Includes the attacks on September 11, 2001 in courses of instruction in patriotism and citizenship.
Summary
This bill amends section 801 of the Education Law to add the attacks on September 11, 2001 to the list of topics that must be included in New York’s required instruction in patriotism, citizenship, civic education and values, shared history of diversity, religious tolerance, and human rights. The existing curriculum already requires attention to subjects such as genocide, slavery, the Holocaust, and the mass starvation in Ireland; this bill would explicitly place September 11 alongside those topics as a required area of study.
The bill also makes a conforming change in the enforcement language of the statute, replacing a gendered reference to "his" with "such commissioner's". It would take effect immediately upon enactment. In practical terms, the measure would direct the Regents, school districts, and teachers to ensure that instruction includes the September 11 attacks, and it preserves the commissioner’s authority to supervise compliance and withhold school aid for noncompliance.
Impact
The bill would amend the Education Law’s mandatory curriculum provisions, specifically section 801, by expanding the required content of instruction in patriotism and citizenship to include the September 11, 2001 attacks. This would affect the State Education Department, the Board of Regents, local boards of education, trustees, teachers, and students over age eight who are required to attend such instruction. It does not create a new program, but it changes the list of required historical and civic topics that schools must teach and that the commissioner may enforce through existing aid-withholding authority.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes, the overall sentiment appears neutral to supportive, with the bill framed as a curriculum update rather than a controversial policy shift. The sponsor’s purpose is presented as adding September 11 to an existing set of historically significant and civically important subjects, suggesting an emphasis on remembrance, civic education, and historical awareness. No recorded opposition or amendments are shown in the available materials.
Contention
The main potential point of contention is curricular scope: whether September 11 should be singled out in statute as a required topic alongside other major historical events, and how much discretion should remain with the Regents over curriculum design. Some may view the bill as an appropriate recognition of a defining national tragedy, while others could question whether the Legislature should specify particular events in detail rather than leaving such decisions to educational authorities. No specific opposition is documented in the provided record, so any contention is inferred from the subject matter and statutory approach rather than from stated debate.