S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
8347--A
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
December 13, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. CRUZ -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Education -- recommitted to the Committee on Education in accord-
ance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill
amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
tee
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring September
eleventh awareness curriculum or instruction for school districts
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 804-e
to read as follows:
§ 804-E. SEPTEMBER ELEVENTH AWARENESS CURRICULUM OR INSTRUCTION. 1.
THE COMMISSIONER, IN CONSULTATION WITH ANY APPROPRIATE AGENCY, SHALL
ESTABLISH SEPTEMBER ELEVENTH (9/11) AWARENESS CURRICULUM OR INSTRUCTION
FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS REGARDING THE SEPTEMBER ELEVENTH, TWO THOUSAND ONE
ATTACKS ON THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THEIR ONGOING REPERCUSSIONS.
THE CONTENT OF SUCH CURRICULUM OR INSTRUCTION MAY BE VARIED TO MEET THE
NEEDS OF PARTICULAR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, OR PORTIONS THEREOF, AND NEED NOT
BE UNIFORM THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
2. THE CONTENT OF SUCH CURRICULUM OR INSTRUCTION SHALL BE AGE APPRO-
PRIATE AND SHALL BE DEVELOPED ACCORDING TO THE NEEDS AND ABILITIES OF
PUPILS AT SUCCESSIVE GRADE LEVELS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE SKILLS, INFORMA-
TION, AND GUIDANCE TO AID IN SEPTEMBER ELEVENTH AWARENESS.
3. THE CONTENT OF THE CURRICULUM OR INSTRUCTION SHALL INCLUDE THE
FOLLOWING CORE TENETS AND THEMES:
(A) ANTECEDENTS OF 9/11;
(B) THE EVENTS OF THE DAY AND THE GLOBAL IMPACT OF THE ATTACKS;
(C) THE RESPONSE BY FIRST RESPONDERS AND OTHER AGENCIES ON 9/11 AND
DURING THE ENSUING RESCUE AND RECOVERY OPERATION WHICH LASTED UNTIL MAY
THIRTIETH, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-TWO;
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13245-04-4
A. 8347--A 2
(D) EXAMPLES OF HEROISM, RESILIENCE, AND SERVICE THAT EMERGED DURING
AND AFTER 9/11 FROM PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD;
(E) THE GLOBAL RESPONSE TO TERRORISM FOLLOWING THE EVENTS OF 9/11; AND
(F) (I) THE ONGOING HEALTH CRISIS THAT EMERGED FROM TOXINS FOUND IN
THE AIR AT GROUND ZERO AND THE HEALTH IMPACT THAT HAS AFFECTED TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF LOCAL RESIDENTS, RESCUE AND RELIEF WORKERS AND VOLUNTEERS
AND THAT STILL IMPACT THIS COMMUNITY TODAY;
(II) DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN POLICY DECISIONS MADE, THE BALANCE BETWEEN
CIVIL LIBERTIES AND NATIONAL SECURITY AND THE ONGOING SOCIAL IMPACTS
THAT CONTRIBUTED TO ISLAMOPHOBIA AND XENOPHOBIA, RACISM AND RELIGIOUS
INTOLERANCE, OCCURRING AFTER 9/11; AND
(III) ISLAMOPHOBIA AND XENOPHOBIA, RACISM AND RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE,
OCCURRING AFTER 9/11, THAT IMPACTED SOCIETAL PERCEPTIONS AND RESULTED IN
DISCRIMINATION PERTAINING TO DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN POLICY/LEGISLATION,
COVERAGE AND REPRESENTATION IN THE MEDIA, AND SOCIAL AND POLITICAL
IMPLICATIONS, ALONG WITH VARIOUS RESPONSES IMPLEMENTED TO UNDERSTAND,
CONFRONT AND COMBAT SUCH ISSUES.
4. THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES USED IN THE CURRICULUM OR INSTRUCTION
SHALL BE AGE APPROPRIATE, FACTUALLY ACCURATE, SOURCED FROM REPUTABLE
SOURCES SUCH AS THE NATIONAL SEPTEMBER 11 MEMORIAL & MUSEUM, AND AID IN
STUDENTS' UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT HAPPENED ON 9/11 AND IN ITS AFTERMATH,
AND THE CONTINUING IMPORTANCE OF THE ATTACKS TODAY.
5. SCHOOLS MAY INCLUDE THE CURRICULUM OR INSTRUCTION REQUIRED BY THIS
SECTION AS A COMPONENT OF ITS SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM OR IN ANY OTHER
MANNER THE SCHOOL DEEMS APPROPRIATE.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
the date upon which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately,
the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation neces-
sary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are
authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.