093_HB0201

 
                                     LRB093 04206 NHT 04251 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
 5    Section 27-21 as follows:

 6        (105 ILCS 5/27-21) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-21)
 7        Sec. 27-21.  History of United States.
 8        (a)  History of the United States shall be taught in  all
 9    public  schools  and in all other educational institutions in
10    this State supported or maintained, in whole or in  part,  by
11    public  funds.  The  teaching of history shall have as one of
12    its objectives the imparting to  pupils  of  a  comprehensive
13    idea  of our democratic form of government and the principles
14    for which our government stands  as  regards  other  nations,
15    including  the  studying  of  the  place of our government in
16    world-wide movements and the leaders thereof, with particular
17    stress  upon  the  basic  principles  and   ideals   of   our
18    representative  form  of  government. The teaching of history
19    shall include a  study  of  the  role  and  contributions  of
20    African  Americans  and other ethnic groups including but not
21    restricted to Polish, Lithuanian, German,  Hungarian,  Irish,
22    Bohemian,  Russian, Albanian, Italian, Czech, Slovak, French,
23    Scots, Hispanics, etc., in the history of  this  country  and
24    this  State.  The  teaching  of  history also shall include a
25    study of the role of labor unions and their interaction  with
26    government  in achieving the goals of a mixed free enterprise
27    system.  No pupils shall be graduated from the  eighth  grade
28    of  any public school unless he has received such instruction
29    in the history of the United States  and  gives  evidence  of
30    having a comprehensive knowledge thereof.
31        (b)  The  History of the United States course required as
 
                            -2-      LRB093 04206 NHT 04251 b
 1    a prerequisite to  receiving  a  high  school  diploma  under
 2    Section 27-22 of this Code must include a unit of instruction
 3    on civics.
 4    (Source: P.A. 92-27, eff. 7-1-01.)

 5        Section  90.  The State Mandates Act is amended by adding
 6    Section 8.27 as follows:

 7        (30 ILCS 805/8.27 new)
 8        Sec. 8.27. Exempt mandate.   Notwithstanding  Sections  6
 9    and  8 of this Act, no reimbursement by the State is required
10    for  the  implementation  of  any  mandate  created  by  this
11    amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly.

12        Section 99.  Effective date.  This Act  takes  effect  on
13    July 1, 2003.