BILL ANALYSIS �
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Date of Hearing: June 11, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Joan Buchanan, Chair
ACR 154 (Gray) - As Introduced: May 27, 2014
SUBJECT : Modesto City Schools: World Geography-World Religion
class
SUMMARY : Acknowledges the Modesto City Schools' initiative and
achievement in teaching the unique World Geography-World
Religion course as a grade 9 requirement and would recommend
that this course be considered for adoption by other school
districts in the state. Specifically, this bill :
1)Identifies similar ideas within the United States Declaration
of Independence and the Holy Sikh Scriptures.
2)Recognizes Sikhism as the fifth largest world religion after
Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism, with 25 million
followers.
3)States that there are nearly 300,000 Sikhs residing in
California, who, by the dint of their hard work, have
distinguished themselves in all fields.
4)Declares that Sikhism was founded in Northwestern India by
Guru Nanak (1469-1539) and is not a branch of another
religion, and that Sikhs now have global distribution with
gurdwaras in more than 72 countries.
5)Declares that large numbers of Americans are physically or
psychologically attacked on the basis of their race, skin
color, ethnicity, physical or mental abilities, sexual
orientation, sex, gender identity, religion, culture, or age.
6)Finds that turban-wearing Sikh children experience bullying at
more than double the national rate.
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7)Recognizes the set of principles presented by the 115-member
Community Safe Schools Committee of Modesto in 1998 that
affirmed respect for all. Since that time, the Modesto City
Schools has engaged in the nation's most direct experiment in
using the public school curriculum to promote respect for
religious freedom and diversity through its World
Geography-World Religion class.
8)Finds that the World Geography-World Religion class examines
the geographical location, history, culture, and major beliefs
of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Judaism, Christianity, and
Islam, stresses nine character traits that include courage,
honesty, loyalty, respect, responsibility, civility,
compassion, initiative and perseverance, and teaches pupils
how to make appropriate comments without offending other
pupils.
9)Declares that the World Geography-World Religion class has
been very successful in helping Sikh pupils feel more accepted
and in helping pupils understand their First Amendment rights,
understand and practice the character traits of respect and
responsibility, become informed about the religious diversity
in their community and the world, and obtain greater
understanding about the six major world religions.
10)Suggests that Modesto City Schools is perhaps the only school
district in the state that requires all pupils to learn about
and understand world religions.
11)Resolves that the Legislature acknowledges and applauds the
Modesto City Schools' initiative and achievements in teaching
the unique World Geography-World Religion class as a grade 9
required course for the last 15 years, and recommends that the
class be considered for adoption by other school districts in
the state.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Requires local governing boards to adopt a course of study for
grades 7 - 12 that offers courses in social sciences that
includes instruction in geography and in eastern and western
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cultures and civilizations.
2)Permits local governing boards to adopt other courses of
study.
3)Requires a pupil to complete three courses in social studies,
including one course a course in world history, culture, and
geography, in order to be eligible to receive a high school
diploma.
4)Permits local governing boards to adopt additional
requirements for graduation.
FISCAL EFFECT : This measure has been keyed nonfiscal by
Legislative Counsel.
COMMENTS :
Since the September 11, 2001 attacks (9/11), members of the Sikh
community have suffered numerous instances of discrimination and
religious attacks. According to the Sikh Coalition (Coalition),
which promotes the rights of Sikhs in the United States, around
700 cases of violence and discrimination against Sikhs have been
reported since 9/11<1>. On August 5, 2012, several Sikhs in Oak
Creek, Wisconsin were killed after their gurdwara was attacked.
On April 11, 2011, two Sikhs were killed in Elk Grove,
California as they went for an afternoon walk. A 2010 survey by
the Coalition revealed that 69% of turban-wearing Sikh students
living in the San Francisco area say they have been bullied
because of the way they look.<2> This Resolution speaks directly
to the course in the Modesto City School District. This course
is offered as a part of a safe school policy that was crafted to
create a safe and comfortable environment for all of its
students.
Content Standards and Curriculum Frameworks . California
---------------------------
<1>
http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2012/08/06/qa-how-wisconsin-at
tack-will-affect-the-sikh-community-in-u-s/ . Accessed on June
3, 2014.
<2> http://www.sikhcoalition.org/our-programs/advocacy/bullying .
Accessed on June 3, 2014.
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curriculum is based on state-adopted content standards. The
curriculum frameworks are guidelines for implementing the
standards that are developed by the IQC (also referenced in
statute as the "commission") and approved by the State Board of
Education (SBE). The history/social science standards were
developed in 1998 and the history/social science curriculum
framework was last revised in 2005. Currently, a course in
world history and geography is required for graduation, but
neither the standards nor the frameworks make any specific
mention of Sikhism. Within the social studies elective courses
for grade 9 identified in the History/Social Science Framework
there is a course in World Religions that makes specific
reference to Sikhism.
Related Legislation:
ACR 147 (Dickinson and Logue) (2014), designates November as
California Sikh American Awareness and Appreciation Month. The
measure recognizes and acknowledges the significant
contributions Californians of Sikh heritage have made to the
state. The measure would also seek to afford all Californians
the opportunity to understand, recognize, and appreciate the
rich history and shared principles of Sikh Americans.
Previous Legislation:
AB 2944 (Samuelian) (2004), encourages school districts to
include instruction on the role and contribution of the Sikhs in
the development of California in the instruction it offers in
the social sciences. This bill was set for hearing by the
Assembly Education Committee, but was cancelled at the request
of the author.
ACR 181 (Logue), Resolution Chapter 161, Statutes of 2010,
designates November 2010 as California Sikh American Awareness
and Appreciation Month. It would recognize and acknowledge the
significant contributions made by Californians of Sikh heritage
to our state and afford all Californians the opportunity to
understand, recognize, and appreciate the rich history, shared
principles, religion, faith, and role Sikh Americans play in
furthering mutual understanding and respect among all peoples.
ACR 97 (Perea), Resolution Chapter 60, Statutes of 2012,
designates November 2012 as California Sikh American Awareness
and Appreciation Month. It recognizes and acknowledges the
significant contributions made by Californians of Sikh heritage
to the state and affords all Californians the opportunity to
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understand, recognize, and appreciate the rich history and
shared principles of Sikh Americans.
ACR 20 (Logue and Perea), Resolution Chapter 23 Statutes of
2013, recognizes the need for the inclusion of Sikhism in world
religions, Eastern religions, Asian, and South Asian courses at
all postsecondary educational institutions and advises the
concerned academic governing bodies, deans, and department
chairs to include Sikhism in their institution's world
religions, Eastern religions, Asian, and South Asian courses.
ACR 25 (Wieckowski), Resolution Chapter 105, Statutes of 2013,
designates November 2013 as California Sikh American Awareness
and Appreciation Month. It recognizes and acknowledges the
significant contributions made by Californians of Sikh heritage
to the state and affords all Californians the opportunity to
understand, recognize, and appreciate the rich history and
shared principles of Sikh Americans.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on file
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Jill Rice / ED. / (916) 319-2087