PRINTER'S NO. 67
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
88
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY GREENLEAF, ARGALL, EICHELBERGER, SCAVELLO,
VULAKOVICH, RESCHENTHALER, TARTAGLIONE, SCARNATI, MENSCH,
GORDNER, HUTCHINSON, FOLMER AND RAFFERTY, JANUARY 13, 2017
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, JANUARY 13, 2017
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providing for historical documents, writings and records use
in classrooms and censorship prohibited.
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 1515.1. Historical Documents, Writings and Records
Use in Classrooms and Censorship Prohibited.--(a) No teacher or
administrator in a public school entity shall be prohibited from
using or reading from, during the course of educational
instruction, or posting in a public school building, classroom
or event any of the following or any excerpts or portions of the
following:
(i) The national motto.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
(ii) The national anthem.
(iii) The Pledge of Allegiance.
(iv) The Constitution of the United States and the
Constitution of Pennsylvania.
(v) The Mayflower Compact.
(vi) The Declaration of Independence.
(vii) The writings, speeches, documents and proclamations of
the founders or Presidents of the United States or the founders
or Governors of Pennsylvania.
(viii) Opinions of the United States Supreme Court and
Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
(ix) Acts of the Congress of the United States and acts of
the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
(x) Organic documents from the pre-Colonial, Colonial,
Revolutionary, Federalist and post-Federalist eras.
(b) The use, reading or posting of the types of documents,
writings and records authorized by this section shall be
undertaken for educational purposes only and shall not be used,
read from or posted to promote or establish any religion or
religious belief.
(c) No person may impose content-based censorship of an
American or Pennsylvania historical document, writing or record
based on any religious references contained in a document,
writing or record.
(d) The Department of Education shall immediately distribute
a copy of this section to all school districts, and they shall
then notify all public school teachers of the provisions of this
section.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20170SB0088PN0067 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29