2021-09-13 00:00:00 - Joint Committee on Education
2021-09-13 00:00:00 - Joint Committee on Education
(Part 1 of 2)
[PART 1]
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Yeah
yeah yeah.
Mhm.
Mhm. Mhm. Uh
uh
Mhm. I'd like to recognize the senate members of the education committee. They include senator sal de Domenico serves as the vice chair of the committee. Senator john Cronin Senator Adam Gomez, Senator Pat Jalen and Senator Patrick O Connor and I want to thank all of them for their strong work on this committee and in the educational broadly now like to turn it over to representative pike to introduce the house members of the committee.
Thank you Senator ah yeah joining us this morning I see we have Representative Andy Vargas represent of Cabral Representative Diggs of Barnstable Representative Bana Howard of roll. I know that Vice chair steve Ultrino will be joining us. In addition to that I anticipate the other members who will be here today. Uh Representative Smitty Pignatelli of Lennox. Representative Liz Malia of boston, Representative danilo center of Acton Representative joseph McGonigal of Everett. Representative James Kelcourse of aims berry and representative kelly piece of Westfield Senator lewis. Great thank you so much. Representative Peisch um and again thank you to all of our colleagues who are are with us uh this morning folks as you probably are aware today's a committee hearing will be we will be taking testimony on all bills before the committee related to the subject matter of curricula. This uh is the Education Committee's 4th fully remote hearing accepting live testimony from the public and we know that presents certain challenges. Um and we deeply appreciate everybody's patience and understanding136 as137 we continue to navigate the challenges of conducting virtual hearings
we do have More than 200 people signed up to testify today. Um And while on the one hand, it's wonderful to see uh so much interest in the legislation pending before the committee uh and so much civic engagement from our165 residents. It also presents a significant challenge to us to the committee in order to be able to hear from everyone who would like to testify and to do so in a fair manner. Um, so what we are going to have to do is to limit everyone's testimony to no more than two minutes. Um I understand for some folks that maybe a hardship because you may have been planning190 on a three minute limit and we don't do this lightly, but again, we have to make sure that we can hear from everyone who would like to testify today. And so in order to do so we are going to have to strictly enforce a two minute limit on oral testimony. So we will be keeping time and if you do reach the two minutes that you will hear a uh some sort of a sound an alarm and I will at that point have to ask you to, you know, to conclude um remember as Shakespeare said that brevity is the soul of wit and I can assure you229 you will actually have more impact on the members of the committee. Uh if you can keep your testimony very uh, to the point um and uh and brief also please strongly consider submitting your testimony to the committee in writing. I know many of you have done that already. Um And there is no need if you've submitted in writing to also give oral testimony. But written testimony is an excellent way to make your case persuasively with all the committee members. Um All that testimony does get get read and considered and of course in your written testimony, you can add as much detail as as you wish. So again All testimony will be limited to no more than two minutes and we strongly encourage you to consider submitting your testimony in writing today rather than um oral testimony.
Let's see.
Um We will290 um be calling you just once. You know when we get we will be working our way through the agenda in terms of the the order that the bills were listed on the docket, we'll call each person who signed up to testify once. Um and we unfortunately won't really be308 able to go back. So um I'm sorry we can't tell you the exact time but you'll need to sort of keep track of where we are in316 the dock it and when you may be coming up. So we will be calling you at that time if you want to testify on more than one bill, you need to do so at that one time. We won't be able to take your testimony multiple times. So if you'd like to testify on more than one bill, please touch on them all at the time that you are called. A copy of the agenda for today's hearing is available online on the legislature's website, hearings and events. And we will try to345 conform to this agenda by recognizing similar bills together um out of indifference to legislators and other elected354 officials. Um maybe some points during the hearing when we take them out of turn. Um and we ask for your understanding when we have to do so. This hearing today is being live streamed on the Legislature's website for anybody who would like to follow along that way and it's also being recorded. So you will be able to watch and listen to the378 hearing afterwards.
I want to make remind everyone you probably know this but remind you to please please mute your microphones at all times. So when I when we call on you to testify obviously on mute then, but at all other times please we ask that you stay muted so that there's no background noise and we can all clearly here. The person who is testifying.
Lastly, I just want to remind the members of the committee that if you would like to ask a question of the person who has testified, please text either Representative pike or myself that you would like to ask a question or make a comment and we will be happy to then recognize you to speak. So again, any member of the committee who wishes to speak or ask a question. I just text430 representative picture myself and we will recognize you right away. All right. I think that covers it also. Thank you for your patience, letting me get through that. And uh, we will now dive into the agenda. First Bill will be hearing today is House Bill 42 Senate Bill 3 81 an act requiring financial education in schools. And um, I'm454 very pleased to welcome our state Treasurer Deb Goldberg, to kick off the hearing and to testify on this legislation. Treasurer Goldberg, great to see you and good morning
Treasure Goldberg. I think you may still be muted.474
See how well behaved I480 am. I was on me do not have any background noise. Um, we can hear you now actually,
great. Um it is terrifically great to see all of you, I have to say. I really miss seeing everyone in person and
[DEBORAH GOLDBERG (OFFICE OF THE TREASURER AND RECEIVER GENERAL):] [HB42] [SB381] I'm very happy to be here today to testify in support of House 42 and Senate 381. An act requiring financial education in schools. As I'm sure all of you are aware, financial education and access to economic security and stability are foundational to the work I do every day at the work I do every day at Treasury in my office of Economic Empowerment. We are constantly in um and exploring ways to provide tools and sources for people to close the wage gap and wealth gap for women, people of color,533 veterans and individuals with disabilities. Our work is important for every stage of life from our baby steps savings plan, which wraps543 financial education around the Children and546 families to our financial wellness workshops for seniors when thinking about building though a more equitable future for our Children.
Requiring that schools in Massachusetts offer financial education from Kindergarten through 12th grade is a crucial step towards achieving stability and security in the future. My bill would require financial education to be offered in all massachusetts schools and establishes a trust fund to finance course materials and teaching resources as needed. The Commissioner of elementary and second Garry that education will be and would allocate its resources to ensure all schools can afford to provide these essential skills. The implementation day would be one year after enactment to ensure Desi and school districts had the time to implement the change. Also, my office is prepared to partner with nonprofits and other private entities to provide professional development and training for teachers.
The Department of Elementary and secondary Education currently allows financial education to be623 offered, but there were schools across massachusetts that do not currently give their students this opportunity. This bill will empower Desi to require that these critical skills be provided and enable them to support districts that need assistance to meet641 the new requirements. The research is clear and in fact I noted that representative Vargas is here today and I visited the high school in behavioral and heard it from their students there themselves several years ago. Students who received this education have been more likely to save budget, invest and increase their credit scores. In fact, one of the students in behavioral told me they avoided taking on too much debt in selecting their college, having had a elective financial education course.
Can you imagine if everyone had that opportunity given the past year and a half of economic689 uncertainty and devastation, there is no better time to ensure that all massachusetts students learn funded mental foundational financial skills701 so they can be prepared for a life that often has uncertainty. Currently, there are only 12 states and the District of Columbia that have no state level requirement that schools teach or offer personal financial literacy content to students, sadly Massachusetts is one of them. Why make it mandatory. While many schools offer these programs, there is significant variance in quality and consistency. This is yet another equity issue. Low income people are more vulnerable to financial downturns than those with high incomes and have less opportunity to attain745 these necessary tools. This obvious difference has only been exacerbated during the pandemic as we all know requirement that all756 students be offered financial education will help address this imbalance utilizing the school systems allows us to reach Massachusetts, its youngest residents of all incomes and backgrounds.
Data shows that high school students who receive financial education are more likely can display positive financial behaviors. For example, after the financial education mandates were implemented in Georgia Idaho in Texas, severe absences from school declined and credit scores increase. Research also shows us that students who can attain these schools are more likely to display positive financial behaviors. We are presently facing increased uncertainty as we try to have heel and rebound as a state in the country. Now, more than ever, our young people need the tools to attain a healthy, vibrant and financially secure life. Access to these tools should be free And easily available to every student in grades K through 12. So thank you for having me here today and I'm happy to answer any questions831 and I have my fabulous team from the Office of Economic Empowerment on with me today. And while we have a researcher who has done an amazing work evaluating what's going on across Massachusetts and in its schools. So thank you so much and I hope you'll seriously consider this bill will be changing lives forever. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you so much. Treasurer Goldberg for joining us and testifying before the committee for your work on this legislation and for your longstanding leadership on advancing financial literacy and in the commonwealth. So thank you very much to you and your team as well. Okay, thank you for873 thank you the next person we're going to be hearing testimony from is Connolly espinal, you know, Lee espinal
are you with us?
Okay one last time? Yeah. Connolly espinal, are you with us in the hearing? If so please go ahead and on mute yourself.
Okay, we're going to move next to Samuel Galabru
to get root.
Thank you. Good morning everyone and thank you. Chairs Lewis and Peake for the opportunity to testify today. Really honored to go after Treasurer Goldberg. My name is Samuel Gabriel, I serve as the director of thank somebody folks. Um, Mr Gaber, I'm so sorry to interrupt you folks. We need to make sure we are muted please so we don't have any background noise. Thank you. All right, mr Gabriel again, apologies. No, my time didn't get cut off. So we will make up for that.
[SAMUEL GEBRU (BECMA):] [HB42] Uh, my name is Samuel Gebru, the Director of policy and public affairs at BECMA. The Black Economic Council of Massachusetts and I'm testifying in strong support of H 42 filed by treasurer and956 receiver General Deb Goldberg. As many of you may know, Beckmann was founded in 2015 where a statewide organization That advances964 the economic well being of black businesses organizations and people through advocacy, business and leadership development and strategic partnerships. We represent over 2500 black-owned employer firms and over 25,000 sole proprietors, all from Great Barrington to Boston and everywhere in between These entities contribute $2 billion dollars to the state's economy.
And we we were founded in response to the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston's990 2015 colour of Walter Report, which found that the median net worth of a black family in Boston is $8 and that of a white998 family is $247 $500. We are committed to prioritizing policies and practices that tackle systemic barriers to inclusion and ultimately eliminate the racial wealth gap. And we achieve this work in several critical ways, including by working to advance policies and practices that ensure that our students today are prepared for the workforce and for entrepreneurship tomorrow. Uh, you know, this is relevant to, to me personally, obviously financial education, I'm an immigrant. I came to the United States now has three English is my third language raised by a single mother that often had to work two jobs to make ends meet.
Um, and as you know, financial education isn't just some feel good notion. This is critical. Our nation is suffering crushing racial wealth gap, college debt crisis, COVID 19 has brought a lot of these inequities to the forefront. And as treasurer will Berg said, the research is there. The Brookings institution has found, for instance, that students with higher levels of financial literacy are prepared and that research shows that they're prepared to accumulate higher assets and higher net worth. They're prepared to make decisions around financial aid loans and grants care and credit card balance researchers at the George Washington University School of Business. They have conducted a financial literacy index that shows that African Americans, uh, particularly adults are less prepared compared to their white peers for critical things around managing debt insurance. Okay
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
I'm so sorry to interrupt you. But again,1104 we're past the two minutes now, so we're going to going to have to wrap up.
[GEBRU:] Thank you. Well, we're strongly in support
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
that's all I'll say. That's that's that's the most important thing we need to know. Um and I'm gonna apologize, cutting you off, but I have to remind everyone again, we have more than 200 people signed up. We are going to now strictly enforce the two minutes I out of deference to Treasurer Goldberg. I did let her continue for more than two minutes, but I won't be doing that anymore. Um And again, if you want to make your point, uh you know, during testimony briefly and then submit more detailed arguments in writing. That's a great way to do it. And you will be um rest assured all of that will be seen and read by1148 the committee members. Okay, The next person to testify will be dr Margaret brooks
brooks, are you with us? Yes. Hello, can you hear me? Yes. Good morning, please go ahead.
[MARGARET BROOKS (MASSACHUSETTS COUNCIL1163 ON ECONOMIC EDUCATION):] [HB42] Hi, good morning. Hi, I'm Dr. Margaret brooks. I'm executive director of the Massachusetts. Council on Economic Education to Program of Council for Economic Education. I'm also a1174 professor of Economics and Director of the Office of Financial literacy and Economic education at Bridgewater State University. Well, I also teach financial literacy ah to students the first year freshman seminar, I also in various roles have provided professional development to Massachusetts teach. It's Since the mid 1990s. So it's been1195 ongoing with both economic and financial literacy over a number of years. And I'm here today to testify in favor of House Bill 42 an act requiring financial education schools. I'm just so happy to see the legislation moving forward to consider establishing a separate financial literacy trust fund in our state. This fund will provide regularly ongoing support for financial education to be offered by school districts to all students.
And I'm sure everyone here1224 agrees that financial literacy is a fundamental life skill and every student deserves a chance to acquire the skills and now it's to succeed in life by providing funding for this education, all Massachusetts, students can become empowered to make wise financial choices in so many areas, earning income buying goods and services saving, using credit, financial investing and in protecting and ensuring in addition, as as we have seen offering financial education, can support and promote equity for minority and underserved student groups who may be disproportionately burdened with life challenges. And I would just speak very briefly, I grew up in a family of nine Children in Rhode island, um extreme poverty. We often didn't have enough to eat. We sometimes do not have winter coat.
