, 2001, as a remembrance
of the thousands of military service persons, government
employees, civilians and emergency responders who lost their
lives or were wounded by terrorist attacks on that date.
(b) The Department of Education shall make available to all
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school entities voluntary in-service training programs based
upon the moment of silence provided for under subsection (a) and
model curriculum guidelines.
(c) The Department of Education shall provide the model
curriculum guidelines, voluntary in-service training and any
other materials developed in accordance with this section to any
nonpublic school within this Commonwealth upon receiving a
request from the nonpublic school.
(B) THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHALL ESTABLISH A MODEL
CURRICULUM FOR INSTRUCTION IN THE EVENTS AND SIGNIFICANCE OF
SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, NO LATER THAN TWELVE (12) MONTHS AFTER THE
EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION. THE MODEL CURRICULUM SHALL
INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, ALL OF THE FOLLOWING TOPICS
WHERE APPROPRIATE:
(1) THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF TERRORISM.
(2) THE TERRORIST ATTACKS ON THE WORLD TRADE CENTER, THE
PENTAGON AND UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT 93 WHICH CRASHED IN
SHANKSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.
(3) AMERICAN RECOVERY AND RESPONSE TO THE ATTACKS.
(4) GLOBAL CHALLENGES AND CONSEQUENCES IN A POST-SEPTEMBER
11 WORLD.
(C) THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHALL MAKE AVAILABLE ON THE
DEPARTMENT'S PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE INTERNET WEBSITE CURRICULUM
MATERIALS AND OTHER AVAILABLE RESOURCES REGARDING THE EVENTS AND
SIGNIFICANCE OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, FOR VOLUNTARY USE BY SCHOOL
ENTITIES.
(D) NOTHING IN SUBSECTIONS (B) AND (C) SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO
REQUIRE A SCHOOL ENTITY OR NONPUBLIC SCHOOL TO IMPLEMENT, ADOPT
OR USE THE CURRICULUM, MATERIALS AND OTHER RESOURCES MADE
AVAILABLE BY THE DEPARTMENT UNDER THIS SECTION.
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(d) (E) For purposes of this section, the term "school
entity" shall mean a school district, charter school, regional
charter school, cyber charter school, intermediate unit or area
career and technical school.
Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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