§4706. Instruction in American history, African American studies, Maine studies, Wabanaki studies, history of genocide and Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander history
(CONFLICT)
(CONTAINS TEXT WITH VARYING EFFECTIVE DATES)
(FUTURE CONFLICT; WHOLE SECTION TEXT EFFECTIVE ON CONTINGENCY: See PL 2025, c. 535, §4)
(FUTURE CONFLICT: Text as amended by PL 2025, c. 535, §1) Instruction in American history, African American studies, government, citizenship, Maine studies, the history of genocide and Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander history must be aligned with the parameters for essential instruction and graduation requirements established under section 6209.
[PL 2025, c. 535, §1 (AMD); PL 2025, c. 535, §4 (AFF).]
(FUTURE CONFLICT: Text as amended by PL 2025, c. 762, §2) Instruction in American history, African American studies, government, citizenship, Maine studies, the history of genocide and Wabanaki studies must be aligned with the parameters for essential instruction and graduation requirements established under section 6209.
[PL 2025, c. 762, §2 (AMD).]
1.
American history.
American history, government and citizenship, including the United States Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the importance of voting and the privileges and responsibilities of citizenship, must be taught in and required for graduation from all elementary and secondary schools, both public and private. African American studies and Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander history must be included in the review of content standards and performance indicators of the system of learning results conducted in accordance with section 6209, subsection 4.
[PL 2025, c. 535, §1 (AMD); PL 2025, c. 535, §4 (AFF).]
2.
(FUTURE CONFLICT: Text as amended by PL 2025, c. 535, §1) Maine studies.
Maine history, including the Constitution of Maine, Maine geography and environment and the natural, industrial and economic resources of Maine and Maine's cultural and ethnic heritage, must be taught. A required component of Maine studies is Wabanaki studies, and Wabanaki studies may be taught as a component of other content areas, as appropriate, including but not limited to the content areas of English language arts, mathematics, science and fine arts. Wabanaki studies, Maine Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander history and Maine African American studies must be included in the review of content standards and performance indicators of the learning results conducted in accordance with section 6209, subsection 4. Wabanaki studies must address the following topics:
A.
Wabanaki governments and political systems and their relationship with local, state, national and international governments;
[PL 2023, c. 537, §2 (AMD).]
B.
Wabanaki cultural systems and the experience of tribal people throughout history;
[PL 2023, c. 537, §2 (AMD).]
C.
Wabanaki territories; and
[PL 2023, c. 537, §2 (AMD).]
D.
Wabanaki economic systems.
[PL 2023, c. 537, §2 (AMD).]
[PL 2025, c. 535, §1 (AMD); PL 2025, c. 535, §4 (AFF).]
2.
(FUTURE CONFLICT: Text as amended by PL 2025, c. 762, §3) Maine studies.
Maine history, including the Constitution of Maine, Maine geography and environment and the natural, industrial and economic resources of Maine and Maine's cultural and ethnic heritage, must be taught. Maine African American studies must be included in the review of content standards and performance indicators of the learning results conducted in accordance with section 6209, subsection 4.
A.
[PL 2025, c. 762, §3 (RP).]
B.
[PL 2025, c. 762, §3 (RP).]
C.
[PL 2025, c. 762, §3 (RP).]
D.
[PL 2025, c. 762, §3 (RP).]
[PL 2025, c. 762, §3 (AMD).]
3.
History of genocide.
The history of genocide, including the Holocaust, must be included in the review of content standards and performance indicators of the system of learning results conducted in accordance with section 6209, subsection 4.
[PL 2021, c. 247, §1 (NEW); PL 2021, c. 247, §3 (AFF).]
4.
(FUTURE CONFLICT: Text as amended by PL 2025, c. 535, §1) Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander history.
Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander history instruction pursuant to subsections 1 and 2 must consider, but is not limited to:
A.
The history of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in the State, the region and the United States; and
[PL 2025, c. 535, §1 (NEW); PL 2025, c. 535, §4 (AFF).]
B.
The contributions of:
[PL 2025, c. 535, §1 (NEW); PL 2025, c. 535, §4 (AFF).]
(1)
Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders toward advancing civil rights from the 19th century to the present day;
(2)
Individual Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in government, the arts, humanities and sciences; and
(3)
Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities to the economic, cultural, social and political development of the United States.
[PL 2025, c. 535, §1 (NEW); PL 2025, c. 535, §4 (AFF).]
4.
(FUTURE CONFLICT: Text as enacted by PL 2025, c. 762, §4) Wabanaki studies.
Wabanaki studies must be included in the review of content standards and performance indicators of the learning results conducted in accordance with section 6209, subsection 4. Wabanaki studies may include social studies, English language arts, mathematics, science and fine arts in accordance with this subsection. Wabanaki studies must address the following topics:
A.
Tribal governments in the State and political systems and their relationship with local, state, national and international governments;
[PL 2025, c. 762, §4 (NEW).]
B.
Wabanaki cultural systems and the experience of tribal people in the State throughout history;
[PL 2025, c. 762, §4 (NEW).]
C.
Wabanaki territories;
[PL 2025, c. 762, §4 (NEW).]
D.
Wabanaki economic systems; and
[PL 2025, c. 762, §4 (NEW).]
E.
Other curricula recommended by the Wabanaki studies specialist pursuant to section 15.
[RR 2025, c. 2, Pt. A, §102 (COR).]
Beginning July 1, 2027, the department shall, in a representative sample of schools, no less than biannually study the Wabanaki studies curricula under this subsection to assess its implementation. The department shall publish its findings on the department's publicly accessible website.
[RR 2025, c. 2, Pt. A, §102 (COR).]
As used in this section, "Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander history" includes, but is not limited to, the history of Americans of East Asian, Southeast Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander descent.
[PL 2025, c. 535, §1 (NEW); PL 2025, c. 535, §4 (AFF).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1983, c. 859, §§C5,C7 (NEW). PL 1991, c. 655, §4 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 403, §1 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 454, §§19,20 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 667, §A42 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 510, §B5 (AMD). PL 2009, c. 313, §§8,9 (AMD). PL 2021, c. 247, §1 (AMD). PL 2021, c. 247, §3 (AFF). PL 2023, c. 537, §§1, 2 (AMD). PL 2025, c. 535, §1 (AMD). PL 2025, c. 535, §4 (AFF). PL 2025, c. 762, §§2-4 (AMD). RR 2025, c. 2, Pt. A, §102 (COR).