SB 127 — 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, repealing provisions relating to Holocaust, genocide and human rights violations instruction and providing for Holocaust, genocide and human rights violations instruction required.

PRINTER'S NO.   76

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                        SENATE BILL
                        No. 127
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY MASTRIANO, BROOKS, BROWN, ARGALL AND HUTCHINSON,
        JANUARY 22, 2025

     REFERRED TO EDUCATION, JANUARY 22, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
 2      act relating to the public school system, including certain
 3      provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
 4      schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
 5      laws relating thereto," in terms and courses of study,
 6      repealing provisions relating to Holocaust, genocide and
 7      human rights violations instruction and providing for
 8      Holocaust, genocide and human rights violations instruction
 9      required.
10      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
11   hereby enacts as follows:
12      Section 1.    Section 1554 of the act of March 10, 1949
13   (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, is
14   repealed:
15      [Section 1554.    Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights
16   Violations Instruction.--(a)   (1)   Beginning with school year
17   2015-2016, each school entity may offer instruction in the
18   Holocaust, genocide and human rights violations to students. The
19   instruction shall be integrated within the social studies and
20   language arts courses of study required in accordance with State
21   Board of Education regulations. Instruction may also be
 1   integrated into other appropriate courses of study.
 2      (2)    The Holocaust, genocide and human rights violations
 3   instruction permitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall:
 4      (i)    Be age appropriate.
 5      (ii)    Be sequential in method of study.
 6      (iii)    Communicate the connection between national, ethnic,
 7   racial or religious intolerance and the subjects described in
 8   subsection (b).
 9      (iv)    Communicate the impact of personal responsibility,
10   civic engagement and societal response within the context of the
11   subjects described in subsection (b).
12      (3)    School entities may utilize any appropriate public or
13   private materials, personnel and other resources in developing
14   and implementing the program of instruction permitted pursuant
15   to paragraph (1). The Department of Education shall distribute
16   information about appropriate curriculum materials to each
17   school entity. School entities may utilize any curriculum that
18   complies with the requirements of this subsection.
19      (b)    (1)   The Department of Education shall establish
20   curriculum guidelines no later than twelve (12) months after the
21   effective date of this section. The guidelines shall encourage
22   the inclusion of all of the following subjects where appropriate
23   in the instruction:
24      (i)    The breadth of the history of the Holocaust, including
25   the Third Reich dictatorship, concentration camp system,
26   persecution of Jews and non-Jews, Jewish and non-Jewish
27   resistance and post-World War II trials.
28      (ii)    The definition, history, response and actions taken in
29   the face of genocide, including the Holocaust and any other
30   genocide perpetrated against humanity, including the Rwandan

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 1   genocide and other genocides committed in Africa, Asia and
 2   Europe.
 3      (iii)    Human rights violations.
 4      (iv)    Anti-Semitism, racism and the abridgment of civil
 5   rights.
 6      (2)    The Department of Education shall work in consultation
 7   with organizations and individuals that provide educational
 8   expertise and resources related to the Holocaust, genocide and
 9   human rights violations to develop the curriculum guidelines.
10   The guidelines shall state the minimum amount of instruction
11   necessary to adequately educate students on the Holocaust,
12   genocide and human rights violations.
13      (c)    Beginning with the 2015-2016 school year, the Department
14   of Education shall make available, to all school entities, in-
15   service training programs based upon the instruction provided
16   for under subsection (a) and the curriculum guidelines
17   established pursuant to subsection (b).
18      (d)    (1)   Beginning with the 2015-2016 school year, each
19   school entity providing instruction under subsection (a) shall
20   provide, as part of its in-service training, programs on the
21   Holocaust, genocide and human rights violations for all
22   instructors whose teaching responsibilities include courses of
23   study in which instruction concerning the Holocaust, genocide
24   and human rights violations is integrated. A school entity may
25   utilize the programs made available by the Department of
26   Education or use other alternative programs that are consistent
27   with the provisions of this section.
28      (2)    Employes required to complete continuing professional
29   education under section 1205.2 shall receive credit toward the
30   continuing professional education requirements where the