It was just1275 a very and so when you're in that day to day situation, it's hard to think about the future to think about oh going to college and things like that, It wasn't on the horizon, although financial literacy, my discussions of economics with my teacher when my father gave me that inspiration that I was going to go back and1294 I did and I ended up graduating from Brown University with my PhD. But I did feel that that financial gave me the inspiration that hope to look beyond what was happening in the moment, those challenges that facing and thinking there can be a brighter future and I can be empowered to to work that way. So I really think in terms of setting goals and envisioning a better future, financial literacy has the opportunity to change our students lives. So I do hope that you pass this bill, I strongly recommend passage, thank you for this opportunity to provide my testimony.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you very much dr brooks appreciate your testimony and thank you also for adhering to our, to our two minute limits. Thank you. Um that is um the doctors is the last person signed up to testify on the House 42 Senate 381. So we're going to close the hearing on those two bills. Um Next we're gonna just recognize Senator Harriette Chandler to give testimony on her bill and then after that we will return to1356 House bill 5 78. So senator Chandler please go ahead.
Yeah
Senator Chandler, I think you may still1372 be on mute.
Senator Chandler, not sure if you were speaking, unfortunately can't see you on my screen, but um, could you try one more time to a mute and speak?
Still can't hear me? I know we can hear you now. Great, good morning Senator.
[SEN CHANDLER:] [SB284] Thank you. Thank you for taking me out of turn and uh, I am here to testify on behalf of Senate Bill 284. An act providing health education in schools, health and education and appropriate age is critical for students because it provides them with the necessary knowledge to better their mental, physical, emotional and social health. Our bill commits the board of1430 Education to establishing mandatory statewide goals for health education in our schools. These goals are to be set for education on physical development, fitness and nutrition, reproduction and sexuality, Mental health, sickness prevention, safety and injury prevention, safe substance use and public health among others.
While the bill acknowledges the parents right to determine how their child1454 is educated about sexual health, It mandates that every school gives parents a an opportunity to utilize classroom based, age appropriated medically accurate sexual education through their school. The bill also supports the re evaluation of funding in order to incorporate specialists, provide professional development for classroom teachers and obtain instructional equipped. The bill is of utmost importance for the citizens of Massachusetts. We will suffer without clear accurate and age appropriate health information And I urge you to carefully consider this bill. We have gone without a bill this type for far too long for all these reasons. I encourage the committee to give a favorable report to Senate bill 284 an act providing health education in schools. Even the committee's wisdom, you choose not to look favorably on my bill. I would recommend you support and act relative to help healthy youth1507 as a viable alternative. Thank you very much. Chairman.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you so much. Senator Chandler for joining us and thanks for your longstanding work on health education in our1520 schools. Such an important area. Um Okay, so we're going to move now to house Bill 5 78 an act establishing a personal financial literacy curriculum in our schools. And I believe Representative Durant is with us and we would like to testify. Please go ahead represent um here.
[REP DURANT:] [HB578] Thank you. Mr. Chairman Madam, Chairwoman and members of the committee, I'll be brief because I know you've got a lot of people uh today to testify and I am1548 testifying in support of House 578 which establishes a financial literacy curriculum within schools. You know, I I think the the treasurer did a fantastic job of outlining just how important it is that we established this curriculum and how important it is that our kids at every level get get that financial literacy education behind them so that they can go into adulthood not in debt. Right? I I always say this bill came about and I think my my niece and my nephew are unhappy when I tell the story in public.
But I always say this bill came about when both of them at different points in their lives, there are few years apart, came to me and asked me for for some money, they needed to borrow some money as if I have money, but they decided that for some reason must have money. So they came and asked me to borrow some money. Uh and my answer to them was always the same. Okay, well, let's sit down before we do that and look at your budget uh to which each one of them gave me kind of that blank stare. And it really dawned on me that they're not going into the world prepared for that financial education that's so important. They find themselves in debt. So House 578 simply establishes that curriculum. It sets a framework for it and provides desi with the ability to to put parameters around it. It puts together an 11 member committee that meets a few times a years to make sure that the curriculum goes in the right direction and it's something that we can all agree on.
But I just, you know, we were able to make it um and a couple of stages, we've been able to advance this bill in past sessions. Um but COVID hit two sessions ago, I thought we might we might be able to get something moving through. But there are so many of these great financial literacy bills um, I would encourage the committee to really take a strong look at them all. Obviously I'm supporting 578 but all of them just have have such important uh, you know, monumental um importance for us here that, that I just think that it's time for us to do that. So with that I will wrap it up if you have any questions, I'm happy to answer them, but I will move on so other people can give their testimony.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Great, thanks a1687 lot. Representative Iraq, we appreciate hearing from you on your legislation today. Our next is steven Sharrock, even Xiarhos mr Sharon.
[STEVE SHAREK (MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION OF VOCATIONAL ADMINISTRATORS):] Yes, my name is stave Sharek and I serve as executive director of the Massachusetts Association of vocational administrators, the oldest and largest professional association representing the interests of vocational technical and agricultural schools and programs in Massachusetts. I'm here with an offer in a simple request. We offer to help please include us in reviewing the bills today, I noticed that at least five of them would create commissions, advisory councils or advisory committees to help shape the legislation affecting anti racism, equity and justice curriculum, media literacy curriculum and the aforementioned personal financial literacy curriculum.
Every one of these bills would directly affect the schools that I represent in lava and here's why the same laws that apply to general education high schools apply to vocational schools as well. The same discipline laws, collective bargaining laws, special ED laws, ethics laws and even m cast in short, all the curriculum changes. All the graduation requirements that you're talking about today would affect vocational educators as well. Yet we're not included specifically on the advisory committee's advisory councils or commissions created for this legislation. We have plenty of excellent teachers and administrators, Carpenters, carpenters, cabinetmakers, engineers, electricians, they'd be happy to help they'd add value and perhaps even a practical working person's perspective. So please include us. That's my testimony. Thank you very much.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you very much. Um Next we'll hear from Angie Leong.
Hi everyone. Hi hi um
[ANGIE LEUNG (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [HB578] Good morning everyone. I'm Angie a junior in high school and I'm here in strong support for bill H 578 that's filed by Mr. Durant on establishing a personal finance curriculum1828 over the past year. My friend Vidula who will give a testimony after me and I started a initiative to increase the level of you financial literacy. As high school students, we find a lack of proper instruction and infrastructure in Massachusetts to teach personal finance to be troubling. We found that many of our high school educators agreed with us for a survey, we sent out to Massachusetts. High school principals, vice principals and finance teachers, one pattern we would like to highlight from my data which received 137 responses from 123 high schools. Is that 63% of surveyed school admitted administrators do not think that students will remember or use their financial knowledge learned using current personal finance curriculums.
Why is that? Well, first, there is currently no standardized place for schools1877 to look towards for personal finance curriculum help. Second, as of now, there is no way to ensure that the current curriculums are effective. We don't1885 know if what students are learning actually, we'll make it and students is life providing resources helpful for the curriculum creation in each district as stipulated in1897 Bill H 578 would help to solve both problems if the goal of the high school1901 is to prepare students for life after graduation. Then most schools in our state right now are not meeting that standard. Our school system repairs to the students of the academic skills we need to succeed. But now it is time we prepared students to graduate with knowledge on managing their finances. Thank you.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Great, thank you so much. It's great to hear from you angie and thank you for you're giving us a student perspective on this on this topic. Um Next, we're gonna hear from Videla man. Um they do Lemon in are you with us? Hi,
[VIDULA1940 MANNEM (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [HB578] Hi, good morning everyone. My name is Vidula and I'm also a junior in high school. I'm speaking to you today to express my strong support for house bill 578 filed by Mr. Durant on the implementation of curriculum on personal financial literacy. Well, Massachusetts is a state known for its quality education. In comparison to other states, Massachusetts is lacking in financial literacy. The most recent nations report caught on financial literacy from the American public foundation. Massachusetts received a grade1968 of C. For how well educated K. Through 12.
Students1972 on personal finance, neighbouring states such as new Hampshire currently have K through 12 personal finance standards required for district implementation. In contrast, Massachusetts only has a few loose standards head up in the overall education standards. For my own personal experiences and discussions with educators, I came to a realization there is a strong disconnect between students taking personal1996 finance classes and actually being financially literate anecdotally, many students who take these classes are not motivated2002 to learn about personal finance, But now students graduating high school not only have to manage the aftermath of the COVID-19 recession, but we also have to navigate fluctuating markets and manage burdensome finances.
Although financial literacy does not ensure future success, the personal and national consequences of financial ignorance are too significant to ignore this bill in implementing personal finance standards and helping students, helping schools develop a curriculum would give high school students the opportunity to learn from a well developed cohesive and most importantly and applicable curriculum with a concrete set of personal finance standards and aid from the DESE, to create effective curriculum, districts and schools will be more likely to offer personal finance classes that equips students with relevant skills and knowledge on how to manage their personal finance, thank you for this opportunity2049 to give my testimony.
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Great, thank you so much. We really appreciate hearing from you and thanks for your leadership in this on this important topic. Um, okay, so that uh, the last person Vitolo is the last person signed up to testify on House 5 78. So we're going to close the hearing on that bill In a moment. We will move to Senate Bill 346. But before we do that, I'm going to recognize Malton Mayor Garry Christensen who has joined us and would like to testify. So Mr Mayor, please go ahead.
[MAYOR GARY CHRISTENSON (MALDEN MA):] [SB365] [HB584] Thank you for this opportunity and first thank you to you all for continuing to help cities and towns like ours, whether the pandemic, we would not be where we are without all of your support. Now, while many things did come to a standstill in our community due to COVID the one thing that did not was the determination to address racial inequities, especially after the increased awareness following the murder of George Floyd. Leading that effort. As with most things in the city of Malden has been our youth in addition to holding vigils and marches. They also organized the Malden High school students for racial equity. It was during my meetings with them2129 that I learned clearly of the immediate need to modernize the curriculum used in the Malden public schools. The students explain to me that if we don't make changes at the local level, then our goal will never be fully realized.
These changes include developing curriculum materials, perspective of dismantling racism, ensuring that this perspective is taught at all grade levels. Considering changes to the Massachusetts test for education licensure2161 to help attract a more diverse pool of candidates in offering professional development courses to teach us in school counselors that foster equitable inclusive curriculum and practices that support racial justice, establishing and funding a commission for anti racism and equity and education, Among other things proposed in Senate 365 and house 584 will assist in addressing these changes across our school districts. Some say that change takes time, but this is one issue that can no longer wait Senate 365 and House 584 gives us the chance to dismantle structural racism and create equal opportunities for our Children. Your support of these bills is critical. I thank you for your consideration.
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Thank you so much. Mr. Mayor. Great to hear from you. Um, some folks may not know this, but Mauldin has, um,2222 the most diverse high school in the entire state and we really appreciate the mayor and the school leadership and the communities engagement when it comes to advancing diversity equity, inclusion and anti racism efforts in our schools. So thank you for the model that you're setting for, for all for all of us. Yeah, Thank you. So we are going to um, now move to Senate Bill 346
and act relative to financial literacy education and David Florentine is signed up to testify. Mr Florian Europe.
Thank you. Can you see you hear me? Mr Chairman? Yes, you can, loud and clear. Good, good,
[DAVID FLOREEN (MASSACHUSETTS BANKERS ASSOCIATION):] [SB346] Good morning. Mr Chairman. I'm David Floreen. I for many years I was Senior Vice president Mass bankers association and work With my colleague Scott Gaile. We are the advocacy chairs for mass saves and we've been doing this for about 15 years along with Margaret Brooks and many others. And 1st 1, if we want to thank you and chairman Peisch for your leadership when helping get in Chapter 4 38 enacted three years ago, it was a very good first step toward advancing the importance of financial literacy across Massachusetts. Um, I'd like to echo what Treasurer Goldberg said and what Representative Durant said about the need for expanding the the current law so that it covers all students. There are too many really good programs and initiatives that are undertaken by individual teachers, school districts, um, and individual schools, but it's not uniform. Uh, and you can go from one school and in a particular district to another and you'll see great variety.
The each of these bills and they all have merit. But each of these bills attempts to expand and address that disparity and we as a2351 statewide coalition of educators, um, nonprofits, many banks and businesses really support what we're trying what you're all trying to do, establishment of a trust fund that allows for acceptance of grants and monies that's also carried over so that2370 there may be additional funding available. There are many, many qualified programs curricular that's already there. The focus really we think needs to be on more teacher development and the training and getting more teachers aware and comfortable of what can be taught, what's there. Um And beyond just what's there at the high school level Jesse has put in standards for in grades nine through 12, but we can do more at the local level. Um one of the little there's much, many more than we can say and that's included in written statements that will be submitted later today. One little example and I'll close with this because I think it's relevant. One of our volunteers at our Local Credit for Life fears and there are many of those across the state.
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Mr Florentin. I'm so sorry, but you are at two minutes. So
[FLOREEN:] Okay, I will I will conclude and say thank you and hope you can move these forward.
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Thank you so much and please submit to us in writing what you were not able to share. Okay, we would we want to still certainly hear everything you had to share with us. Um Okay, so that closes the hearing on Senate bill 346. we're gonna move now to Senate bill 3 80. Um Senator O'Connor. Uh, you signed up you with us. Great, I see you go ahead. Senator O'Connor thank you.
