101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB5851

 

Introduced 11/10/2020, by Rep. La Shawn K. Ford

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
See Index

    Creates the Inclusive American History Act. Establishes the Inclusive American History Commission to (i) address the deficiencies and inadequacies in both perspective and content in traditional history course material and instruction and (ii) develop multiperspective, inclusive, and comprehensive standards that a school may use as a guide in replacing or developing its curricula for history education. Sets forth the membership of the Commission. Contains provisions concerning meetings, duties, and reporting. Repeals these provisions on December 31, 2022. Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. Beginning with the 2021-2022 school year, requires schools to suspend all instruction in history education, with exceptions. Not later than June 30, 2022, requires the State Superintendent of Education to provide to schools instructional guidelines and standards based on the recommendations of the Commission so that schools may develop alternative curricula to replace traditional course material and instruction to ensure that students obtain a multiperspective, inclusive, and comprehensive understanding about history. Provides that beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, schools shall resume instruction in history, which shall require the use of age-appropriate discussion, textbooks, and other course material that reframe the study of history by presenting to students an examination of history through the inclusion of diverse perspectives, contrary interpretations, and the viewpoints of various groups of people whose voices have traditionally been excluded from the conventional teaching of history. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Inclusive American History Act.
 
6    Section 5. Statement of findings; Inclusive American
7History Commission creation and purpose.
8    (a) In an effort to create a well-informed, tolerant, and
9equitable society, students in grades kindergarten through 12
10in this State should receive an unbiased, objective, and
11thorough education in history. Traditional course material and
12instruction have failed to provide to students a comprehensive
13education in history because the historical narrative has
14always been presented and interpreted from the perspective of
15one rather than from the perspective of many. To the detriment
16of our society, this limited narrative in history instruction
17and course material rarely teaches our students about the
18contributions made by or the marginalization of women, Black
19people, indigenous people, Latinx people, and people of color,
20faith-based minorities, ethnic minorities, immigrants, members
21of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community,
22persons with disabilities, and many others. Traditional
23teaching materials so often fail to provide for any study about

 

 

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1slavery, racism, and civil rights that teachers must often
2purchase their own supplementary materials in order to teach
3their students about these subjects. The objective in the
4reframing of history education in this State is not to exclude,
5prohibit, or deny the narrative, perspective, or
6accomplishments of any cultural group or people, but rather to
7recognize and include the narrative, perspective, and
8accomplishments of all. The reframing of history education must
9present to students a fair and accurate historical narrative
10that acknowledges both the triumphs and the failures of a
11society. Therefore, the teaching of history to students in this
12State must be reformed and reframed in order to provide our
13students with a multiperspective, inclusive, and comprehensive
14understanding of history. Rather than requiring each school to
15be responsible for the research, study, and investigation
16necessary to develop alternative or revised instructional
17standards for the teaching of history, instructional
18guidelines and standards should be provided to schools
19statewide so that each school may develop the alternative
20curricula it needs to replace traditional course material and
21instruction.
22    (b) The Inclusive American History Commission is created to
23(i) address the deficiencies and inadequacies in both
24perspective and content in traditional course material and
25instruction and (ii) develop multiperspective, inclusive, and
26comprehensive standards that a school may use as a guide in

 

 

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1replacing or developing its curricula for history education.
 
2    Section 10. Membership. The Governor shall appoint all of
3the following members to the Commission:
4        (1) Two members who are history scholars.
5        (2) Two members who represent publishers of history
6    textbooks.
7        (3) Two full-time teachers of a public elementary
8    school in this State.
9        (4) Two full-time teachers who teach history courses at
10    a public secondary school in this State.
11        (5) Two full-time faculty members who teach history
12    courses at a public institution of higher education in this
13    State.
14        (6) Two students who are enrolled in a public secondary
15    school in this State.
16        (7) Four parents who have children enrolled in a public
17    elementary or secondary school in this State.
18        (8) Additional persons who are members of
19    not–for–profit organizations that represent women, Black
20    people, indigenous people, Latinx people, and people of
21    color, ethnic minorities, faith-based minorities,
22    immigrants, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
23    community, and persons with disabilities.
24        (9) One member representing regional offices of
25    education, recommended by a statewide organization that

 

 

