A02675
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
434
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY SOLOMON, GROVE, T. DAVIS, HILL-EVANS, MURT,
SCHLOSSBERG, CALTAGIRONE, MEHAFFIE, RABB, ULLMAN, JAMES,
YOUNGBLOOD, DRISCOLL, SAYLOR, FREEMAN, ISAACSON AND NEILSON,
FEBRUARY 11, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, FEBRUARY 11, 2019
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 certification of teachers,
providing for a cultural awareness continuing professional
development course.; and, in terms and courses of study,
further providing for Holocaust, genocide and human rights
violations instruction.
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 1218. Cultural Awareness Continuing Professional
Development Course.--(a) The Department of Education shall
develop and implement a continuing professional education course
on cultural awareness that may be used by professional educators
to satisfy the requirements of section 1205.2.
(b) The Department of Education shall develop the continuing
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professional education course in a manner which provides
professional educators with information and strategies which can
be incorporated into instruction and general interactions with
students in order to encourage students to become more
culturally aware.
(c) The continuing professional education course shall
include training on the following:
(1) Information and strategies to encourage students to
become more culturally aware, and to reject ethnic, cultural and
religious biases.
(2) Resolving disputes between students that result from
ethnic and cultural disputes.
(3) Resolving disputes between students that result from
religious biases.
(4) The dynamics of prejudice and discrimination that impede
effective learning.
(5) Civil rights awareness.
(6) Intellectual, physical and behavioral disability
awareness.
(d) Continuing professional education course materials may
include the following:
(1) Materials that educate students in cultural sensitivity
by introducing the students to various cultures.
(2) Teaching aids that allow students to explore cultures
through food, art, books, movies, dance, traditions and cross-
cultural experiences.
(3) Resources that allow students to explore the cultural
experience of other people, their history, present-day
experiences and connection to the American culture and fabric of
our land.
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(4) Educational aids that provide students with information
on the cultural experiences of the inhabitants of this
Commonwealth, the inhabitants' experiences arriving in this
Commonwealth and development over the years.
(e) By July 31, 2020, and each July 31 thereafter, the
Department of Education shall submit to the chairperson and
minority chairperson of the Education Committee of the Senate
and the chairperson and minority chairperson of the Education
Committee of the House of Representatives a report which shall
include:
(1) The number of professional educators that have enrolled
in the continuing professional education course.
(2) The number of professional educators that have completed
the continuing education course.
(3) The number of schools that have implemented classroom
instruction in cultural awareness.
(4) Any issues that professional educators, administrators,
students or the Department of Education have identified and need
to be addressed.
(f) The course established under subsection (a) shall be
voluntary, offered online and at no cost to professional
educators.
(g) For the purpose of this section, the term "professional
educator" shall mean an individual who holds a Pennsylvania
teacher, educational specialist or administrative certification
or letter of eligibility.
Section 2. Section 1554 heading, (a), (b) and (c) of the act
are amended to read:
Section 1554. Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights
Violations and Cultural Awareness Instruction.--(a) (1)
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Beginning with school year 2015-2016, each school entity may
offer instruction in the Holocaust, genocide and human rights
violations to students. Beginning with school year 2020-2021,
each school entity may offer instruction in cultural awareness.
The instruction shall be integrated within the social studies
and language arts courses of study required in accordance with
State Board of Education regulations. Instruction may also be
integrated into other appropriate courses of study.
(2) The [Holocaust, genocide and human rights violations]
instruction permitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall:
(i) Be age appropriate.
(ii) Be sequential in method of study.
(iii) Communicate the connection between national, ethnic,
racial [or], religious or cultural intolerance and the subjects
described in subsection (b).
(iv) Communicate the impact of personal responsibility,
civic engagement and societal response within the context of the
subjects described in subsection (b).
(3) School entities may utilize any appropriate public or
private materials, personnel and other resources in developing
and implementing the program of instruction permitted pursuant
to paragraph (1). The Department of Education shall distribute
information about appropriate curriculum materials to each
school entity. School entities may utilize any curriculum that
complies with the requirements of this subsection.
(b) (1) The Department of Education shall establish
curriculum guidelines [no later than twelve (12) months after
the effective date of this section] to foster implementation of
this section by school entities. The guidelines shall encourage
the inclusion of all of the following subjects where appropriate
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in the instruction:
(i) The breadth of the history of the Holocaust, including
the Third Reich dictatorship, concentration camp system,
persecution of Jews and non-Jews, Jewish and non-Jewish
resistance and post-World War II trials.
(ii) The definition, history, response and actions taken in
the face of genocide, including the Holocaust and any other
genocide perpetrated against humanity, including the Rwandan
genocide and other genocides committed in Africa, Asia and
Europe.
(iii) Human rights violations.
(iv) Anti-Semitism, racism and the abridgment of civil
rights.
(v) Cultural awareness and rejection of ethnic, cultural and
religious biases.
(vi) Resolution of disputes that result from ethnic and
cultural disputes and religious biases.
(2) The Department of Education shall work in consultation
with organizations and individuals that provide educational
expertise and resources related to the Holocaust, genocide and
human rights violations to develop the curriculum guidelines.
The guidelines shall state the minimum amount of instruction
necessary to adequately educate students on the Holocaust,
genocide and human rights violations and on cultural awareness.
(c) [Beginning with the 2015-2016 school year, the] The
Department of Education shall make available, to all school
entities, in-service training programs based upon the
instruction provided for under subsection (a) and the curriculum
guidelines established pursuant to subsection (b).
* * *
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Section 2 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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