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History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S560
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to instruction on the history of people with disabilities
Purpose or general idea of bill
To include the history of people with disabilities in the state's mandatory curriculum.
Summary of specific provisions
Section one: adds "the history of people with disabilities in New York State" to the list of mandatory subjects to be taught. It also provides that the instruction should be concentrated, but not limited to the third full week in October to coincide with the state's Disability History Week.
Justification
Among the list of mandatory subjects in school are patriotism, human rights, the Holocallst, and the mass starvation in Ireland. This bill adds the history of people with disabilities to that important list.
It is important for our youth to understand the history in order to appreciate how individuals with disabilities were once viewed and treated. The bill would authorize the board of Regents to adopt a statewide curriculum that would provide students with the opportunity to learn how people with disabilities were instrumental in changing history, and how they became active participants in changing societal attitudes about their needs, desires, and capabilities. By teaching disability history in schools we are taking the necessary steps to ensure that history is not repeated and that there continues to be movement towards and even more accessible society in future generations.
Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Montana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Washington have all followed the precedent set by West Virginia in establishing the third week of October as Disability History Week. New York has established that week also as Disability History Week, and this legislation will ensure the educational aspect.
This legislation lays the foundation for good citizenship and inspires respect for individual differences and will create a road map for an accepting society in New York State.
Prior legislative history
05/06/08 REFERRED TO EDUCATION
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.