STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5834
2011-2012 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
June 21, 2011
___________
Introduced by Sen. DUANE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to making certain
provisions applicable to public schools relating to instruction in
civility, citizenship and character education
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 801-a of the education law, as amended by chapter
2 482 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows:
3 § 801-a. Instruction in civility, citizenship and character education.
4 The regents shall ensure that the course of instruction in grades
5 kindergarten through twelve includes a component on civility, citizen-
6 ship and character education. Such component shall instruct students on
7 the principles of honesty, tolerance, personal responsibility, respect
8 for others, observance of laws and rules, courtesy, dignity and other
9 traits which will enhance the quality of their experiences in, and
10 contributions to, the community. The regents shall determine how to
11 incorporate such component in existing curricula and the commissioner
12 shall promulgate any regulations needed to carry out such determination
13 of the regents. For the purposes of this section, for courses of
14 instruction in public schools, "tolerance," "respect for others" and
15 "dignity" shall include awareness and sensitivity to discrimination or
16 harassment and civility in the relations of people of different races,
17 weights, national origins, ethnic groups, religions, religious prac-
18 tices, mental or physical abilities, sexual orientations, genders, and
19 sexes.
20 § 2. This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same
21 manner as section five of chapter 482 of the laws of 2010, takes effect.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11259-01-1
