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First Substitute H.B. 22

Representative LaVar Christensen proposes the following substitute bill:


             1     
CIVIC AND CHARACTER EDUCATION IN

             2     
SCHOOLS

             3     
2004 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Sponsor: LaVar Christensen

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill provides legislative recognition that Civic and Character Education are
             10      fundamental elements of the public education system's core mission and constitutional
             11      responsibility and shall be taught in connection with regular school work.
             12      Highlighted Provisions:
             13          This bill:
             14          .    provides definitions;
             15          .    provides legislative recognition of the fundamental civic purpose and constitutional
             16      responsibility of public education;
             17          .    requires Civic and Character Education to be taught through an integrated
             18      curriculum in connection with regular school work; and
             19          .    consolidates requirements for the teaching of Civic and Character Education.
             20      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             21          None
             22      Other Special Clauses:
             23          None
             24      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             25      AMENDS:



             26          53A-13-101, as last amended by Chapter 299, Laws of Utah 2002
             27      ENACTS:
             28          53A-13-109, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             29     
             30      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             31          Section 1. Section 53A-13-101 is amended to read:
             32           53A-13-101. Instruction in health -- Parental consent requirements -- Conduct
             33      and speech of school employees and volunteers -- Political and religious doctrine
             34      prohibited.
             35          (1) (a) The State Board of Education shall establish curriculum requirements under
             36      Section 53A-1-402 , that include instruction in:
             37          (i) community and personal health;
             38          (ii) physiology;
             39          (iii) personal hygiene; and
             40          (iv) prevention of communicable disease.
             41          (b) (i) That instruction shall stress:
             42          (A) the importance of abstinence from all sexual activity before marriage and fidelity
             43      after marriage as methods for preventing certain communicable diseases; and
             44          (B) personal skills that encourage individual choice of abstinence and fidelity.
             45          (ii) (A) At no time may instruction be provided, including responses to spontaneous
             46      questions raised by students, regarding any means or methods that facilitate or encourage the
             47      violation of any state or federal criminal law by a minor or an adult.
             48          (B) Subsection (1)(b)(ii)(A) does not preclude an instructor from responding to a
             49      spontaneous question as long as the response is consistent with the provisions of this section.
             50          (c) (i) The board shall recommend instructional materials for use in the curricula
             51      required under Subsection (1)(a) after considering evaluations of instructional materials by the
             52      State Instructional Materials Commission.
             53          (ii) A local school board may choose to adopt:
             54          (A) the instructional materials recommended under Subsection (1)(c)(i); or
             55          (B) other instructional materials as provided in state board rule.
             56          (iii) The state board rule made under Subsection (1)(c)(ii)(B) shall include, at a


             57      minimum:
             58          (A) that the materials adopted by a local school board under Subsection (1)(c)(ii)(B)
             59      shall be based upon recommendations of the school district's Curriculum Materials Review
             60      Committee that comply with state law and state board rules emphasizing abstinence before
             61      marriage and fidelity after marriage, and prohibiting instruction in:
             62          (I) the intricacies of intercourse, sexual stimulation, or erotic behavior;
             63          (II) the advocacy of homosexuality;
             64          (III) the advocacy or encouragement of the use of contraceptive methods or devices; or
             65          (IV) the advocacy of sexual activity outside of marriage;
             66          (B) that the adoption of instructional materials shall take place in an open and regular
             67      meeting of the local school board for which prior notice is given to parents and guardians of
             68      students attending schools in the district and an opportunity for them to express their views and
             69      opinions on the materials at the meeting;
             70          (C) provision for an appeal and review process of the local school board's decision; and
             71          (D) provision for a report by the local school board to the State Board of Education of
             72      the action taken and the materials adopted by the local school board under Subsections
             73      (1)(c)(ii)(B) and (1)(c)(iii).
             74          (2) (a) Instruction in the courses described in Subsection (1) shall be consistent and
             75      systematic in grades eight through 12.
             76          (b) At the request of the board, the Department of Health shall cooperate with the board
             77      in developing programs to provide instruction in those areas.
             78          (3) (a) The board shall adopt rules that:
             79          (i) provide that the parental consent requirements of Sections 76-7-322 and 76-7-323
             80      are complied with; and
             81          (ii) require a student's parent or legal guardian to be notified in advance and have an
             82      opportunity to review the information for which parental consent is required under Sections
             83      76-7-322 and 76-7-323 .
             84          (b) The board shall also provide procedures for disciplinary action for violation of
             85      Section 76-7-322 or 76-7-323 .
             86          [(4) Honesty, temperance, morality, courtesy, obedience to law, respect for and an
             87      understanding of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitutions of the United States


