HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 214        FILED ON: 1/13/2011

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 136

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

F. Jay Barrows

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act directing the Department of Education to include a course in civics as a high school graduation requirement.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

F. Jay Barrows

1st Bristol

1/13/2011

Shaunna O'Connell

3rd Bristol

1/18/2011

Elizabeth A. Poirier

14th Bristol

1/13/2011

Daniel K. Webster

6th Plymouth

1/13/2011


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 214        FILED ON: 1/13/2011

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 136

By Mr. Barrows of Mansfield, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 136) of F. Jay Barrows and others for legislation to direct  the Department of Education to include a course in civics as a high school graduation requirement.  Education.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 351 OF 2009-2010.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Eleven

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An Act directing the Department of Education to include a course in civics as a high school graduation requirement.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1:  Section 2 of Chapter 71 of the General Laws is amended, in line 7, by inserting after “ … for the duties of citizenship.” The following:

The successful completion of a course in civics shall be mandated as a requirement for all students in order to receive their high school diploma. The department of education shall set guidelines for all school districts relative to the implementation of the civics course. At minimum, the course must educate students in the following criteria: Composition of local, state, and federal government,

Function of the branches of local, state, and federal government, Responsibilities and duties as an American citizen, Opportunities for voter participation, Exposure to current events and identification of government officials

SECTION 2: The department shall take all reasonable efforts to accomplish the establishment of necessary regulations by May 1, 2010, in order that the provisions of this act may be implemented in the following school year.