January 30, 2013, Introduced by Senators COLBECK, GREEN, NOFS, SCHUITMAKER, JANSEN, ROBERTSON, BOOHER, BRANDENBURG, PAPPAGEORGE and CASPERSON and referred to the Committee on Education.
A bill to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled
"The revised school code,"
(MCL 380.1 to 380.1852) by adding section 1167.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 1167. (1) The legislature recognizes that the purpose of
education pursuant to the state constitution of 1963 is to develop
good citizens. In order to develop good citizens, an understanding
of American history and America's first principles is
indispensable. The legislature acknowledges that American citizens
must take time to honor the first principles, founders, documents,
and symbols of their history. The events that led to the signing of
the Constitution of the United States of America by the delegates
of the Constitutional Convention on September 17, 1787, have
significance for every American and are honored in public schools
across the nation on September 17 of each year as Constitution Day.
Therefore, the period of September 11 to September 17 of each year,
which symbolically begins on September 11 and concludes on
September 17, Constitution Day, is designated as "Constitution
Week" to be observed by all public school teachers and pupils as
provided in this section.
(2) The board of a school district or board of directors of a
public school academy shall ensure that, during Constitution Week,
the following instruction is provided to all pupils in grades 3 to
12 in an age-appropriate and grade-appropriate manner:
(a) At the start of Constitution Week, to coincide with
September 11, instruction focusing on veteran appreciation, with an
emphasis on the contributions and sacrifices of veterans of the
armed forces of the United States.
(b) Instruction in first principles, that affirms that the
rule of law, the social compact, equality, unalienable rights, and
limited government are the first principles upon which America was
founded and flourishes.
(c) Instruction in key historical figures, that explores how
exceptional, visionary, and indispensable Americans such as Ben
Franklin, Thomas Paine, Patrick Henry, John Adams, John Marshall,
George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, Martin
Luther King, Jr., Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Thomas
Jefferson, and James Madison founded and advanced the United
States.
(d) Instruction in founding documents, that explores how the
Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Congressional
resolution forwarding the Constitution to the states, Marbury v
Madison, Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions,
the Gettysburg Address, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the "I
Have A Dream" speech are key documents that embody America's first
principles and have advanced American liberty.
(e) Instruction in American symbols, that explores how the
Bennington flag, the original Betsy Ross American flag, the current
American flag, the Suffragist flag, the Fort Sumter flag, the
Gadsden flag, and the flag of the state of Michigan are key
physical symbols of American history and freedom that should be
studied and remembered by each American.
(f) Instruction in the sacrifices made by millions of military
and their families in the defense of liberty starting with the
Revolutionary War and progressing to current conflicts. Discussion
should address the historic and modern-day significance of
Veteran's Day, Independence Day, and Memorial Day.