1Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
2act relating to the public school system, including certain
3provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
4schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
5laws relating thereto," providing for Holocaust, genocide and
6human rights violations instruction.

7The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8hereby enacts as follows:

9Section 1.  The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
10as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
11section to read:

12Section 1554.  Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights
13Violations Instruction.--(a)  (1)  Beginning with school year
142015-2016, each public school student shall receive mandatory
15instruction in the Holocaust, genocide and human rights
16violations from grade six through grade twelve. The instruction
17shall be integrated within the social studies and language arts
18courses of study required in accordance with State Board of
19Education regulations. Instruction may also be integrated into

1other appropriate courses of study.

2(2)  The Holocaust, genocide and human rights violations
3instruction shall:

4(i)  Be age appropriate.

5(ii)  Be sequential in method of study.

6(iii)  Communicate the connection between national, ethnic,
7racial or religious intolerance and the subjects described in
8subsection (b).

9(iv)  Communicate the impact of personal responsibility,
10civic engagement and societal response within the context of the
11subjects described in subsection (b).

12(3)  School districts may utilize any appropriate public or
13private materials, personnel and other resources in developing
14and implementing this program of instruction. The Department of
15Education shall make available information about appropriate
16curriculum materials upon request of a school district. School
17districts may utilize any curriculum that complies with the
18requirements of this subsection.

19(b)  (1)  The Department of Education shall establish
20curriculum guidelines no later than twelve (12) months after the
21effective date of this section. The guidelines shall encourage
22the inclusion of all of the following subjects where appropriate
23in the instruction:

24(i)  The breadth of the history of the Holocaust, including
25the Third Reich dictatorship, concentration camp system,
26persecution of Jews and non-Jews, Jewish and non-Jewish
27resistance and post-World War II trials.

28(ii)  The definition, history, response and actions taken in
29the face of genocide, including, but not limited to, the
30Holocaust, the Armenian genocide, the Bosnian genocide and the

1genocide in Sudan.

2(iii)  Human rights violations.

3(iv)  Anti-Semitism, racism and the abridgment of civil
4rights.

5(2)  The Department of Education and school districts may
6work in consultation with organizations that provide educational
7resources related to the Holocaust, genocide and human rights
8violations to develop the curriculum guidelines.

9(c)  Beginning with the 2015-2016 school year, the Department
10of Education shall make available, to all school districts and
11intermediate units, in-service training programs based upon the
12instruction requirements established under subsection (a) and
13the curriculum guidelines established under subsection (b).

14(d)  (1)  Beginning with the 2015-2016 school year, each
15school district shall provide, as part of its in-service
16training, programs on the Holocaust, genocide and human rights
17violations for all instructors whose teaching responsibilities
18include courses of study in which mandated instruction
19concerning the Holocaust, genocide and human rights violations
20is integrated. A school district may utilize the programs made
21available by the Department of Education or use other
22alternative programs.

23(2)  Employes required to complete continuing professional
24education under section 1205.2 shall receive credit toward the
25continuing professional education requirements where the
26training program has been approved by the Department of
27Education.

28(e)  The Department of Education shall provide the
29guidelines, in-service training and any other materials
30developed in accordance with this section to any nonpublic

1school within this Commonwealth upon receiving a request from
2the nonpublic school.

3(f)  The State Board of Education shall adopt rules and
4regulations necessary for the implementation of this section.

5Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.