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HOUSE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 1231, 1758, 1937
PRINTER'S NO. 2045
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
869
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY MASTRIANO, STEFANO, REGAN, ARGALL, BARTOLOTTA,
LANGERHOLC, MARTIN, MENSCH, PHILLIPS-HILL, VOGEL, J. WARD,
K. WARD, BAKER, YUDICHAK, DINNIMAN, BROWNE AND BROOKS,
OCTOBER 1, 2019
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, OCTOBER 1, 2020
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
and for moment of silence on December 7, Pearl Harbor Day.
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 sections
to read:
Section 1555. Moment of Silence on September 11
Anniversary . --(a) Beginning with school year 2020- 2021 2021-
2022 and any subsequent school year when September 11 occurs on
a school day, 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
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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) Beginning with the 2020-2021 2021-2022 school year, the
Department of Education shall make available to all school
entities voluntary in-service training programs based upon the
moment of silence provided for under subsection (a) .
(c) 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.
(d) 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.
(e) The Department of Education shall provide the model
curriculum , 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.
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(f) Nothing in subsections (c) and (d) 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.
(g) 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 1556. Moment of Silence on December 7, Pearl Harbor
Day.--(a) Beginning with school year 2021-2022 and any
subsequent school year when Pearl Harbor Day occurs on a school
day, each school entity shall conduct a moment of silence during
instructional hours for students and faculty to observe the
anniversary of Pearl Harbor Day as a remembrance of the 3,546
military service persons who lost their lives or were wounded by
the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
(b) Beginning with the 2021-2022 school year, the Department
of Education shall make available to all 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
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.
(d) 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 career and
technical school.
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Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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