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 1   training program provided pursuant to paragraph (1) has been
 2   approved by the Department of Education.
 3      (e)    The Department of Education shall provide the
 4   guidelines, in-service training and any other materials
 5   developed in accordance with this section to any nonpublic
 6   school within this Commonwealth upon receiving a request from
 7   the nonpublic school.
 8      (f)    The State Board of Education shall:
 9      (1)    Conduct a study regarding the manner in which
10   instruction in the Holocaust, genocide and human rights
11   violations is offered by school entities in this Commonwealth.
12   In conducting the study, the State Board of Education shall
13   request that each school entity provide the State Board of
14   Education with information concerning whether the school entity
15   offers such instruction and the manner in which such instruction
16   is offered. Each school entity shall provide information to the
17   State Board of Education in response to a request under this
18   paragraph. Following the 2016-2017 school year, but not later
19   than November 30, 2017, the State Board of Education shall issue
20   a report to the Governor, the Secretary of Education, the
21   Chairman and Minority Chairman of the Education Committee of the
22   Senate and the Chairman and Minority Chairman of the Education
23   Committee of the House of Representatives addressing the
24   following:
25      (i)    The number of school entities offering instruction in
26   the Holocaust, genocide and human rights violations.
27      (ii)    The number of school entities using the curriculum
28   guidelines established by the Department of Education under
29   subsection (b).
30      (iii)     The number of school entities using the in-service

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 1   training programs made available by the Department of Education
 2   under subsection (c).
 3      (iv)   A description of the manner in which school entities
 4   are offering instruction in the Holocaust, genocide and human
 5   rights violations, including the number of hours of instruction
 6   offered, the grade levels at which such instruction is offered
 7   and the course within such instruction is integrated.
 8      (v)    The recommendations for improvements to the offering of
 9   instruction in the Holocaust, genocide and human rights
10   violations, including recommended legislation.
11      (2)    Adopt a regulation, pursuant to the act of June 25, 1982
12   (P.L.633, No.181), known as the "Regulatory Review Act," to
13   require school entities to offer instruction in the Holocaust,
14   genocide and human rights violations that is consistent with
15   subsections (a) and (b), if the study conducted by the State
16   Board of Education under paragraph (1) demonstrates that less
17   than ninety percent of the school entities are offering
18   instruction in the Holocaust, genocide and human rights
19   violations consistent with subsections (a) and (b).
20      (3)    Adopt rules and regulations necessary for the
21   implementation of this section pursuant to the "Regulatory
22   Review Act."
23      (g)    For purposes of this section, the term "school entity"
24   shall mean a school district, charter school, regional charter
25   school, cyber charter school, intermediate unit or area career
26   and technical school.]
27      Section 2.   The act is amended by adding a section to read:
28      Section 1554.1.   Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights
29   Violations Instruction Required.--(a)   (1)   Beginning with
30   school year 2026-2027, a school entity shall offer instruction

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 1   in the Holocaust, genocide and human rights violations to
 2   students. The instruction shall be integrated within the social
 3   studies and language arts courses of study required in
 4   accordance with State Board of Education regulations.
 5   Instruction may also be integrated into other appropriate
 6   courses of study.
 7      (2)    The Holocaust, genocide and human rights violations
 8   instruction under paragraph (1) shall:
 9      (i)    Be age appropriate.
10      (ii)    Be sequential in method of study.
11      (iii)    Communicate the connection between national, ethnic,
12   racial or religious intolerance and the subjects described in
13   subsection (b).
14      (iv)    Communicate the impact of personal responsibility,
15   civic engagement and societal response within the context of the
16   subjects described in subsection (b).
17      (3)    A school entity may utilize appropriate public or
18   private materials, personnel and other resources in developing
19   and implementing the instruction under paragraph (1). The
20   department shall make available information about appropriate
21   curriculum materials to school entities. A school entity may
22   utilize any curriculum that complies with the requirements of
23   this subsection.
24      (b)    (1)   The department shall review and update existing
25   curriculum guidelines as necessary. The guidelines shall
26   encourage the inclusion of the following subjects where
27   appropriate in the instruction:
28      (i)    The breadth of the history of the Holocaust, including
29   the Third Reich dictatorship, concentration camp system,
30   persecution of Jews and non-Jews, Jewish and non-Jewish