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1    represents regional superintendents of schools.
2        (10) One member representing school boards,
3    recommended by a statewide organization that represents
4    school boards.
5        (11) One member representing school principals,
6    recommended by a statewide organization that represents
7    school principals.
8        (12) One member representing school administrators,
9    recommended by a statewide organization that represents
10    school administrators.
11        (13) One member representing teachers, recommended by
12    a statewide organization that represents teachers.
13        (14) One member representing teachers, recommended by
14    a different statewide organization that represents
15    teachers.
16        (15) One member representing teachers, recommended by
17    an organization representing teachers of a school
18    district.
19        (16) One member representing a school district
20    organized under Article 34 of the School Code.
21        (17) One member representing large unit school
22    districts.
23        (18) One member representing suburban Chicago school
24    districts.
25        (19) One member representing south suburban Chicago
26    school districts.

 

 

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1        (20) Two members representing school districts located
2    in the central region of this State.
3        (21) Two members representing school districts located
4    in the southern region of this State.
5    Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the
6original appointments.
 
7    Section 15. Meetings; chairperson; support; expenses.
8    (a) The Commission shall meet initially at the call of the
9Governor within 30 days after the effective date of this Act,
10shall select one member as chairperson at its initial meeting,
11and shall thereafter meet at least monthly or more often as the
12chairperson of the Commission deems necessary at the times and
13places in this State that the chairperson designates.
14    (b) The State Board of Education shall provide
15administrative and other support to the Commission.
16    (c) Members of the Commission shall serve without
17compensation but shall be reimbursed for their reasonable and
18necessary expenses from funds appropriated to the State Board
19of Education for that purpose, including travel, subject to the
20rules of the appropriate travel control board.
 
21    Section 20. Duties. The duties of the Commission shall
22include, but are not limited to, all of the following:
23        (1) To evaluate history textbooks and other course
24    material for breadth and accuracy of content.

 

 

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1        (2) To research, study, and determine the content and
2    material to present to students in the teaching of history.
3        (3) To propose revisions to course standards and
4    instructional guidelines so that students may receive a
5    multiperspective, inclusive, and comprehensive instruction
6    in history.
7        (4) To provide opportunities for the public,
8    educators, students, parents, and other interested parties
9    to comment on proposed changes in history course standards
10    and instruction.
11        (5) To develop guidelines for age-appropriate
12    instructional standards, textbooks, and other course
13    material an elementary or secondary school may use in
14    replacing or developing its curricula for history
15    education.
 
16    Section 25. Reporting.
17    (a) The Commission shall file a report on its findings,
18research, proposals, and guidelines with the Governor, the
19General Assembly, and the State Board of Education on or before
20December 31, 2021. Upon filing its report, the Commission is
21dissolved.
22    (b) The State Board of Education shall make available to
23the State Superintendent of Education the report filed by the
24Commission under subsection (a). The State Superintendent
25shall incorporate the recommendations made by the Commission

 

 

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1into the instructional guidelines and standards provided to
2schools for the development of alternative curricula under
3Section 27-23.15 of the School Code.
 
4    Section 50. Repealer. This Act is repealed on December 31,
52022.
 
6    Section 90. The School Code is amended by changing Sections
727-3.5, 27-20.4, 27-20.5, 27-21, and 27-22 and by adding
8Section 27-23.15 as follows:
 
9    (105 ILCS 5/27-3.5)
10    Sec. 27-3.5. Congressional Medal of Honor film. Subject to
11Section 27-23.15, each Each school district shall require that
12all students in grade 7 and all high school students enrolled
13in a course concerning history of the United States or a
14combination of history of the United States and American
15government view a Congressional Medal of Honor film made by the
16Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. This requirement does
17not apply if the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation
18charges the school district a fee for a film.
19(Source: P.A. 96-99, eff. 7-27-09.)
 
20    (105 ILCS 5/27-20.4)  (from Ch. 122, par. 27-20.4)
21    Sec. 27-20.4. Black History study. Subject to Section
2227-23.15, every Every public elementary school and high school

 

 

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1shall include in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying
2the events of Black History, including the history of the
3African slave trade, slavery in America, and the vestiges of
4slavery in this country. These events shall include not only
5the contributions made by individual African-Americans in
6government and in the arts, humanities and sciences to the
7economic, cultural and political development of the United
8States and Africa, but also the socio-economic struggle which
9African-Americans experienced collectively in striving to
10achieve fair and equal treatment under the laws of this nation.
11The studying of this material shall constitute an affirmation
12by students of their commitment to respect the dignity of all
13races and peoples and to forever eschew every form of
14discrimination in their lives and careers.
15    Subject to Section 27-23.15, the The State Superintendent
16of Education may prepare and make available to all school
17boards instructional materials, including those established by
18the Amistad Commission, which may be used as guidelines for
19development of a unit of instruction under this Section;
20provided, however, that each school board shall itself
21determine the minimum amount of instruction time which shall
22qualify as a unit of instruction satisfying the requirements of
23this Section.
24    A school may meet the requirements of this Section through
25an online program or course.
26(Source: P.A. 100-634, eff. 1-1-19.)
 

