HB2997 - 104th General Assembly

Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid

Filed: 4/8/2025

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 2997

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 2997 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
527-20.8 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/27-20.8)
7    Sec. 27-20.8. Asian American and Arab American history
8study.
9    (a) Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, every public
10elementary school and high school shall include in its
11curriculum a unit of instruction studying the events of Asian
12American history, including the history of Asian Americans in
13Illinois and the Midwest, as well as the contributions of
14Asian Americans toward advancing civil rights from the 19th
15century onward. These events shall include the contributions
16made by individual Asian Americans in government and the arts,

 

 

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1humanities, and sciences, as well as the contributions of
2Asian American communities to the economic, cultural, social,
3and political development of the United States. The studying
4of this material shall constitute an affirmation by students
5of their commitment to respect the dignity of all races and
6peoples and to forever eschew every form of discrimination in
7their lives and careers.
8    (a-5) Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, every
9public elementary school and high school shall include in its
10curriculum a unit of instruction studying the events of Arab
11American history, including the history of Arab Americans in
12this State and the Midwest, as well as the contributions of
13Arab Americans from the 19th century onward. These events
14shall include the contributions made by individual Arab
15Americans in government and the arts, humanities, and
16sciences, as well as the contributions of Arab American
17communities to the economic, cultural, social, and political
18development of the United States. The studying of this
19material shall constitute an affirmation by students of their
20commitment to respect the dignity of all races and peoples and
21to forever eschew every form of discrimination in their lives
22and careers.
23    (b) The State Superintendent of Education may prepare and
24make available to all school boards instructional materials,
25including those established by the Public Broadcasting
26Service, that may be used as guidelines for development of a

 

 

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1unit of instruction under this Section. However, each school
2board shall itself determine the minimum amount of
3instructional time that qualifies as a unit of instruction
4satisfying the requirements of this Section.
5    (c) The regional superintendent of schools shall monitor a
6school district's compliance with this Section's curricular
7requirements during his or her annual compliance visit.
8    (d) A school may meet the requirements of this Section
9through an online program or course.
10(Source: P.A. 102-44, eff. 1-1-22.)
 
11    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
12becoming law.".