BILL NUMBER: AB 78         CHAPTERED

              FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  JULY 10, 2003

              APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  JULY 10, 2003

              PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  JUNE 30, 2003

              PASSED THE SENATE  JUNE 26, 2003

              AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 17, 2003

              AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 17, 2003

              AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 10, 2003

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Reye  (Coauthors:  Assembly Members Correa, Maddox, and Samuelian)

DECEMBER 23, 2002

An act to add Section 51221.4 to the Education Code, relating to curriculum.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

   AB 78, Reyes.  Education:  curriculum.

Under existing law, the adopted course of study for grades 7 to 12, inclusive, is required to include instruction in the social sciences, as prescribed.

This bill would express the encouragement of the Legislature for that instruction to contain instruction on the Vietnam war, including the "Secret War" in Laos, and the role of Southeast Asians in that war.  The bill would additionally express the encouragement of the Legislature that the instruction include a component drawn from personal testimony of Southeast Asians who were involved in the Vietnam war and those who contributed to the war effort on the homefront.

The bill would specify that this instruction shall be carried out in a manner that does not result in any new duties or programs being imposed on school districts.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1.  Section 51221.4 is added to the Education Code, to read:

51221.4. 

(a) The Legislature encourages instruction in the area of social sciences, as required pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 51220, which may include instruction on the Vietnam war including the "Secret War" in Laos and the role of Southeast Asians in that war.  The Legislature encourages that this instruction include, but not be limited to, a component drawn from personal testimony, especially in the form of oral or video history of Southeast Asians who were involved in the Vietnam war and those men and women who contributed to the war effort on the homefront.  The oral histories used as a part of the instruction regarding the role of Southeast Asians in the Vietnam war and the "Secret War" in Laos shall exemplify the personal sacrifice and courage of the wide range of ordinary citizens who were called upon to participate and provide intelligence for the United States.  The oral histories shall contain the views and comments of their subjects regarding the reasons for their participation in the war.  These oral histories shall also solicit comments from their subjects regarding the aftermath of the war and the immigration of Southeast Asians to the United States.

(b) This section shall be carried out in a manner that does not result in any new duties or programs being imposed on the school district. In that regard, the Legislature finds and declares that this section does not mandate costs to local agencies or school districts and materials used to comply with this section shall be

part of normal curriculum materials purchased by school districts intheir normal course of business and purchasing cycles.