NY State Senate Bill 2023-S2357

Senate Bill S2357

2023-2024 Legislative Session

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

download bill text pdf

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education 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

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 03, 2024	referred to education
Jan 20, 2023	referred to education

2023-S2357 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §801, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2011-2012: S5883
2013-2014: S1890
2015-2016: S289
2017-2018: S1106
2019-2020: S350
2021-2022: S3696

2023-S2357 (ACTIVE) - Summary

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

2023-S2357 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S2357

SPONSOR: FELDER
 
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 citi-
zenship

 
PURPOSE:

This bill would ensure that current and future generations of New York
State school children are appropriately educated on the attacks of
September 11th, 2001.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

This bill would amend Section 801 of the Education Law to add the
attacks on American soil on September 11, 2001 to the list of courses
for instruction in patriotism and citizenship in New York schools.

JUSTIFICATION:

On September 11, 2001, America suffered a terrorist attack on its soil
resulting in the loss of over 3,000 American lives. The resulting devas-
tation of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in downtown Manhat-
tan, to 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.

The tragedy of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 is not
required teaching in New York schools. The magnitude of the event on
Americans and New Yorkers demands that it,should be a Part of our
schools' core curriculum and taught at an age appropriate level as
determined by State Education Department guidelines.

Such guidelines exist in current Social Studies Standards in the State
Education Department's Global History and Geography Online Resource
incorporate turning point lessons, defined as a decisive moment or an
event marking a unique or important historical change of course that
includes a lesson plan on September 11th.

This legislation gives appropriate weight to the importance of this
critical moment in history and ensures that current and future gener-
ations of New York students will all be instructed on the events of that
day, by requiring that all schools dedicate appropriate time and
resources to teaching the events of that forever changed America and the
world.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2015/16: S.289-Referred to Education.

2017/18: S.1106- Referred to Education

2019/20: S.350-Referred to Education

2021/22: S.3696- Referred to Education

 
BUDGET IMPLICATIONS:

None noted.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act would take effect immediately.

2023-S2357 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2357
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 20, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  FELDER -- 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 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 section 27 of part A of
 chapter 56 of the laws of 2020, 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, civic education and values, our shared history of  diversi-
 ty,  the  role  of religious tolerance in this country, 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
 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, civic  education  and
 values, our shared history of diversity, the role of history of diversi-
 ty,  the  role  of religious tolerance in this country, and human rights
 issues, with particular attention to the  study  of  the  inhumanity  of
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05230-01-3

 S. 2357                             2
 
 genocide,  slavery  (including  the  freedom trail and underground rail-
 road), the Holocaust, [and] the mass starvation in Ireland from 1845  to
 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.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

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