[SEN O'CONNOR:] [SB380] [SB381] That chairman and madam chair for the opportunity to testify today. I will be brief. Um So my testimony today will be on Senate Bill 380 and 381, both of the bills that were able to file this year in relation to financial literacy. This really builds on our work from the 2018 Financial Literacy Act, which allowed us to have school districts that may incorporate financial education. This puts the teeth into it and makes a requirement 380 and 381. The major differences of the way in which it's funded 380 essentially funds it via state and federal grants for the Economic Empowerment Trust Fund. 381 would actually create a financial literacy trust fund through Desi. And so both of those are just sort of different funding mechanisms.
I think that a lot of the data that was shared earlier as well as some additional data really goes to show why we need to do this. 21 states currently require high school students to take a course. Another 26 states required that of course be offered Massachusetts needs to enter into this mix. There's way too many products that are going on right now in the financial literacy space That our students need to be more educated even than the generation before them. Um you know, when you look at something that 35% of Massachusetts households wouldn't have the ability to retain financial security in the absence of income for2535 more than three months. When you take into consideration the $25,000 of average debt that Massachusetts students leave Higher education with and when you look nationally that only 6.9% of high school students have attained financial literacy.
You know, we have a major problem and we start after the recession with payday loan companies and now with even more access to capital, I think that the time is even more important to pass this very um these any one of these very well intentioned bills to make it a requirement for financial literacy in the state. And I also wanted to introduce Tim Ranzetta, who is part of our panel, Mr. chairman who is a2577 leader in the financial education space,2579 who has um founded a nonprofit company Next Gen Personal Finance, who have been really on the ground helping states not just implement financial literacy, but actually provide the curriculum um and the professional development needed. And so2589 with that I would have your indulgence to to turn it over to him and thank you both of you for your time and attention on this incredibly, incredibly busy appearing today.
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Great thanks a lot, Senator O'Connor um and thanks for your longstanding work and leadership on on personal financial literacy. Um We let's go2615 next to uh, to tim Lanzetta, uh, Senator O'Connor just mentioned. Um, Mr N zita.
[TIM RANZETTA (NGPF):] [SB380] Yes, thank you. Senator O'Connor I appreciate the opportunity today to provide testimony in support of S 380, which will guarantee all high school students will take a personal finance course before they cross that graduation stage. Schools are the only way we know to be able to reach all young people. So again, I'm the co founder of Next Gen Personal Finance. Our focus as an organization is how can we increase access this essential course. Our curriculum is currently used by more than 50,000 educators in all 50 states, including more than 1000 in Massachusetts. I want to shout out to incredible educators and advocates in your state. You heard earlier from Dr. Margaret Brooks as well as Scott Gaile.
I mean, they have been on the front lines for so many years ensuring that educators have those skills to teach this course, Taking a national view, similar to Massachusetts, we see incredible momentum behind2678 financial education. In fact, 26 state legislators legislatures Have introduced bills similar to S 380. In fact, your neighbor Rhode Island earlier this year signed a law that will guarantee all students in the state will pass a personal finance course Massachusetts should join them. I just want you to remember one thing from this testimony who gets access to financial education is a social justice issue. You've heard this from several commenters earlier Today in Massachusetts research that we work with Montana State University on compiling currently finds only 5%, That's 5% of high school students in the state attend a school that guarantees they will take a personal finance course before graduation.
If you're lucky enough to be a student at Newton North or North Attleboro or Westport Junior Senior high school, then you are guaranteed to take the course. Passing S 380 Will ensure the other 95% of students will receive this essential course and that zip code will not be destiny having taught over the last decade. Summer school programs serving lower income student, I can tell you the impact of the course is not only on the students2752 in the class, but extends far beyond that. Students are bringing these lessons home to their parents. So Massachusetts has a chance to send a signal to the rest of the nation2764 and become the ninth state to guarantee that every student crossing that graduation stage will have the financial skills in order to be2773 financially capable and to thrive in the future. Good for students, good for families. It's good for the state economy. Thank you for the opportunity to testify today.
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Great. Thank you very much. Mr. transit up um, Jessica pelota. Uh, you are next. Thank you. That's correct, Jessica Pelletier. Can you hear me? Yes. Fantastic. Thank you.
[JESSICA PELLETIER (FIT MONEY):] [SB380] [SB381] Thank you.2798 Chair louis chair Peisch members of the committee. Thank you for bringing us together to discuss the education of our Children. I'm here today in support of financial literacy. One of our most crucial life skills. My name is Jessica Pelletier. I'm the executive director of Fit Money, a Massachusetts based nonprofit providing free and accessible financial literacy curriculum to K-2 schools, teachers and families. Last year we supported over 70 schools reaching 3500 students. But I think we all know that's not nearly enough. I want to thank Senator O'Connor for his sponsorship of Senate Bill 380 and 381, both requiring financial literacy in K-12 through 12 schools.
There are several bills, as we've heard about promoting financial literacy education, including one from Treasurer Goldberg. They're all fantastic and I'm so pleased with this momentum. Some would suggest that money matters should be taught at home. However, a2851 recent T Rowe price study indicated that parents would rather discuss drugs and sex before talking about money. If that's the case, then we can be sure that these important conversations are not happening over the dinner table. I'm going to talk about the other end of our students. Research shows that many financial habits and behaviors are formed by children in age seven and I want to highlight this point specifically as a parent of a seven and 10 year old. I can tell you they are well aware of their wants? Not so much their needs, but how quickly they want to spend that money the minute they hit that saving school.
We need to start educating our children in kindergarten so we can build2894 a foundation for strong financial decision making in their future and their financial future is not as far away as you might think. Did you know that my two children are eligible for debit cards? I recently answered one of the very flashy targeted advertisements on social media and I ordered my 10 year old a card. There was little to no education for my child. It seems that they're leaving that up to the parents. You know, those ones that don't actually want to talk about money with their kids, we entrust our children to educators across our commonwealth to prepare them for college career adulthood. So let's also support these heroes. I know you are all discussing ARPA funding and over the next 3-4 years we must provide financial literacy, professional development for our teachers, A majority of whom self identify as not prepared to teach personal finance.
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Great, thank you. I'm sorry to interrupt you again, but we're going to have to conclude their
[PELLETIER:] Thank you so much.
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Thank you for testifying. Thanks for your all your work on this issue. Um and again, reminded to everybody, since we are having to strictly limit the testimony in two minutes, feel free to submit anything you'd like to share with the committee further in writing. That's a very effective way to communicate with Representative Peisch myself and all the committee members. Um Okay, so that concludes the2979 hearing on Senate Bill 3 80. I'm going to close the hearing on that bill and that is also the last of the bills were hearing related to financial literacy in our curriculum. So we're going to move now to several bills that deal with science and climate uh in our curriculum. And the first bill is House Bill 67 and3005 act relative to science curriculum standards. Um there isn't anyone signed up to testify, so we're going to close the hearing on that bill. Next is House Bill 6 14 and Senate Bill 3 11 and act implementing an elementary and secondary interdisciplinary climate3027 education curriculum in the commonwealth James.3031 Elder is signed up to testify. Mr Elder, europe,
can you hear me? Yes, go ahead.
[JIM ELDER (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [HB614] [SB311] Thank you. Chair louis James, older director of the campaign for environmental literacy, which happens to be based in Manchester Massachusetts. I'm the primary author uh the federal climate change patient act currently in Congress, led by Senator Markey The $50 million dollar bill that will park fund state departments of education and their hurts Such as these two peoples to advance climate literacy. I also wrote the first after the Rhode island climate literacy act And helped establish the coalition that secured $12 million dollars from the Washington Legislature for teacher professional development in climate science. These bills are very near and dear to my heart. Um I suspect that many of you and the legislature have deep concerns about climate change and recognize that huge changes are really needed to uh both mitigate and adapt to it.
However, we assert that the climate change challenge is fundamentally a human capital. Even if we3110 have all the necessary policy and technological tools to address climate change, we SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
won't be Ciccolo without a climate literate citizen. So plans to address class control successful if first consumers are educated about the basics of climate change and adjust their behaviours3131 accordingly. Second, future professionals in almost all fields of endeavor. Architects, engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs, financial experts, lawyers, educators, political leaders. Just to name a few if there are if they are educated,3147 learn to adjust their their professional practice accordingly. Third we need picture citizens who are educated so that they support bold climate change policies and help elect and support climate literate leaders. And finally fourth future workforce members such as those engaged in new climate friendly technologies are thoroughly educated and prepared for the growing climate technology job market. There are at least 14 state bills dealing with climate change education, introduce. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you very much Mr elder thank you again for your testimony today and for your leadership at the state and federal level on climate science education3217 Margaret carol is up next Margaret carol Margaret carol are you with us? Okay? We're going to go to Brianna Brown, Rihanna Brown.
Are you with us Brianna Brown?
Okay, Kenneth miller, Kenneth, Miller.
[KENNETH MILLER (NATIONAL CENTER FOR SCIENCE EDUCATION):] [HB614] [SB311] Good morning. Hi, my name is Kenneth Miller. I'm a resident of Rehoboth Massachusetts. I'm professor of biology at Brown University and I'm president of3234 the National Center for Science Education. I'm proud of the fact that our commonwealth is a leader in public education, particularly in science and math. Leadership demands constant updating and I can think of no field in which leadership is more crucial than in the area of climate change. I'm speaking in strong support of H 614 and S 311. These bills will start a process of curriculum development to guide and support our educators as they prepare students for the climate related, environmental and social challenges that confront our nation in the commonwealth and that will only intensify in the years to come.
The bills don't impose a specific curriculum or dictate what must be3262 taught in the classroom. Instead, they3264 seek to initiate a process of study and3266 development from which a model curriculum on climate change will emerge. I should note that in addition to my scientific work, I am along with concord resident Joseph Levine, author of the most widely used high school biology textbook in the nation. Known simply as3282 biology by Miller and Levin the science of climate change and its impact on living organisms has long been a centerpiece of our books and programs but it would be a serious mistake to combine climate education to the science curriculum as if it had no effect on the social, economic and political life of the commonwealth.
The unprecedented multiple crises of the past year. From drought and wildfires to floods and intense storms have driven home. The fact that we are living in a3311 dramatically warmer climate as they move into adult citizenship, our students are going to have to deal with these challenges and they must understand more than the science behind climate. As citizens. They're going to determine how basically the issues of anthropogenic climate change, equitable climate solutions. Climate policy and climate activism will be dealt. I strongly support the development of such curricular standards for history and social science and3341 the commonwealth and would urge3343 the committee to vote in favour of passage. If this bill does become law, it will institute changes in education that will lead us to a more equitable, sustainable and productive future for everyone in the commonwealth and by our leadership for the nation as a whole. And I thank everyone on the committee very much for their time and consideration.
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Great! Thank you so much. Professor Miller, thank you for joining us today to share3369 your expertise with us, the work you're doing. Thank you. Um even even buying B. E I3377 N.
Hi, my name is Eben Bein, I am a well sorry, caught breathless following Kenneth Miller, the author of the biology textbook that I used to teach when I was a high school biology teacher. Uh so anyway, excuse me, flustered and so excited. Thank you. Professor Miller will be in touch.
[EBEN BEIN3402 (MYCC):] [HB614] [SB311] Um my name is Eben Bein. I'm the Massachusetts Field coordinator for our Climate um an administrator for the Massachusetts Youth Climate coalition MYCC for short. This is a youth led coalition that includes um so sorry, uh uh hey Zoe, be careful where you're posting things. I'm sorry you bumped my testimony here. I apologize everyone. This is uh anyway, so I3416 think what I want to say is that I have come to this work in youth climate activism after six years of teaching high school biology. Um it's a sickening irony to have to teach young people who are already losing housing3434 to sea level rise about climate science in one day with no time to practice building solutions. My young activists and I are constantly the fate of the planet between class homework and extracurriculars, including some youth that just ran from the library and are working with me right now to testify.
Um we educators, educators, educators, educators, educators, educators, educators, educators, educators, educators, we decision makers need to stop pretending that we are getting climate right without young people at the helm. We need to stop pretending that we are preparing our Children for the real world if we are not giving them the skills and the time to push us the generations that failed to deliver on climate justice and the interdisciplinary climate curriculum Bill does that3473 It was written fully by the youth run Massachusetts. Climate educational organization and give students the time resources and supports to build climate justice solutions including the curriculum standards themselves. And this integrates seamlessly with the work of the activists of the Care Act and the native American culture and history bills as indigenous flourishing and anti racism and climate justice are completely interwoven. So please accept this testimony on on behalf of the many youth that I worked with. Um I will also please recommend that these bills be recommended favorably and transparently from committee with access to with on the public record. Each committee member's votes, Thank you very much.
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Thank you. Thank you Mr biden and good quick recovery there. So thanks for all, thanks for your good work. Um Next we're gonna hear from Henry Barbaro.
Henry R borrow.
Yes. Are you with us? Mr Barbaro with you. Okay, please go ahead, how are you?