 

 

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1    (105 ILCS 5/27-20.5)  (from Ch. 122, par. 27-20.5)
2    Sec. 27-20.5. Study of the History of Women. Every public
3elementary school and high school shall include in its
4curriculum a unit of instruction studying the events of the
5history of women in America, subject to Section 27-23.15. These
6events shall include not only the contributions made by
7individual women in government, the arts, sciences, education,
8and in the economic, cultural, and political development of
9Illinois and of the United States, but shall also include a
10study of women's struggles to gain the right to vote and to be
11treated equally as they strive to earn and occupy positions of
12merit in our society.
13    Subject to Section 27-23.15, the The State Superintendent
14of Education may prepare and make available to all school
15boards instructional materials that may be used as guidelines
16for development of a unit of instruction under this Section.
17Each school board shall determine the minimum amount of
18instructional time that shall qualify as a unit of instruction
19satisfying the requirements of this Section.
20(Source: P.A. 86-1256.)
 
21    (105 ILCS 5/27-21)  (from Ch. 122, par. 27-21)
22    Sec. 27-21. History of United States. History of the United
23States shall be taught in all public schools and in all other
24educational institutions in this State supported or

 

 

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1maintained, in whole or in part, by public funds, subject to
2Section 27-23.15. The teaching of history shall have as one of
3its objectives the imparting to pupils of a comprehensive idea
4of our democratic form of government and the principles for
5which our government stands as regards other nations, including
6the studying of the place of our government in world-wide
7movements and the leaders thereof, with particular stress upon
8the basic principles and ideals of our representative form of
9government. The teaching of history shall include a study of
10the role and contributions of African Americans and other
11ethnic groups, including, but not restricted to, Polish,
12Lithuanian, German, Hungarian, Irish, Bohemian, Russian,
13Albanian, Italian, Czech, Slovak, French, Scots, Hispanics,
14Asian Americans, etc., in the history of this country and this
15State. To reinforce the study of the role and contributions of
16Hispanics, such curriculum shall include the study of the
17events related to the forceful removal and illegal deportation
18of Mexican-American U.S. citizens during the Great Depression.
19In public schools only, the teaching of history shall include a
20study of the roles and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual,
21and transgender people in the history of this country and this
22State. The teaching of history also shall include a study of
23the role of labor unions and their interaction with government
24in achieving the goals of a mixed free enterprise system.
25Beginning with the 2020-2021 school year, the teaching of
26history must also include instruction on the history of

 

 

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1Illinois, subject to Section 27-23.15. Subject to Section
227-23.15, no No pupils shall be graduated from the eighth grade
3of any public school unless he or she has received such
4instruction in the history of the United States and gives
5evidence of having a comprehensive knowledge thereof, which may
6be administered remotely.
7(Source: P.A. 101-227, eff. 7-1-20; 101-341, eff. 1-1-20;
8101-643, eff. 6-18-20.)
 
9    (105 ILCS 5/27-22)  (from Ch. 122, par. 27-22)
10    Sec. 27-22. Required high school courses.
11    (a) (Blank).
12    (b) (Blank).
13    (c) (Blank).
14    (d) (Blank).
15    (e) As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma,
16each pupil entering the 9th grade must, in addition to other
17course requirements, successfully complete all of the
18following courses:
19        (1) Four years of language arts.
20        (2) Two years of writing intensive courses, one of
21    which must be English and the other of which may be English
22    or any other subject. When applicable, writing-intensive
23    courses may be counted towards the fulfillment of other
24    graduation requirements.
25        (3) Three years of mathematics, one of which must be

 

 

