| Passed by the Senate February 23, 2011 YEAS 47 BRAD OWEN ________________________________________ President of the Senate Passed by the House April 4, 2011 YEAS 72 FRANK CHOPP ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives | I, Thomas Hoemann, Secretary of the Senate of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SENATE BILL 5174 as passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the dates hereon set forth. THOMAS HOEMANN ________________________________________ Secretary | |
| Approved April 13, 2011, 2:06 p.m. CHRISTINE GREGOIRE ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington | April 13, 2011 Secretary of State State of Washington |
| State of Washington | 62nd Legislature | 2011 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/17/11. Referred to Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education.
AN ACT Relating to encouraging instruction in the history of civil rights; adding a new section to chapter 28A.230 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature finds that:
(1) The civil rights movement did not begin or end with the
dramatic events of the 1950s and 1960s. Since our nation's founding,
ordinary citizens have struggled to fulfill America's promise of
equality under the law.
(2) Heroes of the civil rights movement include those who are well
known such as Thurgood Marshall, Rosa Parks, Cesar Chavez, and Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. But the list of heroes also includes those who
are perhaps less well known, but each of whom gave something of
themselves on behalf of their fellow citizens and in defense of
equality and justice.
(3) The significant milestones and fundamental principles of civil
rights should be a part of every student's understanding of our
nation's history. School districts should not only try to incorporate
the history of civil rights into their regular curriculum at all grade
levels, but should also take the opportunity to make this history come
alive through the personalities and convictions of civil rights heroes.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 A new section is added to chapter 28A.230
RCW to read as follows:
School districts are encouraged to prepare and conduct a program at
least once a year to commemorate the history of civil rights in our
nation, including providing an opportunity for students to learn about
the personalities and convictions of heroes of the civil rights
movement and the importance of the fundamental principle and promise of
equality under our nation's Constitution.