Yes, please go ahead sir. Um Anyway,
[HENRY BARBARO (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [HB614] [SB311] Thank thank you to the chairs Lewis and Peisch and to all the members of the Education Committee. My name is Henry Barbaro and I live in Newton and I think these bills 614 and S 311 our are well intentioned and but I have concerns that anthropogenic climate change is a very complex and controversial topic. It's based on scientific modelling and uh you know that the causes of climate change, which I think are, you know, it's undeniably the climate is changing, I think that's for sure, I am a Professional environmental scientists have been for more than 30 years but as from my readings it's the strength of the sun.
That's That's the change of the earth's orbit. An actual tilt quantity of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere certainly is a contributor. Ocean currents, currents, plate tectonics, volcanic eruptions, changes in land cover. There are all these factors. I just and I just would like to uh I urge the authors of the bill and the committee that students who get this training in this message about climate change are also taught about, you know, analytical thinking and all these other factors that uh contribute to climate change. And so put in perspective and and have a balance rather than just talk about, you know, um that the human causes of climate change and and include these other factors. So that's really that's my message and I appreciate your Thank you. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Okay,3671 thank you. Mr Barbara Barbaro Next, we're gonna hear from Haley martin. Haley martin, are you with us? Yes, I am. Can you give me one minute, one second.
Mhm.
Um smarten, can you go ahead please? Yes, I don't know. It's so sorry. You want me to come back to you in a few minutes. Yeah. Right off. Perfect. All right, we'll come back to you in a few minutes. We're going to move on to ruby Robichaud law, ruby, ruby shaw.
Hello. Hello, please go ahead. ahead. Good morning.
[RUBY ROBICHEAU (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [HB614] [SB311] Good Good morning. My name is Ruby Robicheau and I'm from Melrose Massachusetts. You're actually, you actually represent my district, I'm 17 years old and I'm a senior, finishing my last year at Melrose High School. I'm speaking during my focus3730 lab because my teacher has let me do so because she knows how hard we've been working the past year crafting this bill and it's extremely important for students to learn climate education in the classroom. The past year has been very hard for some people and I've been trying to do my best to educate myself on the gaps, to educate myself on the gaps, to educate myself on the gaps, to educate myself on the gaps, acknowledged that I have not learned through my schools, Kearney current curriculum.
One of these these gaps of knowledge3753 includes climate and the point the importance of the3756 climate crisis. When I first learned about climate change in my 8th grade science classroom, I did not understand the importance of the climate crisis because it had not and has not impacted my community to the extent that it will in the coming years, my3772 first introduction to the effects of climate change was when my city passed a plastic bag ban, I knew that this law was passed because something was important, but I did not understand the gravity of its importance or the why behind this change, incorporating an act, implementing an element mentoring and secondary introduce philistinism.
Listen Listen erI, climate education curriculum in the commonwealth H 614 or s 311 into school curriculums will allow students to3804 have the background knowledge on climate and climate action is not a supplementary issue to learn in in your free time, but a mandatory issue that will impact the upcoming legislation in the future. More laws and regulations will be past due to the oncoming threat of climate change, but without required education on the subject, many students will not understand why these laws are being passed and3830 we'll less likely be able to civically engage in this matter because3834 they do not have the background information to participate and contribute in that discussion. I acknowledge I come from a place of privilege because I'm able to spend my extra time educating myself on current topics like the climate3848 crisis in order to make myself a more well rounded citizen, so I can actively participate, engage and contribute to my community, to my false potential. This bill will allow others to have the background information in order to participate in that in that discussion and become more well rounded citizens as education is supposed to do. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Great, thank you so much ruby, I really applaud your advocacy for environmental sustainability and for climate education, so you're really a role model for other young people, thank you and proud to represent you as well. Um let's go back to Haley martin now.
[HAILEY MARTIN (MASSACHUSETTS CLIMATE EDUCATION ORGANIZATION):] [HB614] [SB311] Okay, um I just had to run out of my AP environmental science class, which is the extent of My schools, climate and environmental science curriculum, a class that you have to pay $95 to take. And while I'm very lucky to be there, it's super interesting. I'm learning a lot. Some kids do not have the access that I do to take this class. Um my name is Hailey Martin and I represent the youth led Massachusetts Climate Education Organization. And when the organization was found in the spring of 2020 the question was raised, what do they teach us about climate change and public schools? Right through my foggy memories of high school middle school and even elementary school and still could not remember a clear instance of my teachers explain,
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Sorry to interrupt you. Could folks, whoever is not muted, please mute. Please please mute yourself. It's disrespectful to this person who's speaking if there's background noise. All right. All right, so sorry, Hayley, please continue.
[MARTIN:] And if the teachers explain the fate of the world to us, I've grown up on the beautiful Cape Cod, I've spent my adolescence running on the beach at sunset, swimming in the vast Atlantic, being mindful of great whites, taking field trips to the national seashore, making this place my home and I have to come to terms with the fact that might place. I grew up and may not be here in the years to come vulnerable to climate change and rising sea levels. My schools, parks beaches, libraries, restaurants and home will be under water and the kids living here will learn this eventually, but at the very least they deserve to learn why. Bill H 614 and S 311 to implement elementary and secondary, interdisciplinary climate education curriculum in Massachusetts is the best way to safely and accurately teach students about climate change and climate justice justice. It will teach them about what has happened to our atmosphere or oceans, wildlife around the world, how climate change affects our health.
Howitt disproportionately affects those in environmental justice communities and what environmental justice communities are. How many times of our Children heard the words climate change or global warming, but how many of them understand what that is. Adults are so fond of telling my generation that will have to clean up the mess they made that will be the future. Leaders, engineers, politicians, lawyers, changemakers, that will fix this, it is up to us. But what tools4027 have we been equipped with to do this with so much pressure and work to do, but with no4031 formal education. If you want us to be the changemakers, we've been encouraged to be for so long help us by moving this bill forward. I am so proud to live in Massachusetts and this committee here and communities in the past that have worked to make the state the example of a comprehensive public school system that it is What this title means. You have to listen to all the bills presented here today and decide if you want to uphold the state's reputation4053 and move them forward out of committee specifically H 614 for the good of the commonwealth in the future. Thank you.
[SEN LEWIS:]Thank you so much. Um, and uh, I really appreciate your leadership of the messages, Climate education organization. Um, did you say, I heard you say you were stepping out of the class, but did you say you have to pay for that class? Can you? And I see Representative Peisch. He may have had the same question as me.
[MARTIN:] Yeah. So, um, you have to pay to take the test. I think there are certain fee waivers that students can get, but not all of them know about the fee waivers. Um, I don't know of any students that4093 have taken the class, but not taken the test or pay for the time if that answers your question.
[LEWIS:] Is that4101 you're referring to the AP test?
[MARTIN:] Yes. The Advanced Placement. That's the only environmental science class the school has.
[LEWIS:] Yeah. Got it. Okay, I'm familiar with that.
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Thank you so much for we're so glad you could testify.4117 Representative piece. Did that answer your question? Absolutely Good Chairman. Thank you. Okay, Very good. All right. Thank you so much. Um, alright. We're going to have one more person testify on this bill and then we're going to hear from Representative Wind. Um, so let's see. Do we have Zoe Nagasawa with us? Zoe4138 Nagasawa. Hi, can you hear me? Yes. Yes, please go ahead.
[ZOE NAGASAWA (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [HB614] [SB311] Great, thank you. Hi, my name is Zoe Nagasawa and I'm from Dorchester Massachusetts. I'm 18 years old. I started coming here um, and I'm speaking out in the library between classes. I literally just ran here from my mass section to make it to this call on time. We're very glad. So am I. Um, but that's a problem that many you have to face right now. As you just heard from Ruby and Haley, we're juggling school work and climate work forced to choose between our formal education and investment in our future and our activism, a literal fight for our future. We've had to teach ourselves about environmental science and we've had to take it on our own shoulders, shoulders to educate ourselves about the rapidly changing world.
Uh, when more responsibility is adding to when they're younger siblings to take care of or a job to work um, in the family income, this juggling4204 act comes even harder. Many youth, yeah, okay. In this fight, and don't have the time to dedicate to self-education. Many of us because our schools do4215 not currently have a climate curriculum left under the crisis and will only become more unprepared as it intensifies, which is why an act implementing an elementary and secondary, interdisciplinary climate education curriculum in the commonwealth H 614 or S 311 is so important. We need to highlight how intersectional and far reaching the climate crisis truly is by incorporating Climate Science into all. Basic paid through 12 science.
Okay, students will be better able to understand the mechanics of our environmental issues by incorporating it into humanities. They will be better able to understand the impacts on their own neighborhoods and all understand that those very bad based on the economic and racial makeup of community, they will be given the tools they need to be the client climate scientists and policy shapers that we need innovating and creating and listening and guiding us to a better world. A changing climate is our current reality. There's no denying that. And as the world changes are, education has to change as well. If it doesn't, we will be left unequipped to adapt to the dramatic global shifts that will happen in our lifetime if it doesn't when Dorchester is underwater, my people will be desperately struggling to stay afloat with line. So please for my generation in my community recommend this bill favorably and transparently from the committee. Thank you.
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Thank you. Thank you so much. So we thank you for your very powerful testimony and for all the good work you're doing um on climate, education and climate advocacy. Thanks we really appreciate it. Um that um Is that concludes the testimony on House Bill 614 and Senate Bill 311. So we're going to close the hearing on those two bills before we go to our next bill. Um we are now joined by Representative tram Nguyen and I'd like to welcome and recognize her to speak to the to the committee.
[REP NGUYEN:] [HB 671]4343 [SB304] Thank you so much chair louis and good afternoon to you as well as as well as chair4351 Peisch and colleagues on the Education Committee, I'm so4354 glad to see so many people here interested in our curriculum and especially so inspired by the young advocates here. I appreciate the opportunity to testify in strong support of my bill, House Bill 671 An Act promoting racially and culturally inclusive K-12 curriculum, which I filed with Senator Crighton in collaboration with advocates from4375 educators for excellence, which you will hear from our current state law outlines the responsibility of curriculum frameworks in avoiding perpetuating gender, cultural, ethnic or racial stereotypes, but does not currently detail how we can implement an inclusive framework or what diverse narratives should be included.
This bill would expand upon the language within the existing law by inserting a subsection, calling for the elevation of the narratives achievements and key writings of members of communities of color and other marginalized communities into the framework. In doing so, it would create a clear starting point for curriculum users and educators to utilize as a tool in creating a more inclusive educational experience and environment for students. The language of the current law is limited, calling for simply avoid and avoidance of stereotypes. However, we need to create a truly racially and culturally inclusive curriculum and we must focus on implementing effective measures in combating the perpetuation of stereotypes and not just simply avoiding them.
Uh this sort of curriculum is essential in creating a safer and healthier environment for not only students of color but also for educators and all students to learn and implement the tools this legislative legislature uh would provide to build on our knowledge and combating racial and cultural biases and so for these reasons and many more which I will submit in written testimony. I respectfully ask that the House bill um 671 as well as the Senate Bill 304 be favorably reported out of committee. But I also want to note that I'm really excited that many of my colleagues have also filed bills relating to this and I look forward to working with them as well as the committee to make sure that we pushed4477 forth this um issue to ensure inclusive education um for all of our students in public schools and I'm here to answer any questions that you may have.
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Great, thank you so much. Representative and and thank you for your, your passionate work on a more inclusive curriculum for our students. Um we're going to move now to House Bill 5 71
an act relative to graduation requirement for us. Founding principles. Uh no one has currently signed up to testify. So we'll close the hearing on that bill, House Bill 5 70 for an act relative to civics test requirements for graduation. Um we are as you can tell where now working our way through bills that deal with the history and civics um, no one has signed up to testify, so we'll close the hearing on House 5 74. Um next up is house 595, which is an act relative to teaching the history of working people and uh, Nora Dooley are you there? You're up to testify,
Nora Dooley
Last chance for Miss Dooley
Okay, we're gonna closed the hearing then on house 5 90 five and um, and now we're going to move to house bill 6 51 Senate Bill 3 82 which is an act relative to celebrating and teaching native american culture and history. Um, and we do have a number of tribal leaders who are with us this afternoon. We very much appreciate um, their presence with us and their leadership um, of our4602 various native american tribes in the commonwealth. Um, hopefully I have you all for to recognize first here as we to testify on this bill. First on my list is Chairwoman Andrews maltese. Um, please go ahead.
[ANDREWS MALTAIS (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [HB651] [SB382] Good morning and um, my name again is chairwoman Andrews Maltais. I'm of the Wampanoag tribe of gay head. Aquinnah on Martha’s Vineyard and we are the first federally recognized tribe in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts since 1987. Um, I wanted to really thank the committee chairman, Lewis and uh, Peisch for this bill and the support and the acknowledgement of the importance of creating curriculum that identifies celebrates and teaches our history and our culture of the indigenous peoples up here. Um, I do want to emphasize that I believe that any efforts or legislation proposed to teach or recognize uh, Indian culture and heritage must also include consultation and coordination from the4674 federally recognized tribal governments. We are the best people who know our history the most and also who have experienced directly the impacts and implications of those actions in the history as it relates to our communities.
