Assembly Bill A6579A

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6579
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              April 19, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. LEE -- read once and referred to the Committee on
   Education
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  education  law, in relation to requiring public
   elementary schools and high schools to provide  instruction  in  Asian
   American history and civic impact
 
   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  801-b
 to read as follows:
   § 801-B. CURRICULAR MATERIALS OF STUDY IN ASIAN AMERICAN, NATIVE HAWA-
 IIAN,  AND  PACIFIC  ISLANDER  HISTORY AND CIVIC IMPACT. 1. THE BOARD OF
 REGENTS IS AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO IDENTIFY AND INTEGRATE  CURRICULAR
 MATERIAL  THAT  REFLECTS  ASIAN  AMERICAN,  NATIVE HAWAIIAN, AND PACIFIC
 ISLANDER HISTORY. SUCH MATERIAL OF  STUDY  SHALL  BE  REQUIRED  FOR  ALL
 STUDENTS  IN EACH GRADE OF EVERY PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, PUBLIC MIDDLE
 SCHOOL AND PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL AND SHOULD BE  INCLUDED  AS  PART  OF  THE
 HISTORY  OR SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM OF SUCH SCHOOLS. INSTRUCTION SHALL
 BE PROVIDED BY THE  TEACHERS  EMPLOYED  IN  THE  SCHOOLS  THEREIN.  SUCH
 INSTRUCTION  SHALL  INCLUDE, BUT SHALL NOT BE LIMITED TO, INSTRUCTION IN
 THE FOLLOWING:
   A. THE HISTORY OF DIASPORA OF ASIAN AMERICANS, NATIVE  HAWAIIANS,  AND
 PACIFIC ISLANDERS IN NEW YORK AND THE NORTHEAST;
   B. THE MOVEMENTS AND POLICIES THAT IMPACTED THE ASIAN AMERICAN, NATIVE
 HAWAIIAN, AND PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITY IN THE UNITED STATES;
   C.  THE CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY THE ASIAN AMERICAN, NATIVE HAWAIIAN, AND
 PACIFIC  ISLANDER  COMMUNITIES  IN  GOVERNMENT,  THE  ARTS,  HUMANITIES,
 SCIENCE  AND THE ECONOMIC, CULTURAL, SOCIAL AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT OF
 THE UNITED STATES;
   D. THE STRUCTURES AND HISTORICAL EVENTS THAT HAVE  LIMITED  OR  HARMED
 THE  ASIAN AMERICAN, NATIVE HAWAIIAN, PACIFIC ISLANDER AND OTHER HISTOR-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD06038-02-3
 A. 6579                             2
              

 
 ICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES ESPECIALLY AS IT PERTAINS TO  THE  CIVIL
 RIGHTS MOVEMENT; AND
   E.  THE  SOLIDARITY  BETWEEN  ASIAN AMERICAN, NATIVE HAWAIIAN, PACIFIC
 ISLANDER AND OTHER HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES  ESPECIALLY  AS
 IT PERTAINS TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.
   2.  THE  COMMISSIONER, SHALL PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO ASSIST IN
 THE DEVELOPMENT AND INTEGRATION OF CURRICULAR MATERIALS FOR SUCH COURSES
 OF STUDY WHICH SHALL BE AGE APPROPRIATE AND DEVELOPED ACCORDING  TO  THE
 NEEDS  AND  ABILITIES OF STUDENTS AT SUCCESSIVE GRADE LEVELS IN ORDER TO
 PROVIDE UNDERSTANDING, AWARENESS, SKILLS, INFORMATION AND SUPPORT TO AID
 IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF ASIAN AMERICAN, NATIVE HAWAIIAN, AND PACIFIC  ISLAN-
 DER HISTORY AND CIVIC IMPACT.
   3.  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL  MAKE  AVAILABLE TO ALL PUBLIC ELEMENTARY
 SCHOOLS, MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE STATE  SUITABLE  CURRIC-
 ULUM  MATERIALS TO AID IN THE INSTRUCTION OF STUDENTS IN ASIAN AMERICAN,
 NATIVE HAWAIIAN, AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HISTORY AND CIVIC IMPACT AND SHALL
 PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING SUCH COURSES OF STUDY.
   4. COMPLETION OF A HISTORY OR SOCIAL STUDIES  COURSE  THAT  INTEGRATES
 ASIAN AMERICAN, NATIVE HAWAIIAN, AND PACIFIC ISLANDER CURRICULAR MATERI-
 AL  SHALL  CONSTITUTE  AN AFFIRMATION BY STUDENTS OF THEIR COMMITMENT TO
 RESPECT THE DIGNITY OF ALL RACES AND PEOPLES AND TO FOREVER ESCHEW EVERY
 FORM OF DISCRIMINATION IN THEIR LIVES AND CAREERS.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July  next  succeeding
 the date on which it shall have become a law.