An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in terms and courses of study, providing for communism education.
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Progress
Where this bill stands in the legislative process.
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Overview
This bill requires Pennsylvania public schools to provide age-appropriate instruction on communism, starting in the 2026-2027 school year. The curriculum will cover the origins, development, and impacts of communist ideology, including historical events, human rights abuses, and comparisons with democratic principles. Schools can integrate this instruction into existing courses and utilize department-provided materials or locally selected resources, with professional development available for educators.
Key provisions
- Requires all public schools to teach about the history, development, and impacts of communism.
- Specifies topics to be covered, including communist regimes, human rights abuses, and comparisons to democratic systems.
- Mandates the development and distribution of curriculum materials by the Department of Education.
- Allows schools to utilize department-provided or locally selected materials.
- Requires schools to provide professional development for educators on teaching about communism.
- Requires schools to submit annual reports on instruction provided.
- Defines key terms such as ‘communism’ and ‘totalitarian ideology’.
Who is affected
- Public school students in Pennsylvania
- School districts
- Intermediate units
- Teachers and educators
- The Department of Education
Notable changes
Bill text
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Document of record
- Version
- Pn 1356 Html
- Published
- Not published in the source record
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Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
4 on record
Primary sponsor
Cosponsors
Daniel Laughlin
David Argall
Arguments
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