Also in the, and the efforts of brevity would also like to also include that any boards commissions, committees or anything relative to making any decisions with regard to American Indian history or culture or um, the impacts of their does include delegates or appointees with full voting status that are appointed by our tribal government. We are sovereign tribal nations who have the responsibility uh, to care for the health, wellbeing, education and general livelihood and betterment of our peoples and our tribal communities and with the government to government relationship with the United States and the commonwealth of Massachusetts. So therefore I strongly support these bills. However, we would just want to make sure that in any consideration moving forward that our tribe is afforded the right in respect to be able to appoint somebody4741 to lend in and add to what that curriculum should look like as well as any boards, commissions or committees that we have a standing appointee designated by our tribe and any other federally recognized tribe. So thank you again very much for that and I will stay on if you have any questions for me. Thank you.
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Thank you very much. Um we are now going to hear from Chairwoman Melissa harding for ready uh and Nikki Silva.
[MELISSA FERRETT (CONCERNED CITIZEN)I:] [HB651] [SB382] Good day. Thank you. Representative Peisch members of the Joint Committee on Education Senator Lewis for your support because of my deep rooted connection to my homeland and my tribal, in my love and commitment to this place in my tribal community. I'm pleased to have an opportunity to speak in support of H 651 and S 382. In New England4778 Today there is a great need for education about all tribal nations, their histories and their right to self-determination as indigenous people. Education about and for tribal nations is crucial to ensuring social justice and racial equity in this region.
Additionally, there was a great need to bring awareness4778 to and recognize the thinks in unique cultural heritage of all indigenous people and the disparities in educational opportunities, especially concerning the lack of Indian education and ancestral language resources in the public sector. As tribal citizens. We believe in the principle of respect for and responsibility to our ancestors4778 who struggles made it possible for us to sustain our bonds as a tribal community and maintain our relationships to our homeland. We continue the work of our ancestors by creating opportunities for tribal members, especially our youth to be involved in educational initiatives centered on the preservation of our4778 cultural heritage, ancestral language and stewardship of our tribal homeland.
This work is essential to the long term goal of expanding tribal education initiatives and sharing our community based knowledge with our youth and others outside of our tribe who are likewise committed to historical education that is genuinely inclusive4778 of the diversity and richness of all indigenous people knowledge is and histories in New England like tribal nations throughout the United States. The Herring pond Wampanoag still faces the destructive impacts of colonialism and we have witnessed the calculated erasure of our existence just food for thought. Beginning in4778 1539 through the year 2000. There was 62 dates and events that illustrate the history of major congressional acts that demonstrate the involvement of Indian tribes in the formal education process older than the Declaration of Independence and the constitution. These events were meant to control tribes throughout the educational4778 institution and they were geared toward our elimination4779 and the creation of changes to our lifestyles. It's now 2021. Please support this bill. Thank you. SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you so much. Uh always appreciate when we can hear your testimony for the committee. Um now we're going to hear from Sagamore Farris Gray.4932 Wagner more gray
are you with us today? Garry spray
right um shawna New come
I see there Khan we've been on since 11 and she's been great up until this moment. So bear with me please. Uh, first of all,
[SHAWNA NEWCOMB (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [HB651] [SB382] Thank you for having me and thank you for taking the time to listen. Today. I am 1/6 grade science and social studies teacher in Hanover on the south shore of Massachusetts. I'm also a member of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe located on Cape Cod and I am in huge support of House Bill 651 and Senate Bill 382 um, and I can tell you personally as a teacher, a social studies teacher. On the first day of school, my students have absolutely no idea what I say what I mean. When I say I am native American, they look at me, these are 11 and 12 year olds in5007 6th grade in this state that look at me and have absolutely no idea what a native American is. Well, they do have an idea after. I have to differentiate for them. The difference between African American and native American. They have an idea that oh, those were the people and thanks for thanksgiving.
They're the ones who celebrated with the pilgrims, our culture, our history is way greater then thanksgiving and that story, that's for another day. You know the true events of what happened on that day. Um, but I can tell you first hand that my students who were formerly the Hannover Indians had no idea that Indians today still exists and they look like this. They can look all different ways. They don't wear the war bonnet or the headdress. That is so stereotypical right that we see. Um, like so many schools have as their mascots. Unfortunately, still, um, they don't know about the current issues that we still face. They don't know that a power is really the time when we wear our sacred regalia or when5084 we, when we were the deer high that they are so used to seeing an picture book. Um, they don't understand the true extent of genocide and how this country was built. That is an injustice to our, our nation.
These are, these are, this is our future. These are Children who are going to be leaders one day and if we continue to lack in the education department in regards to native American culture and history, then I'm scared for what our future will be. I'm scared for my daughter who5122 will feel some sort of um, some sense that she's kind of invisible. I've had people say to me grown adults after I tell them I'm native American, they say, wow, they still exist. It takes everything in me. It takes everything in me to respond to that kindly because I know in the back of my head it's ignorance, It's not malicious. It's the education of this country that and failing our future if we don't change it. Um, but they don't know what a reservation is. My students. They don't know what, how serious the issue of substance abuse is among many native American tribes, substances that were foreign that were introduced to us as a result of colonization. They have no idea that their second houses on the Cape as a result of gentrification in the 1960s, which is a result or which is why so many of my family members are unable to even afford to live in our homeland.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
I'm so sorry mr Khan but I'm going to have to um ask you to wrap up their um, but thank you to both you and your baby for being so patient. Um, and your, your students are lucky to have you as their, uh, their teachers. So thank you again for joining us as well to share your5212 support for this bill. Um, next we're gonna hear from Brittany Wally.
Miss Wally
Britney is not able to attend and I do believe that ferris gray has logged on now. Okay, thanks between um, ferris um, Moore ferris Gray, would you like to go ahead? Oh, I see. Uh, I don't see him.
All right, we can um, let's go. Um, let's move on. And then if, if farris joins us, we'll come back to him. Kiesha. James is next Yes. Hi, can you hear me? Yes, please go ahead.
[KISHA JAMES (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [HB651] [SB382] My name is Kisha James and I'm an enrolled member of the Wampanoag tribe of gay head Aquinnah, which is one of the two federally recognized tribes in the state of Massachusetts and I'm also a global Lakota. I'm speaking today in support of House Bill 651 and Senate Bill 382, An Act relative to celebrating and teaching Native American culture and history that addresses the lack of an indigenous curriculum in Massachusetts public schools. I have lived in Massachusetts my whole life when I was in5289 the Massachusetts public school system, we were taught nothing about native American history or culture. As a result, I often had to face anti native macroaggressions from both students and teachers.
I was constantly being asked, didn't you all go extinct, where's your TP? And so much worse. The onus for educating my peers and teachers was placed solely on my shoulders and it was an incredibly frustrating an isolating experience that often lead to mockery and ridicule from my peers. I was not alone in that experience. Another native student at my school was viciously bullied and mocked by other students for his cultural practices, specifically his long hair. The bullying culminated in an assault that resulted in him cutting his hair a serious and damaging action that infringed upon his cultural beliefs. Um, and he did that in order to avoid further emotional and physical harm. I believe that if we have been taught native American history and culture in the classroom.
My native Pierre would not have had that experience schoolchildren rarely learn about the native American history of the region nor about the contemporary indigenous people who live here, including my tribe. The goal of House Bill 651 and Senate Bill 382 is to develop a comprehensive public school curriculum by working with tribal nations and organizations to ensure that all Children in the schools attained cultural competency and understanding native histories, cultures and current issues. I support this bill because the school curriculum5367 that includes native American history and culture would have been life changing for me growing up and seeing it become a reality for5373 the next generation of students and Emma would be a dream come true. I strongly encourage the joint Committee on Education to vote the bills out favorably. Thank you for taking5382 action to get this important legislation passed.
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Great, thank you so much for your testimony today. Um Next we're gonna hear from jean Luc period. Uh just holding I think I thought I saw paris Gray raise hand.
Um Ok, if are you with us, Jack More Gray? Yes. Hello, how's everyone doing today? Okay, thank you. Good to good to hear your voice. Um please please proceed. All right.
[FARRIS GRAY (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [HB651] [SB382] Um My name is Farris Gray. I am the Sagamore, the Massachusetts tribe at thank you paul. Like to thank everyone for taking the time to hear. Uh must speak today about these two important bills. Um just like to start by saying, you know, it's been 400 years since the colonists first started settling in our territories and little has been since that time for the colonists or for the descendants of the columnists to learn about the indigenous people that were here before they came to this land um, here during colonisation and are still here today. Um, I think 400 years is a enough time for anyone to learn about their5475 neighbors.
Um, so now we have this opportunity where our leaders can make a decision on whether or not they're5483 going to5484 teach the residents of the commonwealth of Massachusetts about the indigenous people that have lived here for thousands of years and continue to live here. The same indigenous people that helped the colonists arrived. None of these things are taught. There are many students that don't even know the commonwealth was named after an indigenous tribe, which is heartbreaking to that tribe so we're here to ask basically our representatives in our law makers to do something about this, to teach our youth about the indigenous people that are still here. You know, all of us, this is what we do teach all of us indigenous people. We teach our history to our own people and to anyone else that wishes to learn it. But in the school is where this teaching should take place.
A lot of things happened to the indigenous people here and maybe that's a taboo and maybe people don't want to really understand or know the things that happened here, but that doesn't mean that it shouldn't be taught. That doesn't mean that our history should be taught so little is known about us by the dominant culture Which is a travesty because it's been 400 years. So you know, now is the time to make a decision. Are we going to keep ignoring the indigenous people5582 here within the commonwealth? Are we going to try to better our relations with the indigenous people here in the commonwealth and joining the indigenous people and educating Is one way to build this relationship? And so I'm here for the Massachusetts tribe to ask all of our leaders to vote these bills favorably, so that we can begin the process teaching our history. So I'd like to thank everyone for the time5617 for me to speak here today. I hope everyone as well and stays well.
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Thank thank you so much Sagamore Gray. We hope you're well to and we very much appreciate hearing your testimony. Um and your powerful testimony and your leadership on so many different issues affecting indigenous people in the commonwealth. Thank you. Um We're gonna just um if you will bear with me, we're going to take just a quick break from this bill. Um I just want to recognize5650 um a student who can join us only right now and because of some medical issues and so I'd like to give Carson domi a chance to testify on House Bill 616. So Carson. Um if you're with us, please please go ahead
little senator. How are you? Hi Good to see you again. Please go.
[CARSON DOMEY (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [SB292] Great thank you a huge thank you to Mr Chair as well for being able to accommodate my schedule. Really appreciate it. My name is Carson Domey. I'm a senior at ST john's Shrewsbury here to testify and support S 292 and I'm very honored to be here with my headmaster Mr alexander Vieira who will pass the floor to in a moment. Um in December 2018 my world was turned upside down when a close friend had died by suicide. So I often only saw this person once a week. My friend group knew this kid as someone always full of joy who smile could light up a room. This unfortunate reality is a testament to the difficulty of identifying mental health problems opposed to physical health.
This is all the more reason why we need more people to5714 be educated when it comes to mental health and the simple on September 2020, the CDC. Had5719 published a study in which found one in four teenagers had considered suicide since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. I tend to picture a normal classroom with about 20 students and it frightens me that according to the CDCs findings five5730 of my classmates have either previously or currently considering suicide the emotions that I endured in the months following the death of my close friend drives me to make sure that nobody has to experience such a tragic loss today, this committee has an unparalleled opportunity to do your part to work towards ending the crisis that is crippling the hearts and minds of our youngest generation. It is crucial that we and the stigmatisation around mental health and enable our youth have meaningful dialogue about such and S 292 does exactly that. Love to pass it to Mr. alexander Vieira
[ALEXANDER VIERA (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [SB292] Thank you Carson tonight, appreciate the opportunity to speak with you briefly, and I5768 appreciate the fact that this is being considered as part of the ongoing development of education. Uh speaking in5775 a practical way, you know, I want to commend Carson's leadership here at St. John's where a few years ago, we started to include the suicide national suicide prevention hotline number on the back of all of our student ID's and this year5789 as thanks to his work and the other work of our youth mental health team here on campus. We have a QR code on the back of all of our ideas that send our students directly to a website that has uh it has different links and different numbers to call for support beyond the support that they receive here at the school, I think, you know, this has always been important. We know that one in five mental health challenges begin uh in youth around middle school age.
And so we know this is important and I think this has been exacerbated by this pandemic. And I think that in many ways while we want to make5825 sure that our students are making up for the lost learning time that they've experienced by not being by many schools not being in5831 school. Uh, this is also going to be a significant mental health and social emotional challenge for our young. So we're fortunate here to partner with organizations like the Shine Initiative based out of Worcester Working with our youth mental health team, but also working with Shrewsbury youth and family5847 services where just a few weeks ago, 405849 of our faculty and staff were trained in uh health first aid. So these types of initiatives with the adults, along with what you're talking about with young people will make a huge difference in turning the tide on some of the youth mental health challenge are already facing and will continue to face. And I appreciate the opportunity to speak to you today.
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Right. Thanks. Thank you both of you.5872 And it's great to see you again Carson. [LEWIS:] I really appreciate your advocacy on a critical5878 issue of student mental health and suicide prevention. And I recall previously your advocacy on access to telehealth, which is so important, particularly for folks who have disabilities. And you probably know the legislature took action on that and passed a law actually, to make sure there's access to telehealth for residents of the, of the commonwealth. So we know you're a very effective young advocate. Thank you.
