Florida Senate - 2024                                     SB 344
       
       
        
       By Senator Jones
       
       
       
       
       
       34-00681-24                                            2024344__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to required instruction in the history
    3         of African Americans; amending s. 1003.42, F.S.;
    4         prohibiting specified instruction and state academic
    5         standards from indicating or implying that an enslaved
    6         person benefited from slavery or the enslavement
    7         experience in any way; providing an effective date.
    8          
    9  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   10  
   11         Section 1. Paragraph (h) of subsection (2) of section
   12  1003.42, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   13         1003.42 Required instruction.—
   14         (2) Members of the instructional staff of the public
   15  schools, subject to the rules of the State Board of Education
   16  and the district school board, shall teach efficiently and
   17  faithfully, using the books and materials required that meet the
   18  highest standards for professionalism and historical accuracy,
   19  following the prescribed courses of study, and employing
   20  approved methods of instruction, the following:
   21         (h) The history of African Americans, including the history
   22  of African peoples before the political conflicts that led to
   23  the development of slavery, the passage to America, the
   24  enslavement experience, abolition, and the history and
   25  contributions of Americans of the African diaspora to society.
   26  Students shall develop an understanding of the ramifications of
   27  prejudice, racism, and stereotyping on individual freedoms, and
   28  examine what it means to be a responsible and respectful person,
   29  for the purpose of encouraging tolerance of diversity in a
   30  pluralistic society and for nurturing and protecting democratic
   31  values and institutions. Instruction shall include the roles and
   32  contributions of individuals from all walks of life and their
   33  endeavors to learn and thrive throughout history as artists,
   34  scientists, educators, businesspeople, influential thinkers,
   35  members of the faith community, and political and governmental
   36  leaders and the courageous steps they took to fulfill the
   37  promise of democracy and unite the nation. Instructional
   38  materials shall include the vital contributions of African
   39  Americans to build and strengthen American society and celebrate
   40  the inspirational stories of African Americans who prospered,
   41  even in the most difficult circumstances. Instructional
   42  personnel may facilitate discussions and use curricula to
   43  address, in an age-appropriate manner, how the individual
   44  freedoms of persons have been infringed by slavery, racial
   45  oppression, racial segregation, and racial discrimination, as
   46  well as topics relating to the enactment and enforcement of laws
   47  resulting in racial oppression, racial segregation, and racial
   48  discrimination and how recognition of these freedoms has
   49  overturned these unjust laws. However, classroom instruction and
   50  curriculum may not be used to indoctrinate or persuade students
   51  to a particular point of view inconsistent with the principles
   52  enumerated in subsection (3) or the state academic standards.
   53  The instruction required under this paragraph and state academic
   54  standards may not indicate or imply that an enslaved person
   55  benefited from slavery or the enslavement experience in any way.
   56  Each school district must annually certify and provide evidence
   57  to the department, in a manner prescribed by the department,
   58  that the requirements of this paragraph are met. The department
   59  shall prepare and offer standards and curriculum for the
   60  instruction required by this paragraph and may seek input from
   61  the Commissioner of Education’s African American History Task
   62  Force or from any state or nationally recognized African
   63  American educational organizations. The department may contract
   64  with any state or nationally recognized African-American
   65  educational organizations to develop training for instructional
   66  personnel and grade-appropriate classroom resources to support
   67  the developed curriculum.
   68  
   69  The State Board of Education is encouraged to adopt standards
   70  and pursue assessment of the requirements of this subsection.
   71  Instructional programming that incorporates the values of the
   72  recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor and that is
   73  offered as part of a social studies, English Language Arts, or
   74  other schoolwide character building and veteran awareness
   75  initiative meets the requirements of paragraph (u).
   76         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.