Florida Senate - 2024 SB 344



By Senator Jones





34-00681-24 2024344__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to required instruction in the history
3 of African Americans; amending s. 1003.42, F.S.;
4 prohibiting specified instruction and state academic
5 standards from indicating or implying that an enslaved
6 person benefited from slavery or the enslavement
7 experience in any way; providing an effective date.
8
9 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
10
11 Section 1. Paragraph (h) of subsection (2) of section
12 1003.42, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
13 1003.42 Required instruction.—
14 (2) Members of the instructional staff of the public
15 schools, subject to the rules of the State Board of Education
16 and the district school board, shall teach efficiently and
17 faithfully, using the books and materials required that meet the
18 highest standards for professionalism and historical accuracy,
19 following the prescribed courses of study, and employing
20 approved methods of instruction, the following:
21 (h) The history of African Americans, including the history
22 of African peoples before the political conflicts that led to
23 the development of slavery, the passage to America, the
24 enslavement experience, abolition, and the history and
25 contributions of Americans of the African diaspora to society.
26 Students shall develop an understanding of the ramifications of
27 prejudice, racism, and stereotyping on individual freedoms, and
28 examine what it means to be a responsible and respectful person,
29 for the purpose of encouraging tolerance of diversity in a
30 pluralistic society and for nurturing and protecting democratic
31 values and institutions. Instruction shall include the roles and
32 contributions of individuals from all walks of life and their
33 endeavors to learn and thrive throughout history as artists,
34 scientists, educators, businesspeople, influential thinkers,
35 members of the faith community, and political and governmental
36 leaders and the courageous steps they took to fulfill the
37 promise of democracy and unite the nation. Instructional
38 materials shall include the vital contributions of African
39 Americans to build and strengthen American society and celebrate
40 the inspirational stories of African Americans who prospered,
41 even in the most difficult circumstances. Instructional
42 personnel may facilitate discussions and use curricula to
43 address, in an age-appropriate manner, how the individual
44 freedoms of persons have been infringed by slavery, racial
45 oppression, racial segregation, and racial discrimination, as
46 well as topics relating to the enactment and enforcement of laws
47 resulting in racial oppression, racial segregation, and racial
48 discrimination and how recognition of these freedoms has
49 overturned these unjust laws. However, classroom instruction and
50 curriculum may not be used to indoctrinate or persuade students
51 to a particular point of view inconsistent with the principles
52 enumerated in subsection (3) or the state academic standards.
53 The instruction required under this paragraph and state academic
54 standards may not indicate or imply that an enslaved person
55 benefited from slavery or the enslavement experience in any way.
56 Each school district must annually certify and provide evidence
57 to the department, in a manner prescribed by the department,
58 that the requirements of this paragraph are met. The department
59 shall prepare and offer standards and curriculum for the
60 instruction required by this paragraph and may seek input from
61 the Commissioner of Education’s African American History Task
62 Force or from any state or nationally recognized African
63 American educational organizations. The department may contract
64 with any state or nationally recognized African-American
65 educational organizations to develop training for instructional
66 personnel and grade-appropriate classroom resources to support
67 the developed curriculum.
68
69 The State Board of Education is encouraged to adopt standards
70 and pursue assessment of the requirements of this subsection.
71 Instructional programming that incorporates the values of the
72 recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor and that is
73 offered as part of a social studies, English Language Arts, or
74 other schoolwide character building and veteran awareness
75 initiative meets the requirements of paragraph (u).
76 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.

Statutes affected:
S 344 Filed: 1003.42