Bill Text: HI SB2790 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Schools; Potentially Harmful Situations
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2010-03-10 - (H) The committee(s) recommends that the measure be deferred. [SB2790 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2010-SB2790-Introduced.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
2790 |
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TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2010 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to education.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the board of education has adopted a controversial issues policy, policy number 2210, which provides some guidance to teachers on the discussion of controversial issues at school. The legislature also finds that department of education regulation 2210.1 requires instructional staff or administration to notify parents and legal guardians of controversial issues that will be discussed in the classroom or through other school activities. However, the legislature finds that neither the controversial issues policy nor the department of education regulation sufficiently addresses the need for parents and guardians of students to be notified of potentially controversial topics to be discussed in school and procedures or penalties in the event that a controversial issue is discussed in school without prior notification.
The purpose of this Act is to require instructional staff and school administrators to notify parents and guardians of students of potentially controversial issues to be discussed in school and to require the board of education to set procedures and penalties if a controversial issue is discussed in school without the required notification.
SECTION 2. Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§302A‑ Potentially controversial issues; procedures, notification, penalties. (a) Instructional staff shall be responsible for ensuring that potentially controversial issues to be discussed in the classroom or through a school activity are:
(1) Consistent with the aims of the instructional program;
(2) Appropriate for the maturity level of the students scheduled to engage in discussions of the issues; and
(3) Necessary to meet department of education standards.
Instructional staff shall ensure that any materials or information relating to the potentially controversial issue are reviewed for accuracy and appropriateness prior to being distributed or presented.
(b) If a potentially controversial issue is scheduled to be discussed in the classroom or through another school activity, an instructional staff member or school administrator shall:
(1) Notify parents and legal guardians in writing of the potentially controversial issue to be discussed days prior to the date on which the potentially controversial issue is scheduled to be discussed;
(2) Notify parents and legal guardians in writing of the class for which the potentially controversial issue is to be discussed and the date of that class; and
(3) Provide a means through which and deadline by which parents and legal guardians may contact instructional staff or school administrators to exclude their child from the specific lesson or activity during which the potentially controversial issue is to be discussed; provided that if a student is excluded from the specific lesson or activity, the instructional staff member or school administrators shall provide the student with an alternative learning activity.
(c) School principals shall be responsible for informing all instructional staff of the appropriate procedures for handling potentially controversial issues pursuant to this section and relevant board policies and department regulations.
(d) The board shall establish penalties, including but not limited to sanctions affecting licensure and mandated leaves of absence, if the responsible instructional staff member or school administrator does not notify parents or legal guardians in accordance with subsection (a).
The board shall also establish a procedure and timeline for school administrators to notify parents and legal guardians when the notification requirements under subsection (a) have not been met and a potentially controversial issue has been discussed in the classroom or through another school activity.
(e) For purposes of this section, "potentially controversial issue" means a topic that can be reasonably expected to generate opposing points of view or considerable discomfort or agitation."
SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
DOE; Potentially Controversial Issues; Procedures; Notification
Description:
Requires timely notification of parents and guardians and procedures for when potentially controversial issues are to be discussed in school.
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
