BILL ANALYSIS Ó ------------------------------------------------------------ |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 2269| |Office of Senate Floor Analyses | | |1020 N Street, Suite 524 | | |(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | | |327-4478 | | ------------------------------------------------------------ THIRD READING Bill No: AB 2269 Author: Swanson (D) Amended: 3/20/12 in Assembly Vote: 21 SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE : 6-1, 6/13/12 AYES: Lowenthal, Alquist, Hancock, Liu, Price, Simitian NOES: Huff NO VOTE RECORDED: Runner, Blakeslee, Vargas, Vacancy ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 48-20, 5/17/12 - See last page for vote SUBJECT : Pupil instruction: Labor History Month SOURCE : Author DIGEST : This bill substitutes the first week of April as Labor History Week with 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. ANALYSIS : 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 CONTINUED AB 2269 Page 2 aware of the role that the labor movement has played in shaping California and the United States. (Education Code (ED) Section 51009) 2. Designates March 31 as Cesar Chavez 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 Cesar Chavez. 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 Cesar Chavez Day. (ED 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 conduct exercises commemorating and directing attention to teachers and the teaching profession. (ED Section 37222.10) This bill substitutes the first week of April as Labor History Week with 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. Comments 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 was established on November 19, 2001, by then Speaker Robert M. Hertzberg CONTINUED AB 2269 Page 3 to address issues of labor education in California's public school system. The Commission works closely with the Legislature, the Department of Education, 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: Discussions of child labor and working conditions, and examination of the labor movement, including its leaders, collective bargaining, strikes and protests over labor conditions. Tracing of the evolution of work and labor, including the demise of the slave trade and effects of immigration, mining and manufacturing. Discussion of the advances and setbacks of organized labor. 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." Prior Legislation AB 1900 (Nakano), Chapter 366, Statutes of 2002, deems the first week of April as Labor History Week throughout the public schools, and encourages school districts to CONTINUED AB 2269 Page 4 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. FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local: No SUPPORT : (Verified 6/13/12) State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees California Federation of Teachers California Labor Federation California Nurses Association California Professional Firefighters California School Employees Association Northern California District Council of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union State Building and Construction Trades Council 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." ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 48-20, 5/17/12 AYES: Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Beall, Block, Blumenfield, Bonilla, Bradford, Brownley, Buchanan, Butler, Charles Calderon, Campos, Carter, Cedillo, Chesbro, Davis, Dickinson, Eng, Feuer, Fong, Fuentes, Furutani, Galgiani, Gatto, Gordon, Hall, Hayashi, Roger Hernández, Hill, Huber, Hueso, Huffman, Lara, Ma, CONTINUED AB 2269 Page 5 Mendoza, Mitchell, Monning, Pan, V. Manuel Pérez, Portantino, Solorio, Swanson, Torres, Wieckowski, Williams, John A. Pérez NOES: Achadjian, Bill Berryhill, Conway, Donnelly, Beth Gaines, Garrick, Grove, Hagman, Harkey, Jeffries, Jones, Knight, Logue, Mansoor, Miller, Morrell, Nielsen, Olsen, Silva, Wagner NO VOTE RECORDED: Cook, Fletcher, Gorell, Halderman, Bonnie Lowenthal, Nestande, Norby, Perea, Skinner, Smyth, Valadao, Yamada PQ:mw 6/14/12 Senate Floor Analyses SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE **** END **** CONTINUED