HF 336 (LSB 2393YH (2) 91)

HOUSE FILE 336

BY  ZABNER, MOHR, YOUNG, VONDRAN, JENEARY, KURTH, CROKEN, JONES, BAGNIEWSKI, BRADLEY, WICHTENDAHL, and GOSA

A BILL FOR

An Act providing for education on the holocaust for students and teachers in school districts.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  280.36  Education on the holocaust.
   1.  The general assembly finds all of the following:
   a.  Recent studies have shown there to be a severe lack of awareness in the state of Iowa regarding historical facts about the holocaust and antisemitism, and the causes and ramifications thereof.
   b.  Antisemitism remains a persistent, pervasive, and disturbing problem in contemporary American society.
   c.  In order to provide students with an understanding of the importance of the protection of human rights and the potential consequences of discrimination against and persecution of Jewish people, it is a matter of high priority that students in this state be educated concerning the holocaust.
   d.  Sources of free curricula and instructional materials for education on the holocaust include but are not limited to the United States holocaust memorial museum; yad vashem: the world holocaust remembrance center; the Illinois holocaust museum and education center; and echoes and reflections, a partnership of the anti-defamation league, yad vashem, and the university of southern California shoah foundation.
   2.  For purposes of this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
   a.  “Antisemitism” means the same as defined in section 216F.1.
   b.  “Holocaust” means the systematic, bureaucratic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of approximately six million Jews by the Nazi regime and its allies and collaborators.
   c.  “Nazi” means the abbreviation for the national socialist German workers’ party, a political party of the mass movement known as national socialism under which its leader, Adolf Hitler, came to power in 1933 and governed by totalitarian methods until 1945.
   d.  “Organization” means one or more of the following organizations:
   (1)  The United States holocaust memorial museum.
   (2)  Yad vashem: the world holocaust remembrance center.
   (3)  The Illinois holocaust museum and education center.
   (4)  Echoes and reflections, a partnership of the anti-defamation league, yad vashem, and the university of southern California shoah foundation.
   (5)  Any other entity approved for education on the holocaust by the department of education.
   3.  a.  No later than the school year beginning July 1, 2025, the board of directors of a school district shall incorporate age-appropriate and grade-appropriate instruction regarding the holocaust for students in middle and high school into the school district’s educational program. Such instruction shall be incorporated into existing required courses and include, at minimum, the following:
   (1)  The causes and ramifications of the holocaust.
   (2)  The breadth of the history of antisemitism and the holocaust, including the third reich dictatorship, concentration camp system, persecution of Jews and non-Jews, Jewish and non-Jewish resistance, and post-World War II trials.
   (3)  The impact of personal responsibility, civic engagement, and societal response in the context of the holocaust.
   (4)  The connection between national, ethnic, racial, or religious intolerance and the subjects described in subparagraphs (1) and (2).
   (5)  The leading role played by the United States and the United States armed forces, including African American soldiers, including but not limited to the Tuskegee airmen, as well as Native American and Asian American soldiers, in defeating the third reich and its allies and liberating Nazi concentration camps.
   (6)  The definition, history, and actions taken in the face of the holocaust.
   b.  School districts shall utilize appropriate public or private materials, personnel, and other resources in developing and implementing education on the holocaust in accordance with this section.
   4.  No later than the school year beginning July 1, 2025, the board of directors of a school district shall incorporate education on the holocaust for teachers into the district professional development plan developed pursuant to section 284.6 for teachers who provide instruction in courses into which student instruction in accordance with subsection 3 is incorporated. Such training shall cover the topics required by subsection 3. School districts shall utilize appropriate programs provided by an organization for such training. Education on the holocaust provided to teachers in accordance with this section shall be credited toward a teacher’s individual professional development plan under section 284.6.
   5.  Annually by October 1, the department of education shall submit a report to the governor and the general assembly addressing the number of school districts offering education on the holocaust to students and teachers in accordance with this section. The department shall publish the report on the department’s internet site.
   6.  This section shall not be construed to diminish or infringe upon any right protected under the Constitution of the State of Iowa or the first amendment to the Constitution of the United States. This section shall not be construed to conflict with any local, state, or federal law relating to discrimination.
    Sec. 2.  STATE MANDATE FUNDING SPECIFIED.  In accordance with section 25B.2, subsection 3, the state cost of requiring compliance with any state mandate included in this Act shall be paid by a school district from state school foundation aid received by the school district under section 257.16. This specification of the payment of the state cost shall be deemed to meet all of the state funding-related requirements of section 25B.2, subsection 3, and no additional state funding shall be necessary for the full implementation of this Act by and enforcement of this Act against all affected school districts.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill requires each school board to incorporate age-appropriate and grade-appropriate instruction regarding the holocaust for students in middle and high school into the school district’s educational program. Such instruction shall be incorporated into existing required courses. The bill specifies the content of such instruction. School districts shall utilize appropriate public or private materials, personnel, and other resources in developing and implementing education on the holocaust.
   The bill requires each school board to incorporate education on the holocaust for teachers into the school district professional development plan for teachers who provide instruction in courses into which student instruction in accordance with the bill is incorporated. Such training shall cover the topics specified by the bill. School districts shall utilize appropriate programs provided by an organization, as specified in the bill, for such training. Education on the holocaust provided to teachers shall be credited toward a teacher’s individual professional development plan.
   A school board shall carry out the requirements for education on the holocaust for students and teachers no later than the school year beginning July 1, 2025.
   The bill requires the department of education to submit an annual report to the governor and the general assembly addressing the number of school districts offering education on the holocaust to students and teachers in accordance with the bill.
   The bill shall not be construed to diminish or infringe upon any right protected under the Constitution of the State of Iowa or the first amendment to the Constitution of the United States. The bill shall not be construed to conflict with any local, state, or federal law relating to discrimination.
   The bill may include a state mandate as defined in Code section 25B.3. The bill requires that the state cost of any state mandate included in the bill be paid by a school district from state school foundation aid received by the school district under Code section 257.16. The specification is deemed to constitute state compliance with any state mandate funding-related requirements of Code section 25B.2. The inclusion of this specification is intended to reinstate the requirement of political subdivisions to comply with any state mandates included in the bill.