Section 801. Courses of instruction in patriotism and citizenship and in certain historic documents

1. In order to promote a spirit of patriotic  and civic service and obligation and to foster in the  children  of  the
  state  moral and intellectual qualities which are essential in preparing
  to meet the obligations of citizenship in peace or in war,  the  regents
  of  The  University  of the State of New York shall prescribe courses of
  instruction in patriotism, citizenship, and human  rights  issues,  with
  particular attention to the study of the inhumanity of genocide, slavery
  (including  the  freedom trail and underground railroad), the Holocaust,
  and the mass starvation in Ireland from 1845 to 1850, to  be  maintained
  and  followed  in  all the schools of the state. The boards of education
  and trustees of the several cities and school  districts  of  the  state
  shall  require  instruction to be given in such courses, by the teachers
  employed in the schools therein. All pupils attending such schools, over
  the age of eight years, shall attend upon such instruction.
    Similar courses of instruction shall be prescribed and  maintained  in
  private  schools in the state, and all pupils in such schools over eight
  years of age shall attend upon such courses. If such courses are not  so
  established   and  maintained  in  a  private  school,  attendance  upon
  instruction in such school shall not be deemed substantially  equivalent
  to  instruction given to pupils of like age in the public schools of the
  city or district in which such pupils reside.
    2. The regents shall prescribe courses of instruction in the  history,
  meaning,  significance  and effect of the provisions of the constitution
  of the  United  States,  the  amendments  thereto,  the  declaration  of
  independence,  the  constitution  of  the  state  of  New  York  and the
  amendments thereto, to be maintained and followed in all of the  schools
  of the state. The boards of education and trustees of the several cities
  and  school districts of the state shall require instruction to be given
  in such courses, by the teachers employed in the  schools  therein.  All
  pupils  attending  such  schools, in the eighth and higher grades, shall
  attend upon such instruction.
    Similar courses of instruction shall be prescribed and  maintained  in
  private  schools  in the state, and all pupils in such schools in grades
  or classes corresponding to the instruction in  the  eighth  and  higher
  grades  of  the  public  schools shall attend upon such courses. If such
  courses are not so established  and  maintained  in  a  private  school,
  attendance   upon  instruction  in  such  school  shall  not  be  deemed
  substantially equivalent to instruction given to pupils  in  the  public
  schools of the city or district in which such pupils reside.
    3.  The  regents  shall  determine the subjects to be included in such
  courses of instruction in  patriotism,  citizenship,  and  human  rights
  issues,  with  particular  attention  to  the study of the inhumanity of
  genocide,  slavery  (including  the  freedom   trail   and   underground
  railroad),  the  Holocaust, and the mass starvation in Ireland from 1845
  to 1850, and in the history, meaning, significance  and  effect  of  the
  provisions  of  the  constitution  of  the United States, the amendments
  thereto, the declaration of independence, the constitution of the  state
  of New York and the amendments thereto, and the period of instruction in
  each  of  the  grades in such subjects. They shall adopt rules providing
  for attendance upon such instruction and for such other matters  as  are
  required  for  carrying  into  effect  the  objects and purposes of this
  section. The commissioner shall be responsible for  the  enforcement  of
  such  section  and  shall  cause  to  be  inspected  and  supervise  the
  instruction to be given in such subjects. The commissioner may,  in  his
  discretion,  cause  all  or  a  portion of the public school money to be
  apportioned to a district or city to be  withheld  for  failure  of  the
  school  authorities  of  such district or city to provide instruction in

  such courses and to compel attendance upon such instruction,  as  herein
  prescribed,  and  for  a  non-compliance  with  the rules of the regents
  adopted as herein provided.
    4. The regents shall designate a week during each year and prescribe a
  uniform  course of exercises in the public schools of the state suitable
  for pupils of various ages to instill into the minds of such pupils  the
  purpose,  meaning  and  importance of the bill of rights articles in the
  federal and state constitutions. Such exercises shall be in addition  to
  any prescribed courses of study in the schools.
    5.  The  regents shall make available to all elementary schools in the
  state suitable curriculum materials to aid in the instruction of  pupils
  in  grades  kindergarten through six in the understanding and acceptance
  of children with disabilities as defined in section  forty-four  hundred
  one of this chapter.