State of Illinois
Public Acts
92^nd General Assembly

Public Act 92-0763

HB1692 Enrolled                                LRB9202607NTsb

    AN ACT with regard to education.

    Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:

    Section  5.  The School Code is amended by adding Section
27-23.6 as follows:

    (105 ILCS 5/27-23.6 new)
    Sec. 27-23.6.  Anti-bias education.
    (a)  The  General  Assembly  finds  that   there   is   a
significant increase in violence in the schools and that much
of  that  violence is the result of intergroup tensions.  The
General Assembly further finds that anti-bias  education  and
intergroup  conflict  resolution  are  effective  methods for
preventing violence and lessening tensions in the schools and
that  these  methods  are  most  effective  when   they   are
respectful  of individuals and their divergent viewpoints and
religious beliefs, which are protected by the First Amendment
to the Constitution of the United States.
    (b)  Beginning with the  2002-2003  school  year,  public
elementary  and  secondary schools may incorporate activities
to  address  intergroup  conflict,  with  the  objectives  of
improving intergroup  relations  on  and  beyond  the  school
campus,  defusing intergroup tensions, and promoting peaceful
resolution of conflict. The activities must be respectful  of
individuals  and  their  divergent  viewpoints  and religious
beliefs, which are protected by the First  Amendment  to  the
Constitution  of  the  United  States.  Such  activities  may
include,  but  not  be  limited  to,  instruction and teacher
training programs.
    (c)  A school board that adopts a policy  to  incorporate
activities to address intergroup conflict as authorized under
subsection   (b)  of  this  Section  shall  make  information
available to the public that describes the  manner  in  which
the board has implemented the authority granted to it in this
Section.   The  means  for disseminating this information (i)
shall  include  posting  the  information   on   the   school
district's   Internet  web  site,  if  any,  and  making  the
information available, upon request, in district offices, and
(ii)  may  include  without  limitation   incorporating   the
information   in   a   student  handbook  and  including  the
information in a district newsletter.

    Section 99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect  upon
becoming law.
    Passed in the General Assembly May 22, 2002.
    Approved August 06, 2002.
    Effective August 06, 2002.