S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  8438

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            January 15, 2014
                               ___________

Introduced by M. of A. BRINDISI -- read once and referred to the Commit-
  tee on Education

AN  ACT  to amend the education law, in relation to a course of instruc-
  tion in the historical significance of Native Americans

  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 817 to
read as follows:
  S  817.  COURSE OF INSTRUCTION IN NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE.
1. (A) IN ORDER TO PRESERVE AND PROMOTE NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY  AND  TO
FOSTER IN THE CHILDREN OF THIS STATE A KNOWLEDGE AND APPRECIATION OF THE
SIGNIFICANCE OF NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE STATE,
THE  COMMISSIONER  IS  HEREBY  AUTHORIZED  AND  DIRECTED  TO PROVIDE AND
PRESCRIBE A COURSE OF INSTRUCTION IN NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE
TO BE MAINTAINED AND FOLLOWED IN ALL SCHOOLS OF THE STATE.  THE  COMMIS-
SIONER SHALL CONSULT WITH THE NATIVE AMERICAN NATIONS AND TRIBES LOCATED
WITHIN  THE  STATE  WITH  FEDERAL  AND/OR STATE LEGAL RECOGNITION IN THE
DEVELOPMENT OF SUCH COURSE  OF  INSTRUCTION  AND  MAY,  AT  HIS  OR  HER
DISCRETION,  ALSO  CONSULT  WITH  OTHER  RELEVANT  STAKEHOLDERS.    SUCH
INSTRUCTION SHALL BE AGE APPROPRIATE  AND  DEVELOPED  ACCORDING  TO  THE
NEEDS  AND ABILITIES OF PUPILS AT VARIOUS GRADE LEVELS. SUCH INSTRUCTION
SHALL ALSO, TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PRACTICABLE, BE CONSISTENT  WITH  AND
INTEGRATED  WITH  THE  CURRENT GENERAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM AREAS ESTAB-
LISHED BY THE STATE.
  (B) THE BOARDS OF EDUCATION AND TRUSTEES OF  THE  SEVERAL  CITIES  AND
SCHOOL  DISTRICTS  OF THE STATE SHALL REQUIRE INSTRUCTION TO BE GIVEN IN
SUCH COURSE BY TEACHERS EMPLOYED IN  THE  SCHOOLS  THEREIN.  ALL  PUPILS
ATTENDING  SUCH  SCHOOLS,  OVER  THE AGE OF SIX YEARS, SHALL ATTEND UPON
SUCH INSTRUCTION. A SIMILAR COURSE OF INSTRUCTION  SHALL  BE  PRESCRIBED
AND  MAINTAINED  IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN THE STATE, AND ALL PUPILS IN SUCH
SCHOOLS OVER SIX YEARS OF AGE SHALL ATTEND UPON  SUCH  COURSE.  IF  SUCH
COURSE IS NOT SO ESTABLISHED AND MAINTAINED IN A PRIVATE SCHOOL, ATTEND-
ANCE  UPON  INSTRUCTION IN SUCH SCHOOL SHALL NOT BE DEEMED SUBSTANTIALLY

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD13178-02-3
              

A. 8438                             2

EQUIVALENT TO INSTRUCTION GIVEN TO PUPILS OF  LIKE  AGE  IN  THE  PUBLIC
SCHOOLS OF THE CITY OR DISTRICT IN WHICH SUCH PUPILS RESIDE.
  2.  THE COMMISSIONER, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE NATIVE AMERICAN NATIONS
AND TRIBES LOCATED WITHIN THE STATE  WITH  FEDERAL  AND/OR  STATE  LEGAL
RECOGNITION,  SHALL DETERMINE THE SUBJECTS TO BE INCLUDED IN SUCH COURSE
AND SHALL INCLUDE, AT A MINIMUM, THE STUDY OF THE FOLLOWING:
  (A) THE HISTORY OF THE VARIOUS  NATIVE  AMERICAN  NATIONS  AND  TRIBES
LOCATED  WITHIN THE STATE, INCLUDING THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF THE STATE IN
WHICH SUCH NATIONS ESTABLISHED SETTLEMENTS;
  (B) THE CULTURE AND OTHER RELEVANT ASPECTS OF  THE  HERITAGE  OF  EACH
SUCH NATIVE AMERICAN NATION OR TRIBE;
  (C)  SIGNIFICANT  ACTIONS, EVENTS, DOCUMENTS, CONTRIBUTIONS AND PROMI-
NENT INDIVIDUALS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH SUCH  NATIVE  AMERICAN  NATION  OR
TRIBE; AND
  (D) THE CURRENT CONDITION OF EACH SUCH NATIVE AMERICAN NATION OR TRIBE
IN  TERMS OF ITS LOCATION WITHIN THE STATE, MEMBERSHIP AND CONTRIBUTIONS
TO THE STATE.
  3. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ADOPT RULES AND  REGULATIONS  PROVIDING  FOR
ATTENDANCE  UPON  SUCH INSTRUCTION AND FOR 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 THIS SECTION
AND SHALL CAUSE TO BE INSPECTED AND SUPERVISED  THE  INSTRUCTION  TO  BE
GIVEN IN THE SUBJECTS DESCRIBED HEREIN.
  4.  TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE, THE BOARDS OF EDUCATION AND TRUSTEES OF
THE SEVERAL CITIES AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS OF THE  STATE  AND  THE  PRIVATE
SCHOOLS OF THE STATE SHALL INCLUDE, AS PART OF THE COURSE OF INSTRUCTION
REQUIRED BY THIS SECTION, AN EMPHASIS ON THE NATIVE AMERICAN NATIONS AND
TRIBES,  HERITAGE,  EVENTS  AND  ACTIONS WITHIN THE GEOGRAPHIC REGION IN
WHICH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OR PRIVATE SCHOOL IS LOCATED.
  S 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become a law.