S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
1988
2011-2012 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
January 12, 2011
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SCHROEDER, WEISENBERG, KELLNER, ABBATE, TITONE,
CUSICK, MAGEE, BARRON, SPANO, MENG, ENGLEBRIGHT -- Multi-Sponsored by
-- M. of A. BRENNAN, BURLING, COOK, DUPREY, FINCH, GABRYSZAK, GIGLIO,
MAYERSOHN, PEOPLES-STOKES, PHEFFER, RAIA, SWEENEY, TOBACCO -- read
once and referred to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to instruction on the
history of people with disabilities
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, and the mass
starvation in Ireland from 1845 to 1850, AND THE HISTORY OF PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES, TO BE CONCENTRATED DURING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE THIRD
FULL WEEK OF OCTOBER, 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
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01984-01-1
A. 1988 2
established and maintained in a private school, attendance upon instruc-
tion in such school shall not be deemed substantially equivalent to
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, and the mass starvation in Ireland from 1845 to
1850, THE HISTORY OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, TO BE CONCENTRATED
DURING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE THIRD FULL WEEK OF OCTOBER, and in the
history, meaning, significance and effect of the provisions of the
constitution of the United States, the amendments thereto, the declara-
tion of independence, the constitution of the state of New York and the
amendments 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 OR HER discretion, cause all or a
portion of the public school money to be apportioned to a district or
city to be withheld 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 IN
THIS SECTION.
S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.