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Thank you very much. Great to see you, senator. Thank you to All right. Thank you. So appreciate everybody's patience. There were going to return now to house Bill 651, Senate Bill 3 82 and um I believe next up is um jean Luc period. Um you saw, yep, I see you go ahead. Thanks for your patience.
[JEAN LUC (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [HB651] [SB382] Yes, thank you. Senator Lewis, thank you to the members of the joint committee. My name is Jean Luc I am also attached to the leaders of our host tribes on whose land we're all held and sustained. Um my name is john encourage, I'm a resident of Jamaica plain Massachusetts, I'm a member of the, in the galaxy tribal Louisiana and I'm president of the north American Indian center of Boston today, I speak in favour of H5956 651 S 382 to and agriculture relative to celebrating and teaching native American culture and history. The core question is whether the graduates of Massachusetts public schools understand who they are in the places where they live.
While my comments today center social sciences, there is a broader concern about how we present indigenous ways of knowing in science, technology, engineering, math5980 and English language arts, especially considering traditional ecological knowledge as reflected within a critical climate science framework at5987 issue is that within the borders Massachusetts tribes continue with extent governments and current land claims that5993 impact public agency decisions at the tribal state and local level.5998 This is not back by the current educational standards that present an understanding of indigenous territories from the perspective locked in the 1600. Further, this is not comprehensively inclusive of all tribes which holds historical government relationships with Massachusetts yet are currently outside the borders subject to appropriation.
The commonwealth. Civics challenge will task students with taking on nonpartisan6022 projects with local and state government from an indigenous perspective, a civics challenge which challenge which biases the social structures of the commonwealth to the exclusion or lack of explicit inclusion of tribal government is not nonpartisan. According to 2020 census data, Massachusetts has seen an 85.5% growth in population to 94,040 residents who are of the American Indian or Alaska.6047 Native alone in combination with other ethnicities that that side of the population. And yet there is no indigenous representation on beacon help. Uh high school curriculum promoting civic engagement and preparing graduates to navigate local ecosystems should be further applied in consultation with tribal governments. Therefore, I ask this joint committee to vote the bill out favorably. Thank you very much.
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Great thanks so much for your testimony and always. Good, Good to see you jean Luc um next is mature in Monroe.
[MAHTOWIN MUNRO (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [HB651] [SB382] Thank you mr Chairman. My name is Mahtowin Munro. I am Lakota a mother, the co-leader of United american Indians of new England and also from the Massachusetts indigenous legislative agenda. Our legislative agenda has brought five bills before the state house before your legislature today that seek to address um some of the eraser and disrespect that indigenous people experience in the commonwealth of Massachusetts. It's really damaging for our indigenous Children to go to Massachusetts schools, generation after generation being taught a curriculum that largely ignores our existence.6125 It leads to their feeling marginalized and invisible and can also lead to them being bullied as Keisha James said.
In addition, it's damaging to nonnative people in speaking to youth and adults all around the Commonwealth. Since the 1980s, I have found a sad level of ignorance about indigenous peoples and issues as Sean Anouk um uh spoke about young people ask questions such as whether we all live in TVs and they may be shocked that we are wearing contemporary street clothes instead of buckskin and feathers. Now I don't fault them when they do this because they have6163 been exposed to so little information about contemporary indigenous peoples, nonnative adults have said that they thought that native people were all6172 extinct or they see us as exotic even though we live work, study and raise our families right here, relatively few nonnative people are able to say whose land they live on.
There's little knowledge about the histories and cultures of, of indigenous peoples, whether we're talking about genocide, the great dying that happened here even before the pilgrims showed up sovereignty treaties, our ongoing stewardship of the land and our solutions to climate crisis. There6203 is a high wall between indigenous realities and knowledge is and what nonnative people know about us and having proper indigenous curriculum included in the standards is how we can bring down that wall that has existed for centuries now. And that career curriculum will be created in consultation with tribal nations and organizations here, Washington state Montana Idaho Minnesota, Wisconsin and Oregon have passed this kind of legislation and other states including Connecticut are currently considering it. We ask that the Joint Education Committee vote these bills favorably out of committee.
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will Biele Great! Thank you so much for your testimony and your work on the entire mass indigenous legislative agenda. Um Laurel Davis Delano, you're up next I can you hear me? Yes, we can.
[LAUREL DAVIS (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [HB651] [SB382] Okay, so my name is Laura Davis Delano. Um I'm a white professor of sociology from western Massachusetts and I study representations of native Americans. I'm6276 going to start with frank statements that are supported by research findings. First,6283 most, non-native people in the US do not have an accurate understanding of native American history or native white relations. Second most nonnative people in the US are barely aware, as some people have said um of the existence of contemporary native Americans, let alone having accurate information about them. Some people might ask why this absence of knowledge matters. It matters because this absence of knowledge is replaced by stereotype. It matters because this absence of knowledge contributes to discrimination. It matters because this absence of knowledge contributes to um the persistence of harmful cultural practices such as native mascots.
And to the invisibility of contemporary native6330 Americans in mass media. It matters because this absence of knowledge contributes to barriers faced by native tribes and everything I just described contributes to higher rates of social problems faced by native Americans. Further nonnative people are deprived of accurate information about the US That will enable them to effectively interact. It is critical that schools provide comprehensive, accurate education about native American history from prior to colonization to the present. Also critical to educate about contemporary native Americans as was just pointed out and not just about cultures6372 but also about topics such as economics, education, health and media and most especially about tribal nations sovereignty. One cannot be an informed citizen of the US. Without understanding this sovereignty. So I urge you all to vote this bill out of committee. Um and when you do I recommend that you include a comprehensive list of tribes in the bill. Thank you.
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Thank you Professor Davis Delano. Um and thank you for also for your work in particular on the legislation dealing with ending the use of native american mascots in the commonwealth. As a reminder to committee members that bill was heard and was reported favorably by the committee and is now pending before the Senate ways and means committee. Okay, yes. Uh Next6434 we are going to hear from Susan Lawrence Miss Lawrence. Susan Lawrence.
Okay. Uh let's see. Um is Susannah White with us? Susannah White.
Okay, how about Christopher martel?
I am. I'm here. Okay, great. Please go ahead.
[CHRISTOPHER MARTELL (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [HB651] [SB382] Hello, my name is Christopher Martell, a professor of socialist education at the University of Massachusetts Boston. I speak here today in strong support of House Bill 651 and Senate Bill 382 title an act relative to celebrating the teaching of native American culture and history as a long time history teacher in Massachusetts who now teaches are future teachers at U mass. I urge the House and the Senate to pass this important legislation. I'd like to start by describing a moment my time as a classroom teacher in the Framingham public schools. Years ago I was teaching a unit on European colonization of6493 the Americas which is including our state's history and social science curriculum framework. A student raised his hand and asked Mr Martell Why are there no more Indians here stunned. I paused.
How could the student reached 10th grade and not know that there are many indigenous people6511 in Massachusetts today, especially since we live within a short drive of multiple reservations and tribal offices. Mhm No. Just then a fellow student responded, my father is a member of the Mashpee Wampanoag, there's a power on Cape Cod every year. There are definitely still Indians here. I wish that6524 my student did not have to explain that to her6526 classmates. I can only imagine how many times she had heard that question before. This was certainly not the last time6531 I was asked at by a student. My hope is that no native student in this state will have to respond to such a question again, because native history and culture will be a key educational component for all Massachusetts. Students H 651 and S 382 will help ensure that as a commonwealth that sits on the traditional lands of the Wampanoag Massachusetts, Michigan and Mohican and other indigenous tribes and nations. It's our responsibility to ensure that all students learn not only the honest history of settler colonialism in the state, but also how native people resisted and survived and particularly how they for many vibrant native communities today.
In Massachusetts, this bill notably requires students to learn not only the history of local tribes and nations, but also learn about culture, language and experiences of indigenous people in the present. This law would not only require that students learn these important standards, but that tribal nations would be consulted in their development. A large percentage of students in this state complete their pre-K-12 education, not knowing the local native history and worse, often thinking there are no more indigenous people here. This is a consequence of students, not only studying indigenous people only during the colonial period of us history or at the elementary level around thanksgiving time, but the reality that many students are never talk about the state, the state's native people altogether. Again, I urge you to passed these bills committee and into law.
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Thank you very much mr martel. Um so that concludes the testimony on on House bill 6 51 and Senate bill 3 82. Thank you, thank you and particularly appreciate uh the leaders uh in the indigenous community who joined us to testify on the bill today. Um So that closes the hearing on that on those two bills. I'm going to now hand the hearing over to Representative Alice pitch uh to chair um and so representative pick over to you. Thank you. Thank you. Senator Lewis. We are now moving on to age 716. Representative Vargas had signed up to testify but he has informed me that he will only be submitting written testimony. Um a something that I encourage all of my colleagues to do in the interests of time here, as you can see um Senator Lewis mentioned at the beginning, we have 200 people signed up to testify and we are almost two hours into this and we have not really made a big dent In that 200. So I encourage everyone to not only um you know keep their remarks brief, but if at all possible submit written testimony and to be6685 honest that is something that does last beyond the hearing. So um you should not think that that does not get the same amount of weight as you are. Oral testimony will now move to S291 An act relative to civics Education. No one has signed up to testify on that Bill. So we will close the hearing on that and moved to age 567 and S284. We have an act relative to providing health education schools. We've already heard from Senator Chandler, Representative Decker has signed up to testify. His representative Decker with us
um hearing nothing, we will move to the next person on the list. Megan god is Miss Goody with us.
No. Okay we will close the hearing on H 567 and S 284 and move to H 3877. that hearing has already been closed as Representative Win has already testified, We now move to age 616 and act relative6760 to the promotion of mental health education. First person we have signed up is Representative Gouveia is Representative Gouveia with us.
Representative Gouveia
6769 Well it appears that our colleagues are following my suggestion um we have heard from Carson Domi is jennifer
jennifer Earth with us. Yes, yes, yes,
jennifer Earth with us. Yes, yes, yes,
[JENIFER URFF (MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION FOR MENTAL HEALTH):] [HB616] [SB292] Thank you. Good afternoon, my name is Jennifer Urff. and I'm the director of knowledge dissemination and technical assistance of the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health on behalf of MAMH and the Children's mental health campaign. I'm here today to express our very strong support for H 616 and S 292 bills designed to support K-12 mental health education. I'm also the mother of two young adults who attended Massachusetts schools. And my testimony today is inspired by my strong belief that students of all ages can and should be empowered to understand, maintain and protect their mental health.
MAMH and the Children's mental health campaign have long advocated for mental health education in schools. But6824 our testimony this year has increased urgency, isolation, changes in routine financial and food insecurity and parental stress, all impact child mental health and we know that COVID and the public health response have increased all these risk factors. In a survey conducted by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, almost half of all youth in Massachusetts, 48% reported feeling sad or hopeless almost every day for two or more weeks in a row. Youth from American Indian Hispanic Latin X and multiracial communities reported even higher rates. Our goal is to provide students with information to understand their own mental health skills to build and strengthen their own resilience and resources to provide additional support when they need it as just one example of how this can be successful.
Children who have had two or more adverse childhood experiences but learned to stay calm and in control when faced with challenges are more than three times more likely to be engaged in school compared to peers who have not learned these skills, teaching mental health and wellness as part of an overall health and wellness curriculum is consistent with the Massachusetts Department of Education's curriculum framework, which has included a mental health standards for pre K for pre K-12 since 1999. We're working closely with partners at the birch center at UMass with support from the legislature for6913 the last two budget cycles to plan a student mental health technical assistance center that would ensure that educators have access to curricular resources. Thank you very much for your the opportunity to provide testimony and we urge you to support these bills.
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Thank you. Um Next we have melissa. Pero
the Shapiro with us.
Velis appear. Oh, okay. Sofia Morris. Hello, um Miss Morris. Yes. Hello. Yes, go right, go ahead.
[SOPHIA MORSE (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [HB616] [SB292] Hello, everybody. My name is Sophia Morse. I am a 16-year-old junior at Milton Academy where I've been a student since Kindergarten. Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony in support of Bill 616 and 292. In many ways I am your typical high school student, I work hard to school plays sports, join clubs and hang out with friends During my teen years and especially during the last 18 months of COVID, I have witnessed many of my friends and peers struggled with their mental health and of course these challenges have only been magnified through social media and online platforms and then COVID brought an entirely new set of a series of challenges to these kids. We were lonely because we were alone and as a social person by nature, this was hard for me.
I've been lucky to a lot of friends to talk to, but many teams suffered this time alone, not sure how to get strength and support that they needed. It was a hard and scary time, but it inspired me to take action and to make a change to shed light on what was happening to myself and my peers. On June 2nd, 2021, I coordinated a fundraising walk for teen mental health at my school's track to bring awareness and to de stigmatize the conversation around mental health. We had well over 100 rockers and raised over $5,000 and nonprofits dedicated to mental health services. We walked for over four hours and had a guest speaker7024 from Mclean and attendant to be assume as a community, we need to shift the conversation around mental health education to ensure that school kids of all ages know that seeking out support for mental health is not a weakness. If you twist your ankle, you get it7037 taped.
