S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
6186
I N S E N A T E
(PREFILED)
January 8, 2014
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Introduced by Sen. MAZIARZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to a course of instruc-
tion in the historical significance of Native Americans
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 817 to
read as follows:
S 817. COURSE OF INSTRUCTION IN NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE.
1. (A) IN ORDER TO PRESERVE AND PROMOTE NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY AND TO
FOSTER IN THE CHILDREN OF THIS STATE A KNOWLEDGE AND APPRECIATION OF THE
SIGNIFICANCE OF NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE STATE,
THE COMMISSIONER IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO PROVIDE AND
PRESCRIBE A COURSE OF INSTRUCTION IN NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE
TO BE MAINTAINED AND FOLLOWED IN ALL SCHOOLS OF THE STATE. THE COMMIS-
SIONER SHALL CONSULT WITH THE NATIVE AMERICAN NATIONS AND TRIBES LOCATED
WITHIN THE STATE WITH FEDERAL AND/OR STATE LEGAL RECOGNITION IN THE
DEVELOPMENT OF SUCH COURSE OF INSTRUCTION AND MAY, AT HIS OR HER
DISCRETION, ALSO CONSULT WITH OTHER RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS. SUCH
INSTRUCTION SHALL BE AGE APPROPRIATE AND DEVELOPED ACCORDING TO THE
NEEDS AND ABILITIES OF PUPILS AT VARIOUS GRADE LEVELS. SUCH INSTRUCTION
SHALL ALSO, TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PRACTICABLE, BE CONSISTENT WITH AND
INTEGRATED WITH THE CURRENT GENERAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM AREAS ESTAB-
LISHED BY THE STATE.
(B) THE BOARDS OF EDUCATION AND TRUSTEES OF THE SEVERAL CITIES AND
SCHOOL DISTRICTS OF THE STATE SHALL REQUIRE INSTRUCTION TO BE GIVEN IN
SUCH COURSE BY TEACHERS EMPLOYED IN THE SCHOOLS THEREIN. ALL PUPILS
ATTENDING SUCH SCHOOLS, OVER THE AGE OF SIX YEARS, SHALL ATTEND UPON
SUCH INSTRUCTION. A SIMILAR COURSE OF INSTRUCTION SHALL BE PRESCRIBED
AND MAINTAINED IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN THE STATE, AND ALL PUPILS IN SUCH
SCHOOLS OVER SIX YEARS OF AGE SHALL ATTEND UPON SUCH COURSE. IF SUCH
COURSE IS NOT SO ESTABLISHED AND MAINTAINED IN A PRIVATE SCHOOL, ATTEND-
ANCE UPON INSTRUCTION IN SUCH SCHOOL SHALL NOT BE DEEMED SUBSTANTIALLY
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13178-02-3
S. 6186 2
EQUIVALENT TO INSTRUCTION GIVEN TO PUPILS OF LIKE AGE IN THE PUBLIC
SCHOOLS OF THE CITY OR DISTRICT IN WHICH SUCH PUPILS RESIDE.
2. THE COMMISSIONER, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE NATIVE AMERICAN NATIONS
AND TRIBES LOCATED WITHIN THE STATE WITH FEDERAL AND/OR STATE LEGAL
RECOGNITION, SHALL DETERMINE THE SUBJECTS TO BE INCLUDED IN SUCH COURSE
AND SHALL INCLUDE, AT A MINIMUM, THE STUDY OF THE FOLLOWING:
(A) THE HISTORY OF THE VARIOUS NATIVE AMERICAN NATIONS AND TRIBES
LOCATED WITHIN THE STATE, INCLUDING THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF THE STATE IN
WHICH SUCH NATIONS ESTABLISHED SETTLEMENTS;
(B) THE CULTURE AND OTHER RELEVANT ASPECTS OF THE HERITAGE OF EACH
SUCH NATIVE AMERICAN NATION OR TRIBE;
(C) SIGNIFICANT ACTIONS, EVENTS, DOCUMENTS, CONTRIBUTIONS AND PROMI-
NENT INDIVIDUALS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH SUCH NATIVE AMERICAN NATION OR
TRIBE; AND
(D) THE CURRENT CONDITION OF EACH SUCH NATIVE AMERICAN NATION OR TRIBE
IN TERMS OF ITS LOCATION WITHIN THE STATE, MEMBERSHIP AND CONTRIBUTIONS
TO THE STATE.
3. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ADOPT RULES AND REGULATIONS PROVIDING FOR
ATTENDANCE UPON SUCH INSTRUCTION AND FOR 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 THIS SECTION
AND SHALL CAUSE TO BE INSPECTED AND SUPERVISED THE INSTRUCTION TO BE
GIVEN IN THE SUBJECTS DESCRIBED HEREIN.
4. TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE, THE BOARDS OF EDUCATION AND TRUSTEES OF
THE SEVERAL CITIES AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS OF THE STATE AND THE PRIVATE
SCHOOLS OF THE STATE SHALL INCLUDE, AS PART OF THE COURSE OF INSTRUCTION
REQUIRED BY THIS SECTION, AN EMPHASIS ON THE NATIVE AMERICAN NATIONS AND
TRIBES, HERITAGE, EVENTS AND ACTIONS WITHIN THE GEOGRAPHIC REGION IN
WHICH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OR PRIVATE SCHOOL IS LOCATED.
S 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become a law.