GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1997

S	2 

SENATE BILL 442
Corrected Copy 3/21/97

Short Title:  American Heritage Education Act.	(Public)

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Sponsors: Senators Allran, Ballance; Albertson, Ballance, Ballantine, Blust, Carpenter, Clark, Cochrane, East, Forrester, Foxx, Hartsell, Hoyle, Jordan, Ledbetter, Lucas, Martin of Pitt, Odom, Page, Perdue, Rand, Rucho, Shaw of Cumberland, Shaw of Guilford, Warren, and Webster.

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Referred to:  Education/Higher Education.

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March 20, 1997

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO ENSURE THAT PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS RECEIVE INSTRUCTION ON OUR AMERICAN HERITAGE.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  G.S. 115C-81(g) reads as rewritten:
"(g)	Civic Literacy. – 
(1)	Local boards of education shall require during the high school years the teaching of the nation's founding and related documents, which shall include at least the major principles in the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution and its amendments, and the most important of the Federalist Papers.
(2)	Local boards of education shall require that high school students demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the nation's founding and related documents in order to receive a certificate or diploma of graduation from high school.
(3)	Local boards of education shall include among the requirements for graduation from high school a passing grade in all courses that include primary instruction in the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution and its amendments, and the most important of the Federalist Papers.
(3a)	Local boards of education shall allow and may encourage any public school teacher or administrator to read or post in a public school building, classroom, or event, any excerpts or portions of writings, documents, and records that reflect the history or heritage of the United States, including but not limited to (i) the preamble to the North Carolina Constitution, (ii) the Declaration of  Independence, (iii) the United States Constitution, (iv) the Mayflower Compact, (v) the national motto, (vi) the National Anthem, (vii) the Pledge of Allegiance, (viii) the writings, speeches, documents, and proclamations of the founding fathers and Presidents of the United States, (ix) organic documents from the pre-Colonial, Colonial, Revolutionary, Federalist, and post-Federalist eras, (x) decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States, and (xi) acts of the Congress of the United States, including the published text of the Congressional Record. There shall be no content-based censorship of American history or heritage in the public schools of this State based on religious or other references in these writings, documents, and records.
(4)	The State Board of Education shall require that any high school level curriculum-based tests developed and administered statewide beginning with academic year 1990-91 include questions related to the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution and its amendments, and the most important of the Federalist Papers.
(5)	The State Department of Public Instruction and the local boards of education, as appropriate, shall establish curriculum content and provide for teacher training to ensure that the intent and provisions of this subsection are carried out. The curriculum content established shall include a review of the contributions made by Americans of all races during the period in which our nation was founded."
Section 2.  The State Board of Education shall provide a copy of this act to each local school superintendent in the State, and each local school superintendent shall ensure that school personnel within the unit are informed about the act.
Section 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.