S269-2011 Actions

• Jan 4, 2012: REFERRED TO EDUCATION
• Mar 29, 2011: DEFEATED IN EDUCATION
• Feb 22, 2011: NOTICE OF COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION - REQUESTED
• Jan 5, 2011: REFERRED TO EDUCATION

S269-2011 Meetings

S269-2011 Votes

S269-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S269             REVISED 12/30/11

TITLE OF BILL:

An act
to amend the education law, in relation to requiring a course of
instruction in the awareness of hate crimes

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To educate every child in New York State on the issue of hate crimes.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 Amends the Education Law by adding a new section 815.
Requires a course of instruction in the awareness of hate crimes. The
Commissioner would be directed to provide and proscribe a course of
instruction designed to increase awareness of hate crimes. Defines
hate crimes as those offenses which are committed based upon the
race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, religion, religious
practice, age, disability or sexual orientation of the victim.
Instruction will include examples of symbols and objects associated
with hate crimes and the events and historical significance
surrounding such symbols and objects. The instruction will also focus
on the moral aspects and legal implications of such offenses and
promote attitudes of tolerance and acceptance. Requires the board of
education, trustees, principal or other person in charge of every
private, public and parochial school in the state to arrange for
giving such course of instruction in every school under its or his or
her control or direction. Requires that such instruction shall be
given to all pupils in every school for a period of not less than
forty-five minutes in each month during which such school is in
session.

Section 2 Effective Date

EXISTING LAW:

None

JUSTIFICATION:

The recent prevalence of public hate crimes, including the hanging of
nooses, displays of swastikas, and cross burnings, has increased
awareness of continuing racial hatred in our nation.
The cases involving the "Jena 6" in Louisiana, where a noose was hung
on an oak tree outside a local high school, the hanging of a noose on
the door of Madonna Constantine, an African-American professor at
Columbia University, an assault at Gallaudet University where a
student was held down against his will and had swastikas and KKK
drawn on his body, and most recently, the burning of a cross on the
property of a black family in upstate New York, draw
attention to a disturbing trend that is occuning in America. While
these are just a small sampling of hate crimes, the FBI in a November
2007 report found that hate crimes in America have increased by 8
percent over the last year. Police across the country have reported


that criminal incidents targeting victims or property as a result of
bias against a particular race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnic
or national origin or physical or mental disability rose from 7,163
to 7,722 from 2007 to 2008. These numbers prove that we need to pay
greater attention to an alarming trend that is contrary to the core
values of America.

In response, this legislation would require the State to offer a
valuable course to increase awareness of hate crimes to every child
in New York State. It is important that schools teach core values of
tolerance, acceptance and understanding to its students in order to
prevent hate crimes.
Educating children about the vile nature of hate crimes will directly
combat negative language and stereotypes that are prevalent in our
culture and the media. By educating our youth of the implications and
consequences of hate crimes, the children of New York will better
understand the differences in each citizen that make our state unique.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2011:    S.269  - Defeated in Education/A.4586 - Referred to Education
2009-10: S.1985 - Referred to Education/A.3261 - Referred to Education
2008:    A.9591 - Referred to Education

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Undetermined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

This act shall take effect on the first of September next succeeding
the date on which it shall have become a law.

S269-2011 Text

 S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 
 
                                          269
 2011-2012 Regular Sessions
 I N  SENATE
 (PREFILED)
 January 5, 2011
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  DIAZ  --  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 requiring a course  of
 instruction in the awareness of hate crimes
 

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 815 to
 read as follows:

 

S 815. COURSE OF INSTRUCTION IN THE AWARENESS OF HATE CRIMES. 1.   THE
 COMMISSIONER  IS  HEREBY  DIRECTED  TO PROVIDE AND PRESCRIBE A COURSE OF
 INSTRUCTION DESIGNED TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF  THE  COMMISSION  OF  HATE
 CRIMES. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION HATE CRIMES SHALL MEAN OFFENSES
 WHICH  ARE COMMITTED BASED UPON THE RACE, COLOR, NATIONAL ORIGIN, ANCES
 TRY, GENDER, RELIGION, RELIGIOUS PRACTICE,  AGE,  DISABILITY  OR  SEXUAL
 ORIENTATION  OF  THE  VICTIM. SUCH INSTRUCTION SHALL INCLUDE EXAMPLES OF
 SYMBOLS AND OBJECTS ASSOCIATED WITH  HATE  CRIMES  AND  THE  EVENTS  AND
 HISTORICAL  SIGNIFICANCE  SURROUNDING  SUCH  SYMBOLS AND OBJECTS.   SUCH
 INSTRUCTION SHALL ALSO FOCUS ON THE MORAL ASPECTS AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
 OF SUCH OFFENSES AND PROMOTE ATTITUDES OF TOLERANCE AND ACCEPTANCE.
 2. THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, TRUSTEES,  PRINCIPAL  OR  OTHER  PERSON  IN
 CHARGE  OF EVERY PUBLIC, PRIVATE AND PAROCHIAL SCHOOL IN THE STATE SHALL
 ARRANGE FOR GIVING SUCH COURSE OF INSTRUCTION IN EVERY SCHOOL UNDER  ITS
 OR  HIS  OR HER CONTROL OR DIRECTION. SUCH INSTRUCTION SHALL BE GIVEN TO
 ALL OF THE PUPILS IN EVERY SUCH SCHOOL FOR A PERIOD  OF  NOT  LESS  THAN
 FORTY-FIVE MINUTES IN EACH MONTH DURING WHICH SUCH SCHOOL IS IN SESSION.
 

S  2.  This  act  shall  take  effect  on  the first of September next
 succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD02218-01-1

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