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1    Algebra I, one of which must include geometry content, and
2    one of which may be an Advanced Placement computer science
3    course. A mathematics course that includes geometry
4    content may be offered as an integrated, applied,
5    interdisciplinary, or career and technical education
6    course that prepares a student for a career readiness path.
7        (4) Two years of science.
8        (5) Two years of social studies, of which at least one
9    year must be history of the United States or a combination
10    of history of the United States and American government,
11    subject to Section 27-23.15, and, beginning with pupils
12    entering the 9th grade in the 2016-2017 school year and
13    each school year thereafter, at least one semester must be
14    civics, which shall help young people acquire and learn to
15    use the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that will prepare
16    them to be competent and responsible citizens throughout
17    their lives. Civics course content shall focus on
18    government institutions, the discussion of current and
19    controversial issues, service learning, and simulations of
20    the democratic process. School districts may utilize
21    private funding available for the purposes of offering
22    civics education.
23        (6) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C)
24    foreign language, which shall be deemed to include American
25    Sign Language, or (D) vocational education.
26    (f) The State Board of Education shall develop and inform

 

 

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1school districts of standards for writing-intensive
2coursework.
3    (f-5) If a school district offers an Advanced Placement
4computer science course to high school students, then the
5school board must designate that course as equivalent to a high
6school mathematics course and must denote on the student's
7transcript that the Advanced Placement computer science course
8qualifies as a mathematics-based, quantitative course for
9students in accordance with subdivision (3) of subsection (e)
10of this Section.
11    (g) This amendatory Act of 1983 does not apply to pupils
12entering the 9th grade in 1983-1984 school year and prior
13school years or to students with disabilities whose course of
14study is determined by an individualized education program.
15    This amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly does not
16apply to pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2004-2005 school
17year or a prior school year or to students with disabilities
18whose course of study is determined by an individualized
19education program.
20    (h) The provisions of this Section are subject to the
21provisions of Section 27-22.05 of this Code and the
22Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act.
23    (i) The State Board of Education may adopt rules to modify
24the requirements of this Section for any students enrolled in
25grades 9 through 12 if the Governor has declared a disaster due
26to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the

 

 

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1Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act.
2(Source: P.A. 100-443, eff. 8-25-17; 101-464, eff. 1-1-20;
3101-643, eff. 6-18-20.)
 
4    (105 ILCS 5/27-23.15 new)
5    Sec. 27-23.15. Instruction in history. Notwithstanding any
6other provision of this Article to the contrary, beginning with
7the 2021-2022 school year, schools must suspend all instruction
8in history education. This suspension does not apply to
9instruction during the 2021-2022 school year to students
10entering their final year of elementary or secondary school
11during the 2021-2022 school year who must receive history
12instruction in order to satisfy graduation, college admission,
13scholarship, or other academic requirements or to instruction
14under Section 27-3 or 27-3.10. Notwithstanding Section 27-21,
15instruction in civics education shall be taught in place of
16instruction in the history of the United States during the
172021-2022 school year. Not later than June 30, 2021, the State
18Superintendent of Education must prepare and make available to
19schools instructional guidelines for these courses in civics
20education. Not later than June 30, 2022, the State
21Superintendent of Education must provide to schools
22instructional guidelines and standards based on the
23recommendations of the Inclusive American History Commission
24that are contained in the report filed under Section 25 of the
25Inclusive American History Act so that schools may develop

 

 

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1alternative curricula to replace traditional course material
2and instruction to ensure that students obtain a
3multiperspective, inclusive, and comprehensive understanding
4about history. Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year,
5schools shall resume instruction in history under this Section,
6which shall require the use of age-appropriate discussion,
7textbooks, and other course material that reframe the study of
8history by presenting to students an examination of history
9through the inclusion of diverse perspectives, contrary
10interpretations, and the viewpoints of various groups of
11people, such as women, Black people, indigenous people, Latinx
12people, and people of color, ethnic minorities, faith-based
13minorities, immigrants, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual,
14and transgender community, persons with disabilities, and the
15poor and working class, whose voices have traditionally been
16excluded from the conventional teaching of history.
 
17    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
18becoming law.

 

 

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1 INDEX
2 Statutes amended in order of appearance
3    New Act
4    105 ILCS 5/27-3.5
5    105 ILCS 5/27-20.4from Ch. 122, par. 27-20.4
6    105 ILCS 5/27-20.5from Ch. 122, par. 27-20.5
7    105 ILCS 5/27-21from Ch. 122, par. 27-21
8    105 ILCS 5/27-22from Ch. 122, par. 27-22
9    105 ILCS 5/27-23.15 new