HF 1028

as introduced - 82nd Legislature (2001 - 2002) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to education; enacting the Freedom from 
  1.3             Censorship in Minnesota Public Schools Act; amending 
  1.4             Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 120A.22, subdivision 
  1.5             9. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 120A.22, 
  1.8   subdivision 9, is amended to read: 
  1.9      Subd. 9.  [CURRICULUM.] (a) Instruction must be provided in 
  1.10  at least the following subject areas:  
  1.11     (1) basic communication skills including reading and 
  1.12  writing, literature, and fine arts; 
  1.13     (2) mathematics and science; 
  1.14     (3) social studies including history, geography, and 
  1.15  government; and 
  1.16     (4) health and physical education. 
  1.17     (b) All students shall be encouraged, and have the 
  1.18  opportunity, to read and study America's founding documents that 
  1.19  are pertinent to understanding the principles, character, and 
  1.20  world view of America's founders; including documents that 
  1.21  contributed to the foundation or maintenance of America's 
  1.22  representative republican form of government, the Bill of 
  1.23  Rights, and our free-market economic system.  Districts shall 
  1.24  permit a principal or teacher to use, read, or post in a public 
  1.25  school building, classroom, or at any public school event any 
  2.1   excerpts or portions of the documents, writings, speeches, or 
  2.2   records relating to the history, heritage, or foundation of the 
  2.3   United States or the state of Minnesota, including, but not 
  2.4   limited to: 
  2.5      (1) the Mayflower compact; 
  2.6      (2) the Declaration of Independence; 
  2.7      (3) the Constitution of the United States; 
  2.8      (4) the national motto; 
  2.9      (5) the Federalist Papers; 
  2.10     (6) the Pledge of Allegiance; 
  2.11     (7) the national anthem; 
  2.12     (8) the preamble to the Constitution of the State of 
  2.13  Minnesota; 
  2.14     (9) Washington's farewell address to the nation; 
  2.15     (10) Patrick Henry's "Liberty or Death" speech; 
  2.16     (11) Lincoln's Gettysburg address; 
  2.17     (12) the writings, speeches, documents, or proclamations of 
  2.18  America's founding fathers, or the presidents of the United 
  2.19  States; 
  2.20     (13) the acts and published records of Congress; and 
  2.21     (14) the United States Supreme Court decisions and records. 
  2.22     (c) Districts may not permit the censorship of American or 
  2.23  Minnesota state history or heritage based on religious 
  2.24  references in a writing, document, or record under paragraph 
  2.25  (b).  The use, reading, or posting of the types of documents, 
  2.26  writings, or records permitted under paragraphs (b) and (d) must 
  2.27  be for educational purposes only and must not be to promote or 
  2.28  establish any religion or religious belief. 
  2.29     (d) Districts may not permit the censorship of students who 
  2.30  voluntarily choose to read, write, share, report, or otherwise 
  2.31  study a topic which is religious in nature provided other 
  2.32  students are provided with the same opportunity to freely choose 
  2.33  a topic. 
  2.34     (e) Instruction, textbooks, and materials must be in the 
  2.35  English language.  Another language may be used pursuant to 
  2.36  sections 124D.59 to 124D.61. 
  3.1      [EFFECTIVE DATE.] This section is effective the day 
  3.2   following final enactment. 
  3.3      Sec. 2.  [TITLE.] 
  3.4      The amendment made to Minnesota Statutes, section 120A.22, 
  3.5   subdivision 9, by section 1, shall be known as the Freedom from 
  3.6   Censorship in Minnesota Public Schools Act.