Posted: | May 8, 2013 09:38 AM |
---|---|
From: | Representative Paul I. Clymer |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Holocaust and Genocide Education |
In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation that will allow public school entities to offer instruction in the Holocaust, other forms of genocide and human rights violations. I believe it is imperative that our public schools foster an understanding about the Holocaust, genocide and other human rights violations, including their history and actions taken in response. Toward this end, my legislation will encourage school districts, charter schools, intermediate units and area vocational-technical schools to offer Holocaust and genocide instruction to students in grades six through twelve. If offered by the school entity, the instruction will be integrated within the social studies and language arts courses of study and may be integrated into other appropriate courses of study as well. The Department of Education must establish curriculum guidelines, but a school entity choosing to offer Holocaust and genocide instruction may use any curriculum that is consistent with the law’s requirements. Each school entity offering the instruction must provide in-service training concerning the Holocaust, genocide and human rights violations for those educators who will teach in these areas. The State Board of Education must adopt any rules or regulations necessary to implement the provisions. I hope you will join me in sponsoring this legislation. Thank you for your consideration. |
Introduced as HB1424