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

                                  5328

                       2013-2014 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            February 22, 2013
                               ___________

Introduced  by M. of A. ROZIC -- read once and referred to the Committee
  on Education

AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring  the  public
  school curriculum for children in kindergarten through grade twelve to
  include a minimum of two hours per week instruction in civics lessons

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

  Section 1. Section 801-a of the education law, as amended  by  chapter
482 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows:
  S 801-a. Instruction in civility, citizenship and character education.
1.  The  regents  shall  ensure that the course of instruction in grades
kindergarten through twelve includes a component on  civility,  citizen-
ship  and character education. Such component shall instruct students on
the  principles  of  honesty,  tolerance,  RACIAL  AND  GLOBAL  HARMONY,
personal  responsibility, MORALS, ETHICS, respect for others, observance
of laws and rules, courtesy, dignity and other traits which will enhance
the quality of their experiences in, and contributions to, the  communi-
ty.  THE  INSTRUCTION  SHALL EMPHASIZE THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF SUCH
LESSONS AND THE SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM IMPACT ON  THE  STUDENT'S  LIFE
AND ON THE LIVES OF OTHERS OF IMPLEMENTING THE LESSONS.
  2.  THE  BOARDS  OF  EDUCATION  AND  TRUSTEES OF THE CITIES AND SCHOOL
DISTRICTS OF THE STATE SHALL REQUIRE INSTRUCTION TO  BE  GIVEN  IN  SUCH
MATTERS  FOR  A  MINIMUM  PERIOD  OF TWO HOURS PER WEEK, BY THE TEACHERS
EMPLOYED IN THE SCHOOLS THEREIN, COMMENCING WITH THE TWO THOUSAND  THIR-
TEEN--TWO THOUSAND FOURTEEN SCHOOL YEAR. ALL PUPILS OVER THE AGE OF FIVE
YEARS WHO ATTEND PUBLIC SCHOOLS SHALL RECEIVE SUCH INSTRUCTION.
  3.  The  regents  shall determine how to incorporate such component in
existing curricula and the commissioner shall promulgate any regulations
needed to carry out such determination of the regents. For the  purposes
of  this  section, "tolerance," "respect for others" and "dignity" shall
include awareness and sensitivity to discrimination  or  harassment  and

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD03058-01-3
              

A. 5328                             2

civility  in  the  relations  of  people  of  different  races, weights,
national origins, ethnic groups, religions, religious practices,  mental
or physical abilities, sexual orientations, genders, and sexes.
  S  2. Section 801-a of the education law, as amended by chapter 102 of
the laws of 2012, is amended to read as follows:
  S 801-a. Instruction in civility, citizenship and character education.
1. The regents shall ensure that the course  of  instruction  in  grades
kindergarten  through  twelve includes a component on civility, citizen-
ship and character education. Such component shall instruct students  on
the  principles  of  honesty,  tolerance,  RACIAL  AND  GLOBAL  HARMONY,
personal responsibility, MORALS AND ETHICS, respect for others, with  an
emphasis  on  discouraging acts of harassment, bullying, discrimination,
observance of laws and rules, courtesy, dignity and other  traits  which
will  enhance the quality of their experiences in, and contributions to,
the community. THE INSTRUCTION SHALL EMPHASIZE THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION
OF SUCH LESSONS AND THE SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM IMPACT ON THE STUDENT'S
LIFE AND ON THE LIVES OF OTHERS OF IMPLEMENTING THE LESSONS.
  2. THE BOARDS OF EDUCATION AND  TRUSTEES  OF  THE  CITIES  AND  SCHOOL
DISTRICTS  OF  THE  STATE  SHALL REQUIRE INSTRUCTION TO BE GIVEN IN SUCH
MATTERS FOR A MINIMUM PERIOD OF TWO HOURS  PER  WEEK,  BY  THE  TEACHERS
EMPLOYED  IN THE SCHOOLS THEREIN, COMMENCING WITH THE TWO THOUSAND THIR-
TEEN--TWO THOUSAND FOURTEEN SCHOOL YEAR. ALL PUPILS OVER THE AGE OF FIVE
YEARS WHO ATTEND PUBLIC SCHOOLS SHALL RECEIVE SUCH INSTRUCTION.
  3. Such component shall include instruction of safe,  responsible  use
of  the internet and electronic communications. The regents shall deter-
mine how to incorporate such component in  existing  curricula  and  the
commissioner  shall  promulgate any regulations needed to carry out such
determination of the regents. For the purposes of this section,  "toler-
ance,"  "respect  for  others" and "dignity" shall include awareness and
sensitivity to harassment, bullying, discrimination and civility in  the
relations  of  people  of  different  races,  weights, national origins,
ethnic groups, religions, religious practices, mental or physical abili-
ties, sexual orientations, genders, and sexes.
  S 3. This act shall take effect immediately; provided,  however,  that
section  two  of  this act shall take effect on the same date and in the
same manner as section 8 of chapter 102  of  the  laws  of  2012,  takes
effect.