BILL NUMBER: AB 2709	CHAPTERED  09/20/02

	CHAPTER  739
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  SEPTEMBER 20, 2002
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  SEPTEMBER 20, 2002
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 28, 2002
	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 27, 2002
	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 20, 2002
	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 8, 2002
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 13, 2002
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 16, 2002

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Wyland
   (Principal coauthor:  Senator Alpert)
   (Coauthor:  Senator Margett)

                        FEBRUARY 22, 2002

   An act to add Section 51221.3 to the Education Code, relating to
curriculum.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2709, Wyland.  Education: curriculum.
   Under existing law, the adopted course of study for grades 7 to
12, inclusive, is required to include instruction in the social
sciences, as prescribed.
   This bill would require that instruction to contain instruction on
World War II and the American role in that war.  The bill would
express the Legislature's intent to encourage that the instruction
include a component drawn from personal testimony of American
soldiers who were involved in World War II and those men and women
who contributed to the war effort on the homefront.  The bill would
specify that this instruction shall be carried out in a manner that
does not result in any new duties or programs being imposed on school
districts.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  Section 51221.3 is added to the Education Code, to
read:
   51221.3.  (a) Instruction in the area of social sciences, as
required pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 51220, shall include
instruction on World War II and the American role in that  war.  The
Legislature encourages that this instruction include, but not be
limited to, a component drawn from personal testimony, especially in
the form of oral or video history, if available, of American soldiers
who were involved in World War II and those men and women who
contributed to the war effort on the homefront.  The oral histories
used as part of the instruction regarding World War II shall
exemplify the personal sacrifice and courage of the wide range of
ordinary citizens who were called upon to participate.  The oral
histories shall contain the views and comments of their subjects
regarding the reasons for American participation in the war and the
actions taken to end the war in the Pacific.  These oral histories
shall also solicit comments from their subjects regarding the
aftermath of the war in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.
   (b) This section shall be carried out in a manner that does not
result in any new duties or programs being imposed on the school
district.  In that regard, the Legislature finds and declares that
this section does not mandate costs to local agencies or school
districts and materials used to comply with this section shall be
part of normal curriculum materials purchased by school districts in
their normal course of business and purchasing cycles.