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Bill > H723


MA H723

MA H723
Concerning education in honor of Byron Rushing


summary

Introduced
02/27/2025
In Committee
02/27/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

194th General Court

Bill Summary

Relative to including the events of Black History instruction at schools and institutions of higher education. Education.

AI Summary

This bill requires all school districts, schools, public community colleges, colleges, and universities in Massachusetts to include comprehensive Black History instruction in their curricula. For K-12 schools, this means developing a dedicated unit of instruction that covers the African slave trade, slavery in America, and the ongoing impacts of slavery, focusing not just on individual African-American achievements in various fields, but also on the collective socio-economic struggles for fair and equal treatment. For higher education institutions, the bill mandates offering a course with similar content and learning objectives. The instruction is designed to help students understand historical injustices and develop a commitment to respecting the dignity of all races while rejecting discrimination. The Department of Education may provide instructional guidelines, but individual schools and institutions will determine the specific amount of instructional time. The bill allows these requirements to be met through traditional classroom instruction or online programs and courses. The legislation is named in honor of Byron Rushing, a notable Massachusetts legislator known for his civil rights advocacy, and aims to ensure a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of Black history across educational settings.

Committee Categories

Education

Sponsors (1)

Last Action

Joint Committee on Education Hearing (11:00:00 9/16/2025 Gardner Auditorium) (on 09/16/2025)

bill text


bill summary

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bill summary

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bill summary

Document Type Source Location
State Bill Page https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H723
BillText https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H723.pdf
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