SB 116 (Senators Ligon, Gooch, Millar, Shafer, Cowsert, and Mullis - R)

The original text of the bill was stripped out and replaced with the text of HB243, the Universal Voucher Bill. 

Adds new Code Sections 20-2-1020 - 20-2-1022 to strongly encourage that, during the full week in September, which includes Constitution Day, September 17, be recognized in public elementary, middle, and high schools in Georgia as Celebrate Freedom Week, and shall require the each local board of education to provide approximately three hours of age-appropriate instruction in each social studies class which includes the intent, meaning, and importance of the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution, including the Bill of rights, in their historical context including the background of the colonial era, along with instruction about the Founding Fathers, such as the signers of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, the first six Presidents, particularly George Washington.  The religious references in the writings of the Founding Fathers shall not be censored.  

Additionally, during Celebrate Freedom Week, school systems shall suggest that students in grades 3-12 read at least one book during the school year that focuses on the Founding Era.

Additionally, School districts shall required students in grades 3-12 to recite at least once during the week and are encouraged to require daily recitations from from one of the following exerpts at the beginning of the school day:

• From the Declaration of Independence
  • We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers frm the Consent of the Governed....
• From the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution
  • We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constiution for the United States of America.
• From the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights
  • Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or the press, or the right of the people pleaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Students may be excused from the recitation upon the written request from their parent or guardian.  This law does not apply to a student who has a conscientious objection to the recitation; or is the child of a representative of a foreighn government to whom the United States government extends diplomatic immunity.

20-2-1021 "allows" and encourages the display by schools of historically important excerpts from or copies of American historical documents.  Further, local boards of education and charter schools shall allow and may encourage any teacher or administrator to read or post in a school building, classroo, or event excerpts or portions of writings, documents, records, or images that reflect the history of the United States, including, but not limited to the following:

1. The Preamble to the Georgia Constitution
2. The Declaration of Independence
3. The United States Constitution
4. The Bill of Rights
5. The Mayflower Compact
6. The national motto
7. the Pledge of Allegiance
8. The National Anthem
9. The writings, speeches, documents, and proclamations of the Founding Fathers and Presidents of the United States.
10. Decisions of the United States Supreme Court
11. Acts of the Congress of the United States, including the published text of the Congressional Record.

As historical documents, there shall be no content-based censorship of American history and heritage documents due to their religious or cultural nature.

20-2-1-22 requires that the Department of education create an online instructional page or pages for teachers to assist them in increasing student understanding of, and familiarity with American historical documents and to provide curriculum support to classroom teachers of U.S. history, American government and civics, economics and social studies.