BILL ANALYSIS �
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 2269|
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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
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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
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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
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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
Hern�ndez, Hill, Huber, Hueso, Huffman, Lara, Ma,
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Mendoza, Mitchell, Monning, Pan, V. Manuel P�rez,
Portantino, Solorio, Swanson, Torres, Wieckowski,
Williams, John A. P�rez
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
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