Whereas the Constitution of the state of Florida calls for the establishment of an enlightened citizenry to be the product of a free, public educational system, and
Whereas Florida law (FS 1003.42) requires that schools teach all students about the principles contained in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the elements of civil government and important documents such as the Federalist papers, and
Whereas Florida law also requires that schools develop in all students an understanding and appreciation of the contributions of Hispanics, African-Americans, Women and Veterans to our nation and to the democratic values we hold dear, and
Whereas Florida law also requires students be taught about the horrors of the Holocaust and other acts of genocide so as to prepare them to act decisively as citizens in the preservation of the civil liberties of all persons, and
Whereas the Florida legislature has established “Celebrate Freedom Week” which requires all Florida public school students to recite verbatim certain portions from the Declaration of Independence in all public school classrooms, and requires a minimum of three hours of appropriate instruction to take place in each social studies classroom, and
Whereas the first and then only statewide assessment program was to gain information about the knowledge our K-12 students had about the Free Enterprise System (the Free Enterprise and Economic Education Act of 1974), and
Whereas in 1986 it was the intent of the legislature to add both science and social studies to the then existing statewide “Minimum Testing Program”, and
Whereas surveys conducted by the James Madison Institute of Florida revealed Florida’s University seniors at UF and FSU to be woefully ill-prepared as compared to their peers across the nation in knowledge of high school questions in American History and Civics, and
Whereas survey after survey reveals our nation’s youth to be ignorant of basic civic understanding, geographic knowledge, or fundamental economic principles, and
Whereas the state of Florida currently has no information as to the extent to which Florida’s K-12 students possess the values of civic understanding that are so essential to the preservation of our republic, and which Florida law requires they be instructed in
Whereas virtually none of Florida’s sixty-seven school districts have developed the means to assess the civic knowledge of their students, and
Whereas current Florida law does not require a student’s performance in social studies to be even taken into consideration when a student is being considered for promotion from one grade level to the next, and
Whereas as a result of the above, many school districts and schools therefore are abandoning or de-emphasizing the teaching of history, geography and structured civic education programs to the detriment of the civic mission of our schools . . .
Therefore, be it resolved by the representative members of BUPAC, that we find the civic educational program within the public schools of Florida and our nation to be in a state of crisis.
Be it further resolved that our membership calls upon the Florida legislature to take all measures to ensure an enlightened citizenry will continue to be the product of Florida’s public school program and that the legislature immediately amend state statute (FS1008.25) so as to include social studies as a core curriculum area that Florida educators must take into consideration when a student is being promoted from one grade level to the next.
Respectfully submitted this ______ day of __________.
____________________________ ____________________
Signature of presiding officer Attested to by
