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SUBSTITUTE
HOUSE BILL 2418
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Passed
Legislature - 2000 Regular Session
AS
AMENDED BY THE SENATE
State of Washington 56th
Legislature 2000 Regular Session
By
Read first time 01/27/2000.
Referred to Committee on .
Establishing
a World War II oral history project.
AN
ACT Relating to a World War II oral history project; adding a new section to
chapter 28A.300 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 more than two hundred fifty thousand of Washington's
citizens served their country in the armed forces of the United States during
World War II. The legislature also finds that almost six thousand of those
citizens sacrificed their lives to secure our nation's and the world's peace
and freedom. The legislature finds that the hardships and sacrifices endured
by the families and communities of these service men and women were critical to
the eventual success of our nation's defense. The legislature also finds the
memories of these stalwart patriots must be preserved to remind future
generations of the price the members of the greatest generation paid to
preserve our democratic way of life. The legislature further finds that to
have a clearer reflection of these sacrifices on behalf of freedom and
democracy, it is necessary to include the memories of all women and men of our
armed forces, their family members, and others involved in the war effort so
that these memories mirror our nation's rich ethnic diversity. In addition,
the legislature recognizes the existence and contributions of the World War II
memorial educational foundation. Members of the foundation include World War
II veterans, and advisors from the office of veterans affairs, the
superintendent of public instruction, and the secretary of state. The
legislature intends to honor the veterans who served in World War II and their
supportive families by preserving their memories so Washington's school
children will never forget the significant human costs of war and the efforts
of their ancestors to preserve and protect our country and the world from
tyranny. The legislature further intends that members of the World War II
memorial educational foundation have a strong advisory role in the preservation
of those memories and the creation of instructional materials on the war.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 2. A
new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:
(1)
The World War II oral history project is established for the purpose of
providing oral history presentations, documentation, and other materials to
assist the office of the superintendent of public instruction and educators in
the development of a curriculum for use in kindergarten through twelfth grade.
(2)
To the extent funds are appropriated or donated, the project shall be
administered by the office of the superintendent of public instruction. The
office shall convene an advisory committee to assist in the design and
implementation of the project. The committee shall be composed of members of
the World War II memorial educational foundation, the department of veterans
affairs, the secretary of state's office, and legislators involved with and
interested in the development of the oral history project. The committee may
select its own chair and may expand its membership to include the services of
other individuals, agencies, or organizations on the basis of need. The office
shall provide staffing and administrative support to the advisory committee.
(3)
The project will preserve for the education of Washington's school children the
memories and history of our state's citizens who served their state and country
as members of the armed forces or through national or community contributions
during World War II. The project is intended to preserve these memories and
history through audiotapes, videotapes, films, stories, printed transcripts,
digitally, and through other appropriate methods.
(4)
As part of the project, the office of the superintendent of public instruction
shall identify the requirements regarding instructional guides to help
educators use the preserved material in age and grade appropriate ways.
(5)
In its administration of the project, the office may carry out its
responsibilities through contracts with filming and taping specialists,
mini-grants to schools, contracts with the World War II memorial educational
foundation, and through other means recommended by the foundation.
(6) By December 1, 2000, and every second year thereafter in which
the project has received funding, the office shall report on the results of the
project to the governor and the house of representatives and senate committees
on education. The December 2000 report shall include, but need not be limited
to, identification of the project's implementation strategies and resource
requirements, and any curriculum standards developed through the project.
