Resolve, To Promote the Inclusion of African-American History and Culture in the Curricular Offerings of School Administrative Units (AFTER DEADLINE)
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1700
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: TALBOT ROSS

Legislative Document
No. 1700
H.P. 1215
House of Representatives, May 8, 2019
Resolve, To Promote the Inclusion of African-American History and 
Culture in the Curricular Offerings of School Administrative Units
(AFTER DEADLINE)
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
205.
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative TALBOT ROSS of Portland.
Sec. 1.  African-American history and culture in schools.  Resolved:  That 
the Department of Education shall, within existing budgeted resources, collect 
information and prepare and make available materials that promote the rationale for 
adding African-American history and culture, including Maine African-American history 
and culture, to the curricular offerings of school administrative units.  The department 
shall include recommendations for curricular themes, resources for teaching African-
American history and culture, including Maine African-American history and culture, and 
reviews of materials for teaching African-American history and culture.  The department 
shall also identify educators in the State who are implementing model approaches to 
teaching African-American history and culture and highlight these educators in the 
distributed materials.
In collecting information and preparing materials under this section, the department 
shall convene a volunteer advisory group that includes representatives from African-
American civil rights organizations in the State, African-American history and cultural 
organizations and the African American Collection at the University of Southern Maine.
Sec. 2.  African-American students data analyses.  Resolved:  That the 
Maine Education Policy Research Institute shall provide to the Department of Education 
analyses of the school achievement, disciplinary actions and special education 
identification and placement of African-American students.
Sec. 3.  Harassment and hate crimes data.  Resolved:  That, in collecting 
information and preparing materials under section 1, the Department of Education may 
request data on reported harassment and hate crimes based on race occurring in public 
schools from the Maine Human Rights Commission and the Department of the Attorney 
General, Civil Rights Team Project.
SUMMARY
This resolve directs the Department of Education, with assistance from the Maine 
Education Policy Research Institute, the Maine Human Rights Commission and the 
Department of the Attorney General, Civil Rights Team Project, as well as a volunteer 
advisory group that includes representatives from African-American civil rights 
organizations in the State, African-American history and cultural organizations and the 
African American Collection at the University of Southern Maine, to collect information 
and prepare and make available materials that promote the rationale for adding African-
American history and culture, including Maine African-American history and culture, to 
the curricular offerings of school administrative units.