             88      and the state of Utah, Utah history including territorial and preterritorial development to the
             89      present, the essentials and benefits of the free enterprise system, respect for parents and home,
             90      and the dignity and necessity of honest labor and other skills, habits, and qualities of character
             91      which will promote an upright and desirable citizenry and better prepare students for a richer,
             92      happier life shall be taught in connection with regular school work.]
             93          [(5)] (4) (a) In keeping with the requirements of [Subsection (4)] Section 53A-13-109 ,
             94      and because school employees and volunteers serve as examples to their students, school
             95      employees or volunteers acting in their official capacities may not support or encourage
             96      criminal conduct by students, teachers, or volunteers.
             97          (b) To ensure the effective performance of school personnel, the limitations described
             98      in Subsection [(5)] (4)(a) also apply to school employees or volunteers acting outside of their
             99      official capacities if:
             100          (i) they knew or should have known that their action could result in a material and
             101      substantial interference or disruption in the normal activities of the school; and
             102          (ii) that action does result in a material and substantial interference or disruption in the
             103      normal activities of the school.
             104          (c) Neither the State Office of Education nor local school districts may provide training
             105      of school employees or volunteers that supports or encourages criminal conduct.
             106          (d) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules implementing this section.
             107          (e) Nothing in this section limits the ability or authority of the State Board of
             108      Education and local school boards to enact and enforce rules or take actions that are otherwise
             109      lawful, regarding educators', employees', or volunteers' qualifications or behavior evidencing
             110      unfitness for duty.
             111          [(6)] (5) Except as provided in Section 53A-13-101.1 , political, atheistic, sectarian,
             112      religious, or denominational doctrine may not be taught in the public schools.
             113          [(7)] (6) (a) Local school boards and their employees shall cooperate and share
             114      responsibility in carrying out the purposes of this chapter.
             115          (b) Each school district shall provide appropriate inservice training for its teachers,
             116      counselors, and school administrators to enable them to understand, protect, and properly
             117      instruct students in the values and character traits referred to in this section and Sections
             118      53A-13-101.1 , 53A-13-101.2 , 53A-13-101.3 , 53A-13-109 , 53A-13-301 , and 53A-13-302 and


             119      distribute appropriate written materials on the values, character traits, and conduct to each
             120      individual receiving the inservice training.
             121          (c) The written materials shall also be made available to classified employees, students,
             122      and parents and guardians of students.
             123          (d) In order to assist school districts in providing the inservice training required under
             124      Subsection [(7)] (6)(b), the State Board of Education shall as appropriate, contract with a
             125      qualified individual or entity possessing expertise in the areas referred to in Subsection [(7)]
             126      (6)(b) to develop and disseminate model teacher inservice programs which districts may use to
             127      train the individuals referred to in Subsection [(7)] (6)(b) to effectively teach the values and
             128      qualities of character referenced in that subsection.
             129          (e) In accordance with the provisions of Subsection [(5)] (4)(c), inservice training may
             130      not support or encourage criminal conduct.
             131          [(8)] (7) If any one or more provision, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or word of
             132      this section, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance, is found to be
             133      unconstitutional, the balance of this section shall be given effect without the invalid provision,
             134      subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or word.
             135          Section 2. Section 53A-13-109 is enacted to read:
             136          53A-13-109. Civic and Character Education -- Definitions -- Legislative finding --
             137      Elements.
             138          (1) As used in this section:
             139          (a) "Character Education" means reaffirming values and qualities of character which
             140      promote an upright and desirable citizenry.
             141          (b) "Civic Education" means the cultivation of informed, responsible participation in
             142      political life by competent citizens committed to the fundamental values and principles of
             143      representative democracy in Utah and the United States.
             144          (c) "Values" means time-established principles or standards of worth.
             145          (2) The Legislature recognizes that:
             146          (a) Civic and Character Education are fundamental elements of the public education
             147      system's core mission as originally intended and established under Article X of the Utah
             148      Constitution;
             149          (b) Civic and Character Education are fundamental elements of the constitutional


             150      responsibility of public education and shall be a continuing emphasis and focus in public
             151      schools;
             152          (c) the cultivation of a continuing understanding and appreciation of representative
             153      democracy in Utah and the United States among succeeding generations of educated and
             154      responsible citizens is important to the nation and state;
             155          (d) the primary responsibility for the education of children within the state resides with
             156      their parents or guardians and that the role of state and local governments is to support and
             157      assist parents in fulfilling that responsibility;
             158          (e) public schools fulfill a vital purpose in the preparation of succeeding generations of
             159      informed and responsible citizens who are deeply attached to essential democratic values and
             160      institutions; and
             161          (f) the happiness and security of American society relies upon the public virtue of its
             162      citizens which requires a united commitment to a moral social order where self-interests are
             163      willingly subordinated to the greater common good.
             164          (3) Through an integrated curriculum, students shall be taught in connection with
             165      regular school work:
             166          (a) honesty, integrity, morality, civility, duty, honor, service, and obedience to law;
             167          (b) respect for and an understanding of the Declaration of Independence and the
             168      Constitutions of the United States and of the State of Utah;
             169          (c) Utah history, including territorial and preterritorial development to the present;
             170          (d) the essentials and benefits of the free enterprise system;
             171          (e) respect for parents, home, and family;
             172          (f) the dignity and necessity of honest labor; and
             173          (g) other skills, habits, and qualities of character which will promote an upright and
             174      desirable citizenry and better prepare students to recognize and accept responsibility for
             175      preserving and defending the blessings of liberty inherited from prior generations and secured
             176      by the constitution.
             177          (4) Local school boards and school administrators may provide training, direction, and
             178      encouragement, as needed, to accomplish the intent and requirements of this section and to
             179      effectively emphasize Civic and Character Education in the course of regular instruction in the
             180      public schools.


             181          (5) Civic and Character Education in public schools are:
             182          (a) not intended to be separate programs in need of special funding or added specialists
             183      to be accomplished; and
             184          (b) core principles which reflect the shared values of the citizens of Utah and the
             185      founding principles upon which representative democracy in the United States and the state of
             186      Utah are based.


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