Florida Senate - 2015                                     SB 358
       
       
        
       By Senator Abruzzo
       
       
       
       
       
       25-00315-15                                            2015358__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to public school instruction; amending
    3         s. 1003.42, F.S.; requiring that instructional staff
    4         of public schools provide instruction to students
    5         about the terrorist attacks occurring on September 11,
    6         2001, and the impact of those events; providing an
    7         effective date.
    8  
    9         WHEREAS, former Representative Clay Ford, Jr., who lost his
   10  battle with cancer during the 2013 Legislative Session, served
   11  his country in the United States Army as an infantry officer in
   12  a number of assignments ranging from Germany to the Pentagon,
   13  retiring as a full colonel, and
   14         WHEREAS, in 1975, Representative Clay Ford, Jr., served as
   15  a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives, and, in
   16  February 2007, he was elected as a member of the Florida House
   17  of Representatives and reelected in 2008, and
   18         WHEREAS, as a member of the Florida House of
   19  Representatives, Representative Clay Ford, Jr., had a passion
   20  for education and served on many committees, including the PreK
   21  12 Policy Committee, and
   22         WHEREAS, Representative Clay Ford, Jr., was a member of
   23  many organizations, including the Arkansas Bar Association and
   24  The Florida Bar as an attorney, the Military Officers
   25  Association of America, and the National Rifle Association, and
   26         WHEREAS, this act honors Representative Clay Ford, Jr.’s
   27  legacy of service to this country and his passion for education
   28  and the military, NOW, THEREFORE,
   29  
   30  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   31  
   32         Section 1. Paragraph (u) is added to subsection (2) of
   33  section 1003.42, Florida Statutes, to read:
   34         1003.42 Required instruction.—
   35         (2) Members of the instructional staff of the public
   36  schools, subject to the rules of the State Board of Education
   37  and the district school board, shall teach efficiently and
   38  faithfully, using the books and materials required that meet the
   39  highest standards for professionalism and historic accuracy,
   40  following the prescribed courses of study, and employing
   41  approved methods of instruction, the following:
   42         (u) The events surrounding the terrorist attacks occurring
   43  on September 11, 2001, and the impact of those events on the
   44  nation.
   45  
   46  The State Board of Education is encouraged to adopt standards
   47  and pursue assessment of the requirements of this subsection.
   48         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.