BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 993|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 993
Author: De León (D), et al.
Amended: 3/8/12
Vote: 21
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE : 7-1, 4/11/12
AYES: Lowenthal, Alquist, Hancock, Liu, Price, Simitian,
Vargas
NOES: Huff
NO VOTE RECORDED: Runner, Blakeslee, Vacancy
SUBJECT : School curriculum: social sciences: Bracero
program
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill authorizes social science instruction
to include instruction on the Bracero program.
ANALYSIS :
Existing law:
1. Authorizes instruction in social science for grades 7-12
to include instruction on World War II and the American
role in that war.
2. Encourages instruction in social science for grades 7-12
to include the role of Filipinos in World War II.
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3. Encourages instruction in social science for grades 7-12
to include instruction on the Vietnam war including the
"Secret War" in Laos and the role of Southeast Asians in
that war.
This bill authorizes social science instruction to include
instruction on the Bracero program. Specifically, this
bill:
1. Authorizes instruction in social science for grades 7-12
to include instruction on the Bracero program.
2. Authorizes this instruction to include a component drawn
from personal testimony, especially in the form of oral
or video histories of individuals who were involved with
the Bracero program. Oral histories may do all of the
following:
A. Exemplify the economic and cultural effects of
the Bracero program during and after World War II,
including its effects on the railroad system,
agriculture, and immigration in the United States.
B. Contain the views and comments of their
subjects regarding the reasons for their
participation in the Bracero program and their
immigrant story, generally.
3. States that this bill is to be implemented in a way that
does not result in new duties or programs being imposed
on school districts, and declares that this bill does
not mandate costs to local agencies or school districts,
and that materials used to comply with this bill be part
of normal curriculum materials purchased by school
districts in their normal course of business and
purchasing cycles.
Background
Academic content standards define the knowledge, concepts,
and skills that pupils should acquire at each grade level.
Curricular frameworks are the blueprint for implementing
the standards, and include criteria by which instructional
materials are evaluated.
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The processes for reviewing frameworks and adopting
instructional materials have been suspended since July 28,
2009. The State Board of Education (SBE) is specifically
prohibited from reviewing frameworks and adopting
instructional materials until the 2015-16 school year.
The history-social science framework was last adopted in
2005. A review of this framework was underway and nearly
complete when the state suspended the process due to budget
constraints. The draft framework for grade 11 includes
information about agricultural labor provided by immigrants
who came through the Bracero program.
Prior legislation
SB 48 (Leno), Chapter 81, Statutes of 2011, requires
instruction in social science to include the role and
contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
Americans.
SB 300 (Hancock), Chapter 624, Statutes of 2011, at one
time included provisions relative to the completion of the
history-social science framework. The final version of SB
300 requires the SBE to adopt revised standards in science.
SB 1278 (Wyland), 2010 Session, would have required the SBE
to adopt a revised framework and evaluation criteria for
history-social science in 2011. SB 1278 was held in the
Assembly Appropriations Committee.
AB 2069 (Carter), 2010 Session, would have required the SBE
to adopt a revised framework and evaluation criteria for
history-social science by July 1, 2011. AB 2069 was held
in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 4/10/12)
American Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees
Asociacion de Loncheros LA Familia Unida de California
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Asociacion Retalteca
California Communities United Institute
California Immigrant Policy Center
California-Mexico Studies Center
Casa De La Cultura Maya
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles
Consejo Binacional de Organizaciones Comunitarias, Inc.
Federacion Chihuahua
Fraternidad Cotzumalguapa
League of United Latin American Citizens
Los Angeles Produce Market Association
Mexican Cultural Institute of Los Angeles
National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter
Schools for Integrated Academics & Technologies
Union de Guatemaltecos Emigrantes
Universidad de Colima
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author, "The
history of the Bracero program has been frequently
overlooked and it is rarely taught in California public
schools. The Bracero program was a guest worker program
set up through a series of bilateral agreements between the
United States and Mexico that was intended to fill the
shortage of American labor during the war years.
Established in 1942, the program continued in the post-WWII
years because of the demand for labor in the agriculture
business and the railroad maintenance system. The program
helped the US economy flourish, though it was criticized
for the mistreatment of Mexican workers, especially because
in many instances Braceros were never paid their due wages.
The program also marked a turning point in Mexican
immigration to the US by influencing unauthorized
immigration trends. Given the impact of immigration on
this state, it is important for students to have a
historical understanding of the immigration trends that
have come to shape California's demographics and economy."
PQ:do 4/12/12 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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