What's happening
This bill requires New York schools to include instruction on the Ukrainian Genocide-Holodomor of 1932-33 in their curriculum.
Why it matters
Expands historical education. By specifically requiring instruction on the Ukrainian Genocide-Holodomor of 1932-33, the bill ensures that New York students learn about a significant, but often overlooked, event in world history, deepening their understanding of the consequences of totalitarian regimes and mass atrocities.
Reinforces human rights education. Including the Holodomor alongside other events like the Holocaust and slavery underlines the importance of teaching about diverse instances of human rights abuses, fostering a broader awareness of global injustices and their long-term impacts.
Applies to both public and private schools. The bill mandates that all students over the age of eight, regardless of whether they attend public or private schools, must receive this instruction, which could lead to a more uniformly educated and socially conscious student population across the state.
Links history to civic responsibility. By embedding this content within courses on patriotism, citizenship, and human rights, the legislation aims to connect historical knowledge with the development of moral and civic values, encouraging students to recognize and oppose inhumanity in all forms.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Teach Holodomor History in Schools
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Teach Holodomor History in Schools
In Assembly Committee · Education · Sponsor John T. McDonald III
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5539
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 6, 2019
Introduced by Sen. STEWART-COUSINS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to instruction on the subject of the history of the Ukrainian Genocide-Holodomor of 1932 to
1933
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivisions 1 and 3 of section 801 of the education law, as amended by chapter 574 of the laws of 1997, are amended to read as follows:
1. In order to promote a spirit of patriotic and civic service and obligation and to foster in the children of the state moral and intellectual qualities which are essential in preparing to meet the obligations of citizenship in peace or in war, the regents of The University of the State of New York shall prescribe courses of instruction in patriotism, citizenship, and human rights issues, with particular attention to the study of the inhumanity of genocide, slavery (including the freedom trail and underground railroad), the Holocaust, the Ukrainian Genocide-Holodomor of 1932 to 1933, and the mass starvation in Ireland from 1845 to 1850, to be maintained and followed in all the schools of the state. The boards of education and trustees of the several cities and school districts of the state shall require instruction to be given in such courses, by the teachers employed in the schools therein. All pupils attending such schools, over the age of eight years, shall attend upon such instruction.
Similar courses of instruction shall be prescribed and maintained in private schools in the state, and all pupils in such schools over eight years of age shall attend upon such courses. If such courses are not so established and maintained in a private school, attendance upon instruction in such school shall not be deemed substantially equivalent to
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00701-01-9
S. 5539 2
instruction given to pupils of like age in the public schools of the city or district in which such pupils reside.
3. The regents shall determine the subjects to be included in such courses of instruction in patriotism, citizenship, and human rights issues, with particular attention to the study of the inhumanity of genocide, slavery (including the freedom trail and underground railroad), the Holocaust, the Ukrainian Genocide-Holodomor of 1932 to 1933, and the mass starvation in Ireland from 1845 to 1850, and in the history, meaning, significance and effect of the provisions of the constitution of the United States, the amendments thereto, the declaration of independence, the constitution of the state of New York and the amendments thereto, and the period of instruction in each of the grades in such subjects. They shall adopt rules providing for attendance upon such instruction and for such other matters as are required for carrying into effect the objects and purposes of this section. The commissioner shall be responsible for the enforcement of such section and shall cause to be inspected and supervise the instruction to be given in such subjects. The commissioner may, in his discretion, cause all or a portion of the public school money to be apportioned to a district or city to be withheld for failure of the school authorities of such district or city to provide instruction in such courses and to compel attendance upon such instruction, as herein prescribed, and for a non-compliance with the rules of the regents adopted as herein provided.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to instruction on the subject of the history of the Ukrainian Genocide-Hol- odomor of 1932 to 1933
Purpose
Requires schools to provide instruction on the history of the Ukrainian genocide Holodornor from 1932 through 1933.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 of the bill amends the Subdivisions 1 and 3 of Section 801 of the education law as amended by Chapter 574 of the laws of 1997 to include the Ukrainian Genocide-Holodomor of 1932 and 1933 as required courses instructions.
Justification
The famine in the Ukraine was deliberately initiated and enforced by the Soviet regime through the seizure of grain and the blockade of food shipments into the affected areas, as well as by forcibly preventing the starving population from leaving the region for the purposes of elimi- nating resistance to the forced collectivization of agriculture and destroying Ukraine's national identity. This famine resulted in the deaths of millions of men, women and children in the Ukraine and in other regions.
Although Ukraine was one of the greatest losses of human life in the 20th century remains insufficiently recognized in the United States and in the world. As such, the fight against racism begins with our children learning the history of Ukrainian Genocide Holodomor and teaching them solutions to keep our communities whole.
Legislative history
2009/2019 - S3356-A (Died in Education) 2011/2012 - S.1016 (Died in Education) 2013/2014 - S.4107 (Died in Education) 2016/2016 - S.1643 (Died in Education) 2017/2018 - S.2892 (Died in Education)
Fiscal implications
None
Effective date
Shall take effect on the first July next succeeding the date on which it shall have become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.