NY State Senate Bill 2011-S5883

Senate Bill S5883

2011-2012 Legislative Session

Includes the attacks on September 11, 2001 in courses of instruction in patriotism and citizenship

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Finance Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
May 01, 2012	reported and committed to finance
Jan 04, 2012	referred to education
Sep 09, 2011	referred to rules

Votes

- May 1, 2012 - Education Committee Vote
  S5883
  
  17
  
  Aye
  
  0
  
  Nay
  
  1
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Education Committee Vote: May 1, 2012
      
      aye (17)
      
      Addabbo Jr.
      
      Avella
      
      Breslin
      
      Farley
      
      Flanagan
      
      Huntley
      
      LaValle
      
      Lanza
      
      Marcellino
      
      Maziarz
      
      Montgomery
      
      Oppenheimer
      
      Ranzenhofer
      
      Robach
      
      Serrano
      
      Seward
      
      Stavisky
      
      aye wr (1)
      
      Saland

co-Sponsors

View additional co-sponsors

2011-S5883 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A8642
Current Committee:: Senate Finance
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §801, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2013-2014: S1890
2015-2016: S289
2017-2018: S1106
2019-2020: S350
2021-2022: S3696
2023-2024: S2357
2025-2026: S2389

2011-S5883 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Includes the attacks on September 11, 2001 in courses of instruction in patriotism and citizenship.

2011-S5883 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                BILL NUMBER:S5883               REVISED 09/12/11

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the education law, in relation to including the attacks on
September 11, 2001 in courses of instruction in patriotism
and citizenship

PURPOSE:
To ensure that current and future generations of New York State school
children are appropriately educated on the attacks of September 11,
2001.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one amends Education Law Section 801 adding the attacks on
American soil on September 11, 2001 to the list of courses of
instruction in patriotism, citizenship and human rights issues in New
York State schools.

Section two sets the effective date.

JUSTIFICATION:
On September 11, 2001, America suffered a terrorist attack on its own
soil resulting in the loss of over 3,000 lives. The resulting
devastation of the World Trade Center in downtown Manhattan,
including the destruction of the Twin Towers, the attack on the

Pentagon in Washington D.C. and the crash of United Airlines Flight
93 in Pennsylvania left an indelible mark on American and world
society and history.

Despite the
fact that this historically significant event occurred largely
within our own State and its people sustained the greatest losses
and sacrifice, many of which
continue to this day, there is currently no requirement that this
material be included in core curricula, and as a result York schools
are required required to teach of it.

We have received complaints from frustrated educators expressing their
deep disappointment with the education system in this respect and
demanding a legislative solution. The lessons of September 11, 2001
must be required, and not merely suggested, learning in our schools.

To this end, the Social Studies Standards of the State Education
Department's Global History and Geography Online Resource provides
guidelines for inclusion of "turning point" lessons, which are
defined as decisive moments or events marking unique or important
historical changes. Although the events of September 11, 2001, the
effects of which were felt far beyond the borders of our state and
country, certainly meet these criteria, the failure to require that
the events of September 11, 2001 be taught in New York State schools
persist nonetheless.

This legislation would amend the Education Law to include the events
of September 11, 2001 in the currently required courses of
instruction in patriotism, citizenship and human rights issues. In so


doing, the legislation would give appropriate weight to the
importance of this turning Point in history and ensure that current
and future generations of New York students
will be properly instructed by requiring that all schools
dedicate
appropriate time and resources to teaching the events of that day and
their impact on our nation.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
This is a new bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the state.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2011-S5883 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  5883

                       2011-2012 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            September 9, 2011
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sens. MARTINS, GOLDEN, ZELDIN, BALL, RANZENHOFER, SEWARD
  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to
  the Committee on Rules

AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to including the  attacks
  on  September  11,  2001  in  courses of instruction in patriotism and
  citizenship

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The opening paragraph of subdivision 1 and subdivision 3 of
section  801 of the education law, as amended by chapter 574 of the laws
of 1997, are amended to read as follows:
  In order to promote a spirit of patriotic and civic service and  obli-
gation and to foster in the children of the state moral and intellectual
qualities  which  are  essential in preparing to meet the obligations 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 attention  to  the
study  of  the  inhumanity  of  genocide, slavery (including the freedom
trail and underground railroad), the Holocaust, [and] the  mass  starva-
tion  in  Ireland  from  1845  to 1850, AND THE ATTACKS ON SEPTEMBER 11,
2001, 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.
  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

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD13378-01-1

S. 5883                             2

1850,  AND  THE ATTACKS ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, and in the history, mean-
ing, significance and effect of the provisions of  the  constitution  of
the  United States, the amendments thereto, the declaration of independ-
ence, the constitution of the state of New York and the amendments ther-
eto,  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 immediately.

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