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 1   resistance and post-World War II trials.
 2      (ii)    The definition, history, response and actions taken in
 3   the face of genocide, including the Holocaust and any other
 4   genocide perpetrated against humanity, including the Rwandan
 5   genocide and other genocides committed in Africa, Asia and
 6   Europe.
 7      (iii)    Human rights violations.
 8      (iv)    Anti-Semitism, racism and the abridgment of civil
 9   rights.
10      (2)    The department shall work in consultation with
11   organizations and individuals that provide educational expertise
12   and resources related to the Holocaust, genocide and human
13   rights violations to review and update existing curriculum
14   guidelines as necessary. The guidelines shall state the minimum
15   amount of instruction necessary to adequately educate students
16   on the Holocaust, genocide and human rights violations. The
17   guidelines shall be posted on the department's publicly
18   accessible Internet website.
19      (c)    Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, the department
20   shall make available to school entities in-service training
21   programs based upon the instruction provided for under
22   subsection (a) and the curriculum guidelines established under
23   subsection (b).
24      (d)    (1)   Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, a school
25   entity providing instruction under subsection (a) shall provide
26   as part of its in-service training programs on the Holocaust,
27   genocide and human rights violations for all instructors whose
28   teaching responsibilities include courses of study in which
29   instruction concerning the Holocaust, genocide and human rights
30   violations is integrated. A school entity may utilize the

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 1   programs made available by the department or use other
 2   alternative programs that are consistent with this section.
 3      (2)   An employe required to complete continuing professional
 4   education under section 1205.2 shall receive credit toward the
 5   continuing professional education requirements where the
 6   training program provided under paragraph (1) has been approved
 7   by the department.
 8      (e)   The department shall provide the guidelines, in-service
 9   training and any other materials developed in accordance with
10   this section to a nonpublic school within this Commonwealth upon
11   receiving a request from the nonpublic school.
12      (f)   (1)   Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year and each
13   school year thereafter, a school entity shall post on the school
14   entity's publicly accessible Internet website an Internet link
15   or title for resources used by the school entity for Holocaust,
16   genocide and human rights violations instruction, a course
17   syllabus or a written summary of the Holocaust, genocide and
18   human rights violations curriculum offered by the school entity.
19      (2)   The chief school administrator or a designee shall
20   implement this subsection.
21      (3)   This subsection shall not be construed to require a
22   school entity to violate the copyright, trademark or other
23   intellectual property right of the creator or owner of the
24   curriculum.
25      (g)   As used in this section, the following words and phrases
26   shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless
27   the context clearly indicates otherwise:
28      "Anti-Semitism."   A certain perception of Jews, which may be
29   expressed as hatred toward Jews, in the form of rhetorical and
30   physical manifestations directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish

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 1   individuals, their property, Jewish community institutions or
 2   religious facilities.
 3      "Department."    The Department of Education of the
 4   Commonwealth.
 5      "Genocide."    The term includes any of the following acts
 6   committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a
 7   national, ethnic, racial or religious group:
 8      (1)   Killing members of the group.
 9      (2)   Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the
10   group.
11      (3)   Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life
12   calculated to bring about the group's physical destruction, in
13   whole or in part.
14      (4)   Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the
15   group.
16      (5)   Forcibly transferring children of the group to another
17   group.
18      "Holocaust."     The systematic, state-sponsored persecution and
19   attempted annihilation of Jewish individuals and other groups by
20   the Nazi regime in Germany between 1933 and 1945, which resulted
21   in the murder of approximately six million (6,000,000) Jewish
22   individuals and five million (5,000,000) other individuals.
23      "School entity."     A school district, charter school, regional
24   charter school, cyber charter school, intermediate unit or area
25   career and technical school.
26      Section 3.    This act shall take effect as follows:
27            (1)   The repeal of section 1554 of the act shall take
28      effect June 30, 2026.
29            (2)   The remainder of this act shall take effect
30      immediately.

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