HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4752        FILED ON: 12/28/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Rady Mom

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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 relative to instruction on the Cambodian and Vietnamese American refugee experience, Cambodian genocide and the history and culture of the Hmong people.

_______________

PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4752        FILED ON: 12/28/2023

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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

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An Act relative to instruction on the Cambodian and Vietnamese American refugee experience, Cambodian genocide and the history and culture of the Hmong people.

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. Chapter 71 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 100. (a)(1) Every school district shall, for the purpose of educating middle and high school students, provide instruction on the Vietnamese and Cambodian American refugee experience as aligned to, but not limited to, the content standards articulated in the history curriculum framework adopted by the board of elementary and secondary education; provided, however, that a school district may include the incorporation of writings and other media that represents all perspectives of the Vietnamese and Cambodian American refugee experience for the purpose of educating middle and high school students on the refugee experience. 

(2) Instruction on the Vietnamese and Cambodian American refugee experience shall be taught consistent within the historical curriculum framework to: 

(i) promote an understanding of the history of the Vietnamese and Cambodian American refugee experience;

(ii) address the history of the Fall of Saigon in 1975;

(iii) include a history of the Vietnamese boat people and members of the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces;

(iv) address the exodus and the hardships faced by the Vietnamese and Cambodian people attempting to flee who were apprehended by the communist government; and

(v) the conditions that led to the resettlement of Vietnamese and Cambodian people in the United States covering the period from the Vietnam War and the Fall of Saigon in 1975 to the year 2000, which captures the experience of postwar Vietnamese and Cambodian immigrants in the United States.

(3) The department shall assist schools in providing: 

(i) instruction on the history of Vietnamese and Cambodian American refugee experience by facilitating access to high-quality curricular materials which addresses all perspectives of the refugee experience, including oral testimony by survivors, rescuers and liberators of the Vietnam War including, but not limited to, Vietnamese and Cambodian American refugees, Vietnamese boat people and members of the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces; and

(ii) professional development training, including the provision of trainings, seminars, conferences and materials, for educators to use in the teaching of Vietnamese and Cambodian American refugee experience, including in person or through in-person testimony, video or a multimedia option, such as a DVD or an online video.

(4) Nothing in this section shall require a school district to require Vietnamese and Cambodian American refugee experience instruction in every year of middle school and high school; provided, however, that Vietnamese and Cambodian American refugee experience education and instruction shall be utilized during appropriate times in middle and high school curricula, as determined by the local school district.  

(b)(1) Every school district shall, for the purpose of educating middle and high school students, provide instruction on the Cambodian genocide as aligned to, but not limited to, the content standards articulated in the history curriculum framework adopted by the board of elementary and secondary education; provided, however, that a school district may include the incorporation of writings, media, other artistic, cultural and historical artifacts, multigenerational storytelling and oral history that represents the Cambodian genocide for the purpose of educating middle and high school students on the Cambodian genocide. 

(2) Instruction on the Cambodian genocide shall be taught consistent within the historical curriculum framework to: (i) promote an understanding of the history of the Cambodian genocide; and (ii) address the history and heritage of Cambodian Americans.

(3) The department shall assist schools in providing: 

(i) instruction on the history of the Cambodian genocide by facilitating access to high-quality curricular materials which addresses all perspectives of the Cambodian genocide; and 

(ii) professional development training, including the provision of trainings, seminars, conferences and materials, for educators to use in the teaching of the Cambodian genocide, including lesson plans, primary source documents, planning resources, teaching strategies and professional development activities.

(4) Nothing in this section shall require a school district to require Cambodian genocide instruction in every year of middle school and high school; provided, however, Cambodian genocide education and instruction shall be utilized during appropriate times in middle and high school curricula, as determined by the local school district.  

(c)(1) Every school district shall, for the purpose of educating middle and high school students, provide instruction on the history and cultural studies of the Hmong people as aligned to, but not limited to, the content standards articulated in the history curriculum framework adopted by the board of elementary and secondary education; provided, however, that a school district may include the incorporation of writings, media, other artistic, cultural and historical artifacts, multigenerational storytelling and oral history that represents the history and cultural of the Hmong people for the purpose of educating middle and high school students on the Hmong people. 

(2) Instruction on the history and cultural studies of the Hmong people shall be taught consistent within the historical curriculum framework to: (i) promote an understanding of the history of the Hmong people; and (ii) address the history, heritage and culture of the Hmong people.

(3) The department shall assist schools in providing: 

(i) instruction on the history and culture of the Hmong people by facilitating access to high-quality curricular materials which addresses all perspectives of the Hmong people; and

(ii) professional development training, including the provision of trainings, seminars, conferences and materials, for educators to use in the teaching of the Hmong people, including lesson plans, primary source documents, planning resources, teaching strategies and professional development activities.

(4) Nothing in this section shall require a school district to require the history and cultural studies of the Hmong people instruction in every year of middle school and high school; provided, however, the history and cultural studies of the Hmong people education and instruction shall be utilized during appropriate times in middle and high school curricula, as determined by the local school district. 

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect for the school year beginning after July 1, 2024.