Existing law requires the Council to Establish Academic Standards for Public Schools to establish standards of content and performance for certain courses of study, including: (1) English language arts; (2) science; (3) social studies, which includes only the subjects of history, geography, economics, civics, financial literacy and multicultural education; (4) the arts; and (5) health. Section 1 of this bill requires the standards for history to require factual instruction in: (1) genocides and other atrocities experienced by people from various racial and ethnic backgrounds; and (2) the history of different ethnicities and cultures. Section 1 requires the standards for English language arts and the arts to require instruction on literary works or artistic works, as applicable, created by men and women from various racial and ethnic backgrounds. Section 1 additionally requires all instruction in science and health to be evidence-based. Section 2 of this bill makes it a crime, punishable as a category E felony, for the board of trustees of a school district or the governing body of a charter school to suspend or terminate the employment of an administrator, teacher or other staff member based on certain characteristics or activities of the employee, including, without limitation, his or her political affiliation or independent political participation. Section 2 further makes it a crime, punishable as a category E felony, for any person to use or threaten or attempt to use any force, intimidation, coercion, violence, restraint or undue influence with the intent to harm or harass an administrator, teacher or other staff member: (1) based on such characteristics or activities of the employee; or (2) because the employee provides instruction required by law.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 389.520
BDR: 389.520