2011 -- H 5732 SUBSTITUTE A

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LC01938/SUB A

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2011

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A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION

     Introduced By: Representatives Williams, E Coderre, Serpa, Ajello, and Handy

     Date Introduced: March 03, 2011

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended

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by adding thereto the following chapter:

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     CHAPTER 93

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GENOCIDE EDUCATION IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

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     16-93-1. Legislative findings. -- The general assembly hereby finds and declares that:

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     (1) On November 4, 1988 the United States government ratified the International

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Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide ("Genocide

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Convention") which was approved by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948. Upon

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ratification, the United States government recognized that throughout all periods of history,

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genocide has inflicted great losses on humanity, and was convinced that, in order to liberate

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mankind from such an odious scourge, international co-operation was required.

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     (2) The United States government recognizes that genocide still continues, today, in the

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twenty-first (21st) century. The United States Congress passed House Con. Resolution 467,

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"Declaring genocide in Darfur, Sudan" on July 22, 2004. On September 9, 2004, the United

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States Secretary of State Colin L. Powell told the United States Senate Foreign Relations

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Committee that "genocide has occurred and may still be occurring in Darfur. Additionally,

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President George W. Bush affirmed the Secretary of State's finding on September 21, 2004, when

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he addressed the United Nations General Assembly by saying: "At this hour, the world is

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witnessing terrible suffering and horrible crimes in the Darfur region of Sudan, crimes my

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government has concluded are genocide."

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     (3) The United States Department of Education says "education is primarily a State and

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local responsibility in the United States. It is States and communities, as well as public and

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private organizations of all kinds that establish schools and college and develop curricula…"

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     (4) The State of Rhode Island also has previously demonstrated its concerns and interests

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regarding raising awareness on subject of genocide.

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     (i) In 2000, the Rhode Island general assembly passed house bill no. 7397 "genocide and

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human rights education," requiring the Rhode Island department of education to "develop

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curricular material on genocide and human rights issues and guidelines for the teaching of that

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material."

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     (ii) In 2007, the Rhode Island general assembly passed house bill No. 5142, requiring the

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state investment commission to divest its assets from targeted companies in Sudan.

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     (5) The establishment of free public education in the United States is intended to prepare

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citizens for participation in American social, economic, and political activities.

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     (6) The State of Rhode Island has also previously demonstrated its concerns for civic

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education, of which genocide education should be a component. In 2005, the general assembly

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directed the board of regents for elementary and secondary education to develop and adopt a set

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of grade level standards in civic education by August 31, 2007.

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     (7) Given the importance of the issue of genocide to the political affairs of the United

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States, as well as the responsibility of the state to educate its citizens, it is a fundamental

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responsibility of the State of Rhode Island to ensure that the critical subject of genocide is

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included as part of the curriculum in all public schools.

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     (8) It is the judgment of the Rhode Island general assembly to encourage that every board

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of education in the state shall include instruction on the subject of genocide in an appropriate

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place in the curriculum, for all middle and high school students.

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     16-93-2. Definitions. -- For the purpose of this chapter, the following words shall have

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the following meanings:

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     (1) "Genocide," as defined by the Genocide Convention: "means" any of the following

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acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious

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group, such as: (i) Killing members of the group; (ii) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to

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members of the group; (iii) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to

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bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; (iv) Imposing measures intended to

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prevent births within the group and/or; (v) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another

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group.

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     16-93-3. Powers and duties. -- The state shall adhere to the following procedures:

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     (1) The department of education shall make available on its website curriculum materials

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and such other materials as may assist local and regional school committees in developing

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instructional programs pursuant to this section. The curriculum materials may include information

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on relevant genocides, including the Holocaust, Armenia, Cambodia, Iraq, Rwanda, and Darfur.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION

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     This act would require to the department of education to make available on its website

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curriculum materials to assist local and regional school committees in developing instructional

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programs related to genocides.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC01938/SUB A

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