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.