SB2512 Enrolled LRB095 19817 NHT 46206 b

1     AN ACT concerning education.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
5 27-13.3 as follows:
 
6     (105 ILCS 5/27-13.3)
7     Sec. 27-13.3. Internet safety education curriculum.
8     (a) The purpose of this Section is to inform and protect
9 students from inappropriate or illegal communications and
10 solicitation and to encourage school districts to provide
11 education about Internet threats and risks, including without
12 limitation child predators, fraud, and other dangers.
13     (b) The General Assembly finds and declares the following:
14         (1) it is the policy of this State to protect consumers
15     and Illinois residents from deceptive and unsafe
16     communications that result in harassment, exploitation, or
17     physical harm;
18         (2) children have easy access to the Internet at home,
19     school, and public places;
20         (3) the Internet is used by sexual predators and other
21     criminals to make initial contact with children and other
22     vulnerable residents in Illinois; and
23         (4) education is an effective method for preventing

 

 

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1     children from falling prey to online predators, identity
2     theft, and other dangers.
3     (c) Each school may adopt an age-appropriate curriculum for
4 Internet safety instruction of students in grades kindergarten
5 through 12. However, beginning with the 2009-2010 school year,
6 a school district must incorporate into the school curriculum a
7 component on Internet safety to be taught at least once each
8 school year to students in grade 3 or above. The school board
9 shall determine the scope and duration of this unit of
10 instruction. The age-appropriate unit of instruction may be
11 incorporated into the current courses of study regularly taught
12 in the district's schools, as determined by the school board,
13 and it is recommended that the unit of instruction include It
14 is hereby recommended that the curriculum provide for a minimum
15 of 2 hours of Internet safety education each school year that
16 includes instruction on each of the following topics:
17         (1) Safe and responsible use of social networking
18     websites, chat rooms, electronic mail, bulletin boards,
19     instant messaging, and other means of communication on the
20     Internet.
21         (2) Recognizing, avoiding, and reporting online
22     solicitations of students, their classmates, and their
23     friends by sexual predators.
24         (3) Risks of transmitting personal information on the
25     Internet.
26         (4) Recognizing and avoiding unsolicited or deceptive

 

 

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1     communications received online.
2         (5) Recognizing and reporting online harassment and
3     cyber-bullying.
4         (6) Reporting illegal activities and communications on
5     the Internet.
6         (7) Copyright laws on written materials, photographs,
7     music, and video.
8     (d) Curricula devised in accordance with subsection (c) of
9 this Section may be submitted for review to the Office of the
10 Illinois Attorney General.
11     (e) The State Board of Education shall make available
12 resource materials for educating children regarding child
13 online safety and may take into consideration the curriculum on
14 this subject developed by other states, as well as any other
15 curricular materials suggested by education experts, child
16 psychologists, or technology companies that work on child
17 online safety issues. Materials may include without limitation
18 safe online communications, privacy protection,
19 cyber-bullying, viewing inappropriate material, file sharing,
20 and the importance of open communication with responsible
21 adults. The State Board of Education shall make these resource
22 materials available on its Internet website.
23 (Source: P.A. 95-509, eff. 8-28-07.)