S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
6690--A
2009-2010 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
March 11, 2009
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SPANO, MAISEL -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Education -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to instruction on the
subject of the history of the Ukrainian Genocide-Holodomor of 1932 to
1933
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivisions 1 and 3 of section 801 of the education law,
as amended by chapter 574 of the laws of 1997, are amended to read as
follows:
1. In order to promote a spirit of patriotic and civic service and
obligation and to foster in the children of the state moral and intel-
lectual qualities which are essential in preparing to meet the obli-
gations of citizenship in peace or in war, the regents of The University
of the State of New York shall prescribe courses of instruction in
patriotism, citizenship, and human rights issues, with particular atten-
tion to the study of the inhumanity of genocide, slavery (including the
freedom trail and underground railroad), the Holocaust, THE UKRAINIAN
GENOCIDE-HOLODOMOR OF 1932 TO 1933, and the mass starvation in Ireland
from 1845 to 1850, to be maintained and followed in all the schools of
the state. The boards of education and trustees of the several cities
and school districts of the state shall require instruction to be given
in such courses, by the teachers employed in the schools therein. All
pupils attending such schools, over the age of eight years, shall attend
upon such instruction.
Similar courses of instruction shall be prescribed and maintained in
private schools in the state, and all pupils in such schools over eight
years of age shall attend upon such courses. If such courses are not so
established and maintained in a private school, attendance upon instruc-
tion in such school shall not be deemed substantially equivalent to
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08642-05-9
A. 6690--A 2
instruction given to pupils of like age in the public schools of the
city or district in which such pupils reside.
3. The regents shall determine the subjects to be included in such
courses of instruction in patriotism, citizenship, and human rights
issues, with particular attention to the study of the inhumanity of
genocide, slavery (including the freedom trail and underground rail-
road), the Holocaust, THE UKRAINIAN GENOCIDE-HOLODOMOR OF 1932 TO 1933,
and the mass starvation in Ireland from 1845 to 1850, and in the histo-
ry, meaning, significance and effect of the provisions of the constitu-
tion of the United States, the amendments thereto, the declaration of
independence, the constitution of the state of New York and the amend-
ments thereto, and the period of instruction in each of the grades in
such subjects. They shall adopt rules providing for attendance upon such
instruction and for such other matters as are required for carrying into
effect the objects and purposes of this section. The commissioner shall
be responsible for the enforcement of such section and shall cause to be
inspected and supervise the instruction to be given in such subjects.
The commissioner may, in his discretion, cause all or a portion of the
public school money to be apportioned to a district or city to be with-
held for failure of the school authorities of such district or city to
provide instruction in such courses and to compel attendance upon such
instruction, as herein prescribed, and for a non-compliance with the
rules of the regents adopted as herein provided.
S 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
the date on which it shall have become a law.