BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2064
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 2064 (Arambula)
As Amended July 10, 2008
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |60-16|(May 27, 2008) |SENATE: |31-7 |(August 7, |
| | | | | |2008) |
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Original Committee Reference: ED.
SUMMARY : Requires the State Board of Education (SBE) and the
Curriculum Development and Supplemental Materials Commission
(Curriculum Commission) to ensure that the history-social
science framework, adopted in the course of the next submission
cycle after January 1, 2009, include the Vietnam War, including
the "Secret War" in Laos, the role of Southeast Asians in that
war, and the refugee/immigrant/new American experience.
The Senate amendments delete the requirement that SBE and the
Curriculum Commission ensure that the evaluation criteria and
instructional materials include the Vietnam War, make a
technical change, and add co-authors.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Requires the Curriculum Commission to recommend curriculum
frameworks to SBE and develop criteria for evaluating
instructional materials submitted for adoption so that the
materials adopted adequately cover the subjects in the
indicated grade levels.
2)Requires SBE to ensure that curriculum frameworks are reviewed
and adopted in each subject area consistent with the six- and
eight-year submission cycles.
3)Provides that the history-social science framework shall
include the following topics: financial preparedness, the
Great Irish Famine of 1845-1850; Cesar Chavez and the history
of the farm labor movement; inclusion of the Declaration of
Independence; the United States (U.S.) Constitution; the
Federalist Papers; the Emancipation Proclamation; the
Gettysburg Address; and, and George Washington's Farewell
AB 2064
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Address.
4)Provides that the Legislature encourages instruction on the
Vietnam War including the "Secret War" in Laos and the role of
Southeast Asians in that war. Additionally provides the
following:
a) 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 of Southeast Asians who were involved in the
Vietnam War and those men and women who contributed to the
war effort on the homefront;
b) The oral histories used as a part of the instruction
regarding the role of Southeast Asians in the Vietnam War
and the "Secret War" in Laos shall exemplify the personal
sacrifice and courage of the wide range of ordinary
citizens who were called upon to participate and provide
intelligence for the U.S.;
c) The oral histories shall contain the views and comments
of their subjects regarding the reasons for their
participation in the war; and,
d) These oral histories shall also solicit comments from
their subjects regarding the aftermath of the war and the
immigration of Southeast Asians to the U.S.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill was substantially similar
to the version passed by the Senate.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.
COMMENTS : The curriculum content standards and frameworks, as
well as the instructional materials requirements and adoptions,
are overseen by the SBE for kindergarten and grades 1-8, and by
the governing boards of local education agencies for grades
9-12. Existing law provides for the Curriculum Commission to
act as an advisory body to the SBE on curriculum and
instructional materials. Curriculum frameworks provide a
blueprint for curriculum and instruction by describing the scope
and sequence of the knowledge and skills all students need to
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master in a specific subject area. The Curriculum Commission
has begun the process of updating the history-social science
framework for the 2009 history-social science primary adoption.
With input and direction from the Curriculum Commission and the
SBE, a curriculum framework and criteria committee will draft
the framework, which provides direction to publishers through
evaluation criteria that are used to select and adopt
instructional materials for kindergarten through grade eight.
This bill requires the SBE and the Curriculum Commission to
include in the history-social science framework adopted in the
course of the next submission cycle, the Vietnam War, including
the "Secret War" in Laos, the role of Southeast Asians in that
war, and the refugee/immigrant/new American experience.
The Vietnam War is covered in the grade 11 history-social
science content standard under Standard 11.9.3, which requires a
discussion of the origins and geopolitical consequences (foreign
and domestic) of the Cold War and containment policy. The
corresponding framework provides the following:
The study of the foreign policy consequences of the Cold
War should be extended to an examination of the major
events of the administrations of Dwight D. Eisenhower,
John F. Kennedy, and Lyndon B. Johnson. Students should
examine the United Nations' intervention in Korea,
Eisenhower's successful conclusion of that conflict, and
his administration's defense policies based on nuclear
deterrence and massive retaliation. Foreign policy during
the Kennedy and Johnson administrations represents a
continuation of Cold War strategy, with the emphasis
shifting to guerrilla warfare in Southeast Asia and
leading to the Vietnam War. Students should be aware of
U.S. support of anticommunist governments. These events
should be placed within the context of continuing tensions
between the Soviet Union and the United States.
Current law, enacted by AB 78 (Reyes), Chapter 44, Statutes of
2003, encourages social science instruction in schools to
include instruction in the Vietnam War, including the "Secret
War" in Laos, and encourages the instruction to be derived from
personal testimonies. The author believes that the next step is
to require the SBE to adopt the framework necessary to ensure
that instructional materials "exemplify the personal sacrifice
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and courage of ordinary citizens who were called upon to
participate and provide intelligence to the United States."
The author further states, "Throughout the United [States']
involvement in the Vietnam War, Southeast Asians were courageous
allies of the U.S. in the struggle against the spread of
communism. For example, the Hmong people were actively
recruited and trained by the Central Intelligence Agency to take
up arms against the communist regime in support of the United
States' national security objectives. The force became known as
the CIA's 'Secret Army' in Laos. Southeast Asians should be
recognized for their valuable contributions to the cultural,
civic, and economic well-being of California and the United
States. Additionally, students need to be taught about the
sacrifices groups have made to ensure the security and
prosperity of the United States."
Analysis Prepared by : Sophia Kwong Kim / ED. / (916) 319-2087
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