BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                  AB 2269
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          ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
          AB 2269 (Swanson)
          As Amended  March 20, 2012
          Majority vote 

           EDUCATION           6-2                                         
           
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          |Ayes:|Brownley, Ammiano,        |     |                          |
          |     |Butler, Carter, Eng,      |     |                          |
          |     |Williams                  |     |                          |
          |     |                          |     |                          |
          |-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
          |Nays:|Grove, Wagner             |     |                          |
          |     |                          |     |                          |
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           SUMMARY  :  Deems the month of May as Labor History Month and 
          encourages school districts to commemorate that month with 
          appropriate educational exercises that make pupils aware of the 
          role that the labor movement has played in shaping California 
          and the United States (U.S.), and repeals language deeming the 
          first week of April as Labor History Week.

           EXISTING LAW  :

          1)Deems the first week of April to be Labor History Week and 
            encourages school districts to commemorate that week with 
            appropriate educational exercises that make pupils aware of 
            the role that the labor movement has played in shaping 
            California and the U.S.  (Education Code (EC) Section 51009)

          2)Designates March 31 as César Chávez Day and authorizes public 
            schools and educational institutions throughout the state to 
            include exercises, funded through existing resources, 
            commemorating and directing attention to the history of the 
            farm labor movement in the U.S. and particularly the role 
            therein of César Chávez.  Requires the State Board of 
            Education (SBE) to adopt a model curriculum guide to be 
            available for use by public schools for exercises related to 
            César Chávez Day.  (EC Section 37220.5)

          3)Designates the second Wednesday in May of each year as the Day 
            of the Teacher, a day having special significance, and 
            encourages all public schools and educational institutions to 








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            conduct exercises commemorating and directing attention to 
            teachers and the teaching profession.  (EC Section 37222.10)

           FISCAL EFFECT  :  This bill is keyed non-fiscal by the Legislative 
          Counsel. 

           COMMENTS  :  Current law deems the first week of April to be Labor 
          History Week and encourages schools to commemorate this week 
          with appropriate educational exercises that make pupils aware of 
          the role of the labor movement in shaping California and the 
          U.S.  This bill instead deems the month of May to be Labor 
          History Month, thereby extending the timeframe when labor 
          history may be commemorated in schools.   

          Rationale for the changes:  The author points out that for many 
          school districts, the first week of April is Spring break and 
          April is also a busy time for schools and pupils as they prepare 
          for statewide assessment administrations.  This makes it 
          difficult for schools to commemorate Labor History Week during 
          the current designated time.  By extending the length of time, 
          this bill potentially gives school districts more opportunities 
          and flexibility to conduct educational activities that raise 
          awareness about the labor movement as schools see fit and at any 
          time during the month of May.  

          The Speaker's Commission on Labor Education (Commission) was 
          established on November 19, 2001, by then Speaker Robert M. 
          Hertzberg to address issues of labor education in California's 
          public school system.  The Commission works closely with the 
          Legislature, the California Department of Education (CDE), the 
          California State Library, and the labor movement to hold events 
          and disseminate information and instructional materials 
          appropriate to Labor History Week. 

          Information on the Commission's Internet Web site provides 
          examples of ways in which labor history and concepts may be 
          built into the curriculum and they include the following:

          1)Discussions of child labor and working conditions, and 
            examination of the labor movement, including its leaders, 
            collective bargaining, strikes and protests over labor 
            conditions.

          2)Tracing of the evolution of work and labor, including the 








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            demise of the slave trade and effects of immigration, mining 
            and manufacturing.

          3)Discussion of the advances and setbacks of organized labor.

          4)Understanding the operations of the labor market, including 
            the circumstances surrounding the establishment of principal 
            American labor unions, procedures that unions use to gain 
            benefits for their members, the effects of unionization, the 
            minimum wage, and unemployment insurance. 

          The author states, "Many teachers have indicated that the month 
          of May would be more conducive to such observances.  This bill 
          would simply formalize that flexibility by establishing the 
          month of May as Labor History Month.  School districts would 
          therefore have the flexibility to engage in labor history 
          activities during other times during the month of May that work 
          best for their own schedules."

          Arguments in support:  The State Building and Construction 
          Trades Council writes, "We believe it is critical for today's 
          young scholars to understand the courageous struggles behind 
          these achievements.  As a member organization of the Speaker's 
          Commission on Labor Education, we appreciate efforts in ensuring 
          school districts teach and provide learning resources and 
          opportunities to students about the historical achievements of 
          the labor movement."   

          Previous legislation:  AB 1900 (Nakano), Chapter 366, Statues of 
          2002 deems the first week of April as Labor History Week 
          throughout the public schools, and encourages school districts 
          to commemorate this week with appropriate educational exercises 
          that make pupils aware of the role the labor movement has played 
          in shaping California and the U.S., and expresses legislative 
          intent that California labor history, from the Spanish colonial 
          period to the present day, be considered in the next cycle in 
          which the history/social science curriculum framework and its 
          accompanying instructional materials are adopted.


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Marisol Avińa / ED. / (916) 319-2087 
          FN: 0003262










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