If you don't understand something in a class, you seek out a teacher. It's not only normal to ask for help, but it is expected the same is true for our mental health, Getting the support and help that we need should be encouraged and acceptable. We need to educate ourselves Children and adults alike To de stigmatize the conversation around mental health. We need to start this education early in elementary schools that every child has the tools to keep themselves well physically and mentally so they can recognize when they need support until they know where to turn. We need to make it okay for all Children and all teams to seek help in starting with starting this mental wellness education, elementary school making it a normal and except as part of their school, Day is the first and best step to making sure Children feel safe seeking out supports when they need it most. Thank you for listening and considering both of these bills.
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thank you very much Miss Morris That is the last person signed up on age 616 so we'll close the hearing on that bill. We now have three bills Which No one has signed up as 29 To age 6-2 And H 633. We will close the hearing on all three of those bills. We will now move to H717 and act regarding parental consent. First person signed up to testify as lisa hack. Miss hack with us
lisa heck
okay the next person signed up is Neil Glick is mr Glick with us
Neil click
No one7134 else has signed up to testify on H717. So we will close the hearing on that as we will do the same for age 66 to Um for which7145 no one has7146 signed up as 391, which the same applies as well as 322 and S 347.
Uh, we will now move to H 618 and S 310 and act relative to L G B T Q and inclusive curriculum. Um, and the first person signed up to testify as representative. Higgins is Representative Higgins with us
hearing none. I think we will move to the next person signed up, jennifer O brien,
jennifer o brien
um, kim topping
him topping
I'm the next person is to Karu baggio. She it's not a hi there, can everyone hear me? I uh,
[TEKERU NAGAYOSHI (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [SB310] [HB618] Chairman Peisch and members of the joint Committee on Education, my name is Tekeru Nagayoshi. I also go by TK 2020 Massachusetts teacher of the year and I'm here today to testify in support of S 310, H 618 or the LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculum bill. So I'm coming here today, not just as a gay person of color who understands through firsthand experience the pain of having one's identity and history. Roessner curricula, but also as an educator grappling with how to teach and discuss these issues with our students, let's be real and increasingly hostile environment. Or even the mere acknowledgement7250 of LGBTQ+ issues might trigger a reactionary backlash.
And if there's7253 one thing that I know about our teachers in this state, it's that by and large we are ready to help our kids process these7262 social issues in a safe, academically grounded in age appropriate way. At the same time, our teachers find themselves caught in the crossfires of escalating cultural war perpetuated by those with no experience in the classroom and who seek to instil fear in those committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. Our educators fear getting in trouble, unsure of whether their commitment to these values are going to be backed7284 by their school and public leaders, please please, please do not leave these educators to fight on their own.7289 What this bill does is that it asks that are standards include the histories, the roles and contributions of LGBTQ+ people, nothing more, nothing less. And now, more than ever we need our State House to take a definitive stance that this is OK. I'll end it. On one final note, I can just uh finish something up. When I first became teacher of the year, met up with all the state teachers of the year from across the country.
I cannot be more proud to represent the commonwealth. Um educators and school leaders would come up to me literally praising Massachusetts about how inclusive and forward thinking or education system was. But as I learned more7328 about our7330 education landscape, I became a little7332 bit uncomfortable with um this narrative, right that our academic achievement for instance, while we're the best is also amongst the most unequally distributed and disaggregated along racial and socioeconomic lines. And it's in this similar vein that I felt disappointed by the fact that our state, the so called beacon of education in our country is not leading the charge for diverse and inclusive curriculum where states like New Jersey, California and even Nevada have passed LGBTQ+7360 inclusive curriculum, Massachusetts lags behind and we have an opportunity to fix and I think it begins in favor of passing this bill. Thank you so much for your time and support. Head onto another meeting.
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Thank you.7375 Thank7375 you. Uh as many Silverman.
Hi Chair Peisch um as may cannot join us today,7379 but I do see that kim topping just logged on if she, if they are still able to speak Yes, Miss topping, if you could please ah testify and case you were just logging on for the first time. We have a very strict two minute limit because of the, we have Over 200 people signed up and we're running out of time. So7402 going, thank you, good afternoon apologies.
[KIMM TOPPING (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [SB310] [HB618] [HB651] [SB382] [HB584] [SB365] Um my name is Kimm Topping. I'm grateful for the opportunity to testify in support of S 310 and H 618 and act relative to LGBTQ. Inclusive curriculum. Um I'm also in support of the native American culture and history Bill and the anti-racism, equity and education Um for equity and justice and education bill as well. I've been an educator for over 10 years now and I'm often returning to a quote that was shared with me by a mentor early on, which is, you can't be what you can't see. Each of these bills is intended to address the harm that is so deeply ingrained in our educational systems. So many of our students of marginalized identities are not represented by the curricula presented them at school each day.
We know that this is impacts learning and also creates opportunity and achievement gap. The glisten school climate survey, which is a national survey of LGBTQ students has found that in schools where LGBTQ inclusive7458 curriculum is delivered, students are less likely to feel unsafe. They're less likely to miss school because they feel unsafe, they perform better academically and they're more likely to pursue post-secondary education. And if we look at the youth risk behavior survey data here in Massachusetts, we see enormous disparities for LGBTQ students in terms of their safety and other7478 risk factors. So we have a real opportunity to improve the safety of our students and school communities by ensuring inclusive curriculum here in Massachusetts, um, I'm passionate about this, not only as an educator, but personally, as someone who experienced public school in Massachusetts um and saw the climate around L G B T Q conversations, which could not be found in our curriculum?
Um, so none of us who are L G B T Q experience issues of mental health or other risk factors because of anything that's inherently wrong with us. But because of the narratives that have been told which devalue our presence, all young people should feel safe, valued and supported while they're at school, Massachusetts is a7518 leader in terms of LGBTQ, rights and equality. Um and so our health wellbeing in hopes that a future really depends so much on the care that we receive at school and we have a responsibility here in Massachusetts to protect our LGBTQ students. So I encourage you all to give a favorable, favorable report to the LGBTQ inclusive curriculum. Bill, thank you so much for your time,
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
pardon me, Thank you Miss topping, Janice glue or low, I maybe mispronouncing that
Janice low,
Jan Mannion?
Hi there, can you hear me? Yes,
[JEN MONION (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [SB310] [HB618] Good afternoon, members of the Joint Committee on Education, I am Jen Monion, professor of History at Amherst College and I'm pleased to offer testimony in support of S 310 H 618. An act relative to LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculum. I have published dozens of essays and to award winning book, one of which is a major contribution to the field of transgender history. I have taught LGBTQ history to college students for 20 years overwhelmingly, the number one sentiment expressed again and again by students in my classes of all identities and backgrounds as this. Why wasn't I taught this in school? Why is this the first time I'm learning about any of this? They feel cheated. They questioned the value of their earlier schooling, if something as important and exciting as the history of LGBTQ people was kept from them, what else was kept from them?
This is the script that plays7624 out in my classrooms. Year after year. Everyone here knows Massachusetts was a pioneer in the fight for same sex marriage. We can pat ourselves on the back and rest on this accomplishment or we can keep moving forward. But moving forward requires a deeper understanding of the past. The 2003 ruling in the Supreme Court case. Lawrence v. Texas determined that once and for all, people would no longer be criminalized for engaging in same sex relationships. This means that from 1620, When the pilgrims first landed in Provincetown until 2003 being gay was a crime in the United States 383 years. Think about that. Why was that the case? How was it enforced? What are the ramifications when and why did it change? What is the lasting legacy of this history in society today? Few people will ever know the answers to these questions because they do not have access the history of one of the most important civil rights movements in American history. You can change that and I urge you to support S 310 H 618 and act relative to LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculum and I thank you for your time.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
You're on mute.
Sorry, but um cast martin,
Go ahead please.
Hello, can you hear me? Chair, Peake Fantastic.
[CAS MARTIN (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [SB310] [HB618] Thank you. Good afternoon Chair, Peisch committee members. My name is Cas Ford Martin. I you see him pronouns. I live in Williamsburg. I am a transgender activist, I'm an educator and I am a graduate student of public policy at UMass.7753 Amherst. Pleased to testify today in strong support of Senate Bill 310, House Bill 618 an act relative to LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculum. I moved here to Massachusetts because it's such a welcoming place for gay and transgender people like me and that's why I'm so surprised and saddened when many of the LGBTQ students I worked with today report exactly the same troubling experiences my brother and I encountered are small Connecticut high school. Nearly a decade ago, we struggled immensely as the first openly trans youth that are district had ever seen and when we mentioned LGBTQ identity and class, we were told that's an inappropriate topic for school.
Our educators assumed that we were referring to sexually explicit content, but in reality we were discussing our cultures and our communities. This constant public shaming of my identity made me stop participating in class until college and my brother eventually transferred to another district. I strongly support Senate Bill 310 and House bill 618 because they will ensure that Massachusetts students do not experience the same undue distress that my brother and I did in school moreover, Massachusetts is better to equipped and an LGBTQ inclusive curriculum bill. Excuse me, better equipped to implement such a bill than anywhere else7830 in the country. For 287831 years and counting. This has been the only state in the nation whose department of education directly supports the program for LGBTQ students. I look forward to describing the wealth of implementation resources available for this bill in an extended written version of this testimony. I deeply appreciate your time today and I hope that you'll favorably report on these bills out of committee. Thank you so much to the appreciate it.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you. Mr martin, James barry is James barry with us.
James barry,
Abigail Gabrielle,
Gabrielle. Hi, can you? Uh Yes, yes, yes, yes, we can hear you go ahead.
[ABIGAIL GABRIELI (MASSEQUALITY):] [SB310] [HB618] Thank you. Chairman Lewis Chairman Peisch and members of the joint committee. My name is Abigail Gabrieli and I'm here as MassEquality’s policy coordinator to speak in favour of S 310/ H 618. Here in Massachusetts. The vast majority of LGBTQ Youth experience bullying and bigotry from classmates While over one in 4 report hearing teachers and staff make transphobic7903 or homophobic remarks. One in five has attempted suicide a rate four times that of their peers, but at schools with inclusive curricula research shows that LGBTQ+ students experience real improvements and mental health and report classmates and teenagers are substantially more accepting instead of having to fight bullies and depression.
These students can dream as high as sally ride or live as proud as Marsha P. Johnson from personal experience, I can tell you how difficult it is to grow up without such LGBTQ role models or almost worse, you want to share with your jeering classmates that some historical figure you just studied7936 was gay because your teacher, for some reason didn't. But to fear that doing so, appearing overinvested will out No LGBTQ students should have to face that dilemma and this bill will ensure they never have to. Furthermore, by passing this bill, the legislature will support teachers, many of whom report wanting to teachers content7954 but fearing harassment or even job losses. They act without a mandate. Additionally, researchers long show that multicultural curricula encourage all students develop into tolerant young citizens who stand up for fairness and equality.
For instance, when substrate students are taught LGBTQ inclusive content, there are more than twice as likely to stand up against bigoted, homophobic or transphobic bullying. This legislature should rightfully proud of its past efforts to legislatively set standards that ensure our students learn their whole histories. Thanks to that work. The curriculum requirements mandated in Section one D of MGL Chapter 69 already include the contributions made by diverse cultural, historic cultural and ethnic and racial groups. Now it's time to add the histories, roles in contribution to the LGBTQ+ people to those standard after all. How can our schools teach the civil rights movement? Just for instance, without covering Bayard, Rustin or Audrey Lorde. I encourage the committee to close this gap and build on precedent by courageously adding LGBTQ. LGBTQ content to the Chapter 69 curricular requirements to join six other states. Thank you so much.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
You um I just like to take a moment here. I noticed uh several people keep seem to raise their hands. We are not utilizing the raise hand feature8031 uh today as has been indicated several times, the agenda is posted on the website. We are taking bills in the order uh that they appear on the agenda that is not necessarily in the numerical order. Um and if you are called and you are not here, unfortunately we cannot come back if the hearing has closed on the bill that you signed up for. So I apologize, I know that virtual hearings are present many8058 challenges but we simply do not have the capacity to respond to questions uh in the chat or in the in the hand raising will now move on to the next person. We are uh Right at the moment on H618 and S 310. Sabrina Lakota is Sabrina O'Connor with us, Jordan me mr median with us. Yeah, thank you so much.8085 Chair Peisch I will try to keep it next in brief.
[JOHN MEEHAN8088 (COMMISSION ON LGBTQ):] [SB310] [HB618] [HB84] [SB365] My name is John Meehan and I am the Legislative policy manager for the Commission on LGBTQ. We express our strong support for house 618 and S Senate 310 as well as House 584 and Senate 365, the anti-racism, equity and justice in education bill. LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculum bill. Um, this is a really, really important bill. Um as we've heard Kimm on the listen national school climate survey, less than a third of LGBTQ students in Massachusetts report being taught positive representations of LGBTQ people histories or events.
And this bill would simply um update our curriculum standards to8128 require sufficient instruction on the histories, rules and contributions that LGBTQ people in both the country as well as the commonwealth inclusive curriculum is really important and critical way of creating safer and more inclusive school environments for LGBTQ students in general, recent data from the state, The Wire B’s show that LGBTQ students continue to face stark disparities and school safety incidents of violence and other8154 Risk metrics compared to non LGBTQ students with LGBTQ students of color reporting higher disparities on many safety indicators. Outside of this in the national context. 2021 has been by far the worst year for anti-transgender legislation8168 with the overwhelming majority of bills targeting transgender youth and students according to data from the human rights campaign at least 117 bills have been introduced across the country targeting trans individuals.
The highest number that HRC has recorded in the 15 years that has been tracking these bills. Um like I mentioned, the overwhelming majority of these bills target Children use we have an opportunity here to be a big leader on this issue and indeed a moral imperative to do so. By passing this bill we would join the seven other states have enacted laws requiring inclusive curriculum for LGBTQ Um folks and topics um and by passing the anti-racism and education but we would also ensure that our curriculum would be not just inclusive and intersectional and actively anti-racist and that's incredibly important considering the moment that we are in nationally. So for those reasons we urged favorable favorable report on these two bills and we submitted written testimony earlier today just to give a deeper picture.
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Thank you very much. That's the last person who has signed up on those two bills. So we will now close the8232 hearing on H 618 and S 310. We now move to age 671 and S 304 enact promoting racially and culturally inclusive K 12 curriculum and we have Vivian Berkshire Shell is signed up to testify as is Bushell with us
lisa Lazzari8257 Lazar.
Hello. Yes go ahead. I hope I did not miss pronounce your name.
[LISA LAZARE (EDUCATORS FOR EXCELLENCE):] [HB671] [SB304] Hello, good afternoon. Chair Lewis Chair Peisch and members of the joint Education committee. Thank you for convening this hearing on curriculum policy. My name is Lisa Lazare and I use she her pronounce, I am a former science teacher and current state director for Educators for Excellence Boston. I am here to support an act promoting racially and culturally inclusive K-12 curriculum bill number H 671 S 304. Growing up. I was repeatedly thought that there was professions like doctor, lawyer or engineer with the pinnacle of success as a young black woman in America though I really saw people who look like me in these rules highlighted in the curriculum.
I was told when I later became a science teacher myself, I approached my science classroom with the space8305 to provide my students with perspectives of colour that I was denied and the skills to ask questions about their in8310 order to do so, I needed to address the biases that exist in the, We have a chance to do this on a broad scale across Massachusetts, bypassing H 671 S 304 this bill8324 would ensure that he's statewide curriculum framework are designed to build racially and culturally responsive knowledge and elevate the history achievements and key writings by communities of color and all subject.8332 When English teacher in Boston told me that with this law in place in her classroom would be a place where an inclusive curriculum can engage you regardless of their reading level. Students would be able to access a variety of text and see characters who look like them experiencing real life situation. The material would feature authors and characters of color providing teaching and informative literature. She is not alone in demanding access to a more inclusive curriculum in educators for excellence.
2021 survey, voices from the classroom. We found that over 65% of teachers nationwide didn't believe that curriculum is relevant for this population. Only 30% reported receiving guidance tools, materials for how to8372 talk about racial injustice in their classroom. We must do better. The share number of bills on this topic today makes it clear that the number that the people of Massachusetts are demanding that curriculum8384 is wearing. I urge to Joint Education Committee to report favorably H 671and S 304 committee or to combine it with other bills here to create an omnibus solution at a8392 time when teachers are being fired for daring to teach about racism or otherwise providing an accurate accounting of our past. Massachusetts must be told and eat away on the system. Thank you for your time. If everything you do the case.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you. The next person signed up is just just a first name. Hear Britney,
is there a Britney who neglected to put her last name down?
Okay. Um, the next person signed up on this bill is paul, Guantanamo be Mr Guantanamo. Are you with us today?
Uh, the chair, I'm going to speak on another piece of legislation and later in tight that little discussion about this one in the later discussed. I'm not going to speak specifically on this legislation. Okay. I note that you've signed up on more than one bill. You prefer to wait and testify later. That's correct. Thank you very much. Yes, absolutely. Thank um, we only have you listed on the first bill you signed up for. So can you tell me which bill it is so that I call you when we get there. It is the cares act legislation. I think it's a 6 84. Is that correct? House 6 84 and Senate 3 65 I believe I think 584 584. Thank you. Um, nella LaRosa waters. This mr Biele wrote results. La rosa waters.
Yeah. Uh, jake
set targets. Yes, I go ahead. Mr Russell Tarr [JAKE RESETARITS (EDUCATORS FOR EXCELLENCE):] [HB671] [SB304]8489 Thank you. My name is Jake Resetarits first of all, thank you so much for hosting this important hearing today. I am a former 5th grade teacher and currently serving as the Communication Director. Educators for Excellence in Boston, a nonprofit committed to elevating educators’ voices and policy conversations that impact because our educators are currently in their classrooms. I'm here to speak on behalf and support on their behalf in support of H 671, S 304. I believe this is an important opportunity for Massachusetts to demonstrate the country but responsible, relevant. Great.
I talk fifth grade at a public school in san Antonio Texas state you may have heard has had a very concerning legislative session this year. Among the troubling bills they pass with HB 3979 ability uses creative language to threaten educators who might8534 teach about episodes of racism. That's my friends who are still teaching in Texas what I can do to help. And they've all been states like Massachusetts need to balance the scales and show what it looks like when a state embraces curriculum, inclusivity rather than rejecting it here today to keep my promise to my tech right current state law and8553 mass fire statewide Friedman frameworks to avoid perpetuating harmful racial stereotypes. Says nothing about actually elevating the IPOC perspectives, histories and text. H 671, S 304 is a comprehensive approach to strengthening the inclusivity of our freedom ensures Desi actively work that previously unheard viewpoints in history and all subjects. I applaud.
Yes uh, for presenting this bold vision for our state and I'm here to join education reported favorably out of committee. I've8580 been engaged in educating advocacy for about a decade at this point and I know it's rare that you get everything you asked for. There are a number of excellent bills in this hearing today that would advance the cost inclusive curriculum, including H 618, H584 and H651 fourth passing just one bill isn't feasible. I urge any legislators listening today to use these bills the blueprint for an omnibus bill that hold8600 the ambitions of new and more inclusive curriculum in Massachusetts. We can an act on this issue. Nations looking for someone to put forth a positive vision on this issue and Massachusetts. Everything needs. Thank you for your time.
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Thank you very much for your time and for your uh testimony and I suspect that what you're suggesting relative to a combination of bills is is something that will certainly be8624 considered. Um the last person signed up to testify on these bills is William Caulfield is Mr. Caulfield with us.
William caufield.
Okay we will close the hearing on H671 in S304 and I'm now going to turn the gavel8648 back over to my Senate. Co chair Senator Lewis.
Great, thank you so much. Representative Peisch we are going to move on to House Bill 6 89. An act to establish an integrated cultural studies curriculum in our schools And we have both Representative Moran and Representative Rogers who signed up are either of them with us to speak a Representative Rogers has indicated he will submit written tests. Okay great. Uh and do we know about represented Moran Not sure um Okay I don't not seeing or hearing represented Moran We will then um We8693 will close the hearing on House Bill 689. We will move to house Bill 77 and act relative to cultural studies and I believe representative soda wanted to testify on this bill. Are you with us? Representative soda?
8712 Okay. Do we have victoria Miss Sias?
Okay, great. Your please go ahead.
[VICTORIA MESIAS (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [HB707] All right. Um, my name is Victoria Mesias and the co-sponsor uh, Bill H 707, An Act relative to cultural studies So throughout the day today you've heard testimony from all kinds of various groups on the importance of diverse and inclusive education. We are proud of this bill because this bill touches upon all of these cultures and identities, but as well as the intersectionality between them.8753 One of the major goals in the creation of this bill said to ensure that students in Massachusetts have a better understanding of the world they live in and everybody, they share it with classes like I took human geography in Latin American history or classes that gave me and so many other students education that was insightful and inspiring. I learned a lot about myself as an American.
The differences, the differences and similarities between my cultures and those throughout Latin America. Um, but with that education also came a deep respect for strangers and their customs. I have a fairly often surprised some colleagues with my knowledge of their culture and it really does pay me to think about how often they have to explain themselves and their customs and how often they get judged for them rather than simply accepted just because of the difference in education that I had versus my peers, but more often than not, college courses end up being the8808 sole source of a diverse education. We cannot allow this to be the status quo as the second highest state rate. Bring for education is a privilege that those classes were available to me. But this type of education should not be a privilege, especially when so many with privilege choose to overlook these classes as they pursue higher education. We must do better and ensure that our education is representative of our population and that is why I urge all of you to vote Yes, pass this on.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you very much for your testimony. Um next we're gonna hear from Marcus Crosby.
Yes, I'm here, apologize everyone for rushing.
[MARQUES CROSBY (MEDWAY MARCHES):] [HB707] My name is Marques Crosby and I'm a resident and co-founder of a group named Medway marches in Medway. Um Today I speak as a former student raised in a predominantly white community as well as a father raising Children in one and to me, the initial section of this bill describing lessons of identity most encapsulates its necessity as a child. I attended school in a suburb of Connecticut and I was one of a handful of African Americans in a high school of over 2000 students. Well, I can admit that I was not frequently on the receiving end of overt racism. I was subject to daily macroaggressions and biases. I mentioned these instances, not to direct attention8885 away from this bill, but rather to highlight the relationship between education and racism and how that can affect Children as they mature.
While I had friends in school, I often found myself as an outlier. My friends made jokes about my parents about how I spoke white and I was called an Oreo which was in reference to me having white inside, even though both of my parents were black and these are just a few examples, I would often erase my culture at school to fit the mold, therefore suppressing a significant piece of my identity as a father now of raising Children in a predominantly white community. I feel this fear this experience for my Children and I have already witnessed the early stages8921 of it. My nine-year-old son wants different hair because his hair looks different when it's wet and my five-year-old daughter just last week told me she thinks she's the only brown girl at school. These interactions, feelings and problems are not changing. In my opinion, our our country has created an environment of conforming to a white standard of patriotism as a black American. I am also a patriot. I to love America. We just have a different relationship.
It is sometimes as blind patriotism that prevent some from learning about and welcoming other cultures which could truly8949 help form stronger bonds class requirement like the proposed8952 could have helped me as a student tremendously and I believe I would stand before you today as a different man, a man whose friends do not have to perpetuate stereotypes, A man whose community new to wish him a happy kwanzaa during the holidays, a man whose school system knew that African Americans are and we're more than just slaves and activists and perhaps most importantly a8970 man who knew to do the same to his counterparts of other cultures. This bill would not take away from students but rather enrich them with more knowledge and tools to be better friends, community members and citizens. America is a melting pot that should be studied, celebrated and nurtured by all. There should not be a standard that requires a portion of the population to assimilate to. And this bill is a significant step towards resolving that we're all Americans with a black, white Asian American Indian or Latino. I to an American, thank you.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Great, thank you very much for your testimony. Um tina Ryan
9004 Gina Ryan are you with us?
Okay, um next we're gonna hear from Derek sobers. Mr sobers. How you doing? Hi,
[DERRICK SOBERS (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [HB707]9024 I'm Derrick Sobers, a husband of9027 three, excuse me, I’m a husband and a father of three and no for mass American history was written to protect white supremacy and the people behind it. It glamorizes romanticized self-confederacy through movies. I've Gone with the Wind and dismissing of conversation in regards to the treatment of minorities. This system tries to continue today as we saw in 2015 as Texas started to eliminate the word slavery from textbooks and replace it with the word migration The same way confederate statues were erected in the 1960s in response to the civil rights movement. When faced with recognizing its own failures, this country tends to be loud and proud to drown out the police for equality, understanding and inclusion and this cultural studies act seeks to help put a stop to it.
This country knows that if we don't tell the truth, that we as a nation won't learn and move forward,9075 which is the objective for a powerful minority of this land, sanitation of history does not protect anyone9080 and allows for continued oppression. I grew up in a small kind of Millville Massachusetts as a first generation black Caribbean African descendants. It was not easy negative stereotypes of black Americans was always presented to me throughout school. Education of African American studies were relegated to a short chapter on slavery. Jim Crow and martin Luther black and minority students like myself would do well knowing the details, students of every color would benefit from learning this. Uh, learning from this country's mistakes when people talk about, talk of black people in this country, it's usually associated with poverty blight and violence, an association that people that interpret as being self-imposed.
That's not true. Education around how highways were built on black neighborhoods, how schools are funded by property value taxes and how redlining, keep minorities in place would be beneficial to all. Especially young, impressionable black Children like I was once myself unsurprisingly, the new conversations around critical race theory are centered9134 on the feelings of white people and their Children. However, as beneficial as a cultural studies education would be for them, it would be even more beneficial to young minority Americans and minorities in this9145 country count to every day. I have to remind my three Children and myself the value that we hold this country has a violent history of African Americans that has never been healed and the violence continues today. This call for action is not to demonize anyone but to change course. Truthful education to bring awareness and a layer of aptitude to for future9166 systemically racist policies and practice. Thank you for the time.
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Thank you very much. We appreciate your testimony. Um Tonya Spencer.
Yes. Hi, can you hear me? Yes, please go ahead. Okay,
[TANYA SPENCER (CONCERNED CITIZEN):] [HB707] Thank you so much for your time today, allowing me to testify on behalf of H 707 and act relative to cultural studies. Children are not being exposed to enough diversity or other cultures in my community. My biracial daughters who are now 22 and 19 did not feel welcome in Oxbridge Massachusetts. They started school here