BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 2546
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Date of Hearing: April 18, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Julia Brownley, Chair
AB 2546 (Donnelly) - As Amended: April 10, 2012
�This bill is double referred to the Assembly Judiciary
Committee and will be heard as it relates to the issues under
its jurisdiction]
SUBJECT : Pupil instruction: social sciences: instructional
materials
SUMMARY : Requires instruction in the social sciences also to
include the development of democracy and the history of the
development of the United States (U.S.) Constitution and
requires specified historical documents be included in the
history-social science (H/SS) framework. Specifically, this
bill :
1)Adds the Magna Carta, the Articles of Confederation, and the
California Constitution to the historical documents that are
required to be incorporated into the history-social science
framework and requires these documents to be incorporated
based on the subject matter of the course.
2)Requires instruction in the social sciences also to include
the development of democracy and the history of the
development of the United States Constitution.
3)Deletes the condition that the Declaration of Independence and
the Constitution of the United States be included in textbooks
for social science history or civics classes when appropriate
to the comprehension of pupils.
4)Requires a classroom in which history or the social sciences
is taught to have access to a copy of the California
Constitution.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Requires the Instructional Quality Commission to ensure that
the following historical documents are incorporated, as
appropriate, into the history-social science framework:
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a) The Declaration of Independence.
b) The United States Constitution, including the Bill of
Rights.
c) The Federalist Papers.
d) The Emancipation Proclamation.
e) The Gettysburg Address.
f) George Washington's Farewell Address.
2)Requires instruction in social sciences for grades 7 to 12,
inclusive, to provide a foundation for understanding the
history, resources, development, and government of California
and the United States of America.
3)Requires the governing board of a school district, when
adopting instructional materials for use in the schools to
require, when appropriate to the comprehension of pupils, that
textbooks for social science, history, or civics classes
contain the Declaration of Independence and the United States
Constitution.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : This bill mandates instruction in the social sciences
to include the development of democracy and the history of the
development of the United States Constitution. The Education
Code already requires instruction in social science to include
instruction in the State and Federal Constitutions.
Additionally, one of the three main goals of the H/SS framework
is to promote democratic understanding and civic values. To
this end, the H/SS content standards and framework already
include various areas of instruction on democracy and the U.S.
Constitution. Some of these standards are found in both
elementary and secondary grade levels. Examples include:
1)A discussion of what the U.S. Constitution is and why it is
important and understanding the purpose of the California
Constitution, its key principles, and its relationship to the
U.S. Constitution. (Standard 4.5)
2)A description of people and events associated with the
development of the U.S. Constitution and analyze the
Constitution's significance as the foundation of the American
republic. (Standard 5.7)
3)A discussion on the meaning of the American creed that calls
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on citizens to safeguard the liberty of individual Americans
within a unified nation, to respect the rule of law, and to
preserve the Constitution. (Standard 5.7.5)
4)An understanding of the major events preceding the founding of
the nation and relate their significance to the development of
American constitutional democracy. (Standard 8.1)
5)An analysis of the political principles underlying the U.S.
Constitution and compare the enumerated and implied powers of
the federal government. (Standard 8.2)
Additionally, the grade 12 standards revolve around the
principles of American democracy, starting with standard 12.1,
which requires students to explain the fundamental principles
and moral values of American democracy as expressed in the U.S.
Constitution and other essential documents of American
democracy.
Secondly, this bill adds to the list of required documents to be
incorporated into the H/SS framework, the Magna Carta, the
Articles of Confederation, and the California Constitution. The
adopted H/SS framework already includes seven references to the
Magna Carta, three references to the Articles of Confederation,
and three references to the California Constitution. In
consideration that the H/SS framework already includes much of
the content required by this bill, the need for this bill is
questionable.
This bill deletes the condition that the Declaration of
Independence and the Constitution of the United States be
included in textbooks for social science history or civics
classes when appropriate to the comprehension of pupils. This
Committee may wish to consider whether it is prudent to delete
this condition. Deleting this language could result in
textbooks or classes including content regarding the Declaration
of Independence and the US Constitution that may not be
comprehensible to pupils and could impose teaching about the
Constitution and the Declaration of Independence regardless of
whether it is relevant to the subject or grade level being
taught. Should this Committee wish to approve this bill, staff
recommends the bill be amended to restore the existing language.
On page 5, line 36 after "require" insert, "when appropriate to
the comprehension of pupils,"
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Lastly, this bill requires a classroom in which history or
social science is taught to have access to a copy of the
California Constitution. History/social science may be taught
in kindergarten and grades 1-12, inclusive, hence this bill is
imposing a mandate for almost every classroom to have a copy of
the California Constitution.
The author states, "The availability of works such as the Magna
Carta, the Articles of Confederation and the California
Constitution, are integral to the broader understanding of the
development and maintenance of both our State and our Union as a
whole. With the passage of this bill, they too will be included
into the framework of social science curriculum where
appropriate. The proposed legislation will make certain that
the essential spirit of liberty shall be preserved in the youth
of our state as it shines through the documents that are the
cornerstone of our democracy."
Related legislation : AB 1756 (Knight) eliminates the
requirement for instruction in social sciences to include the
early history of California and a study of the role and
contributions of both men and women, Native Americans, African
Americans, Mexican Americans, Asian Americans, Pacific
Islanders, European Americans, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
transgender (LGBT) Americans, persons with disabilities, and
members of other ethnic and cultural groups, to the economic,
political, and social development of California and the United
States (U.S.), with particular emphasis on portraying the role
of these groups in contemporary society, and instead makes these
provisions permissive.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on file.
Opposition
None on current version.
Analysis Prepared by : Marisol Avi�a / ED. / (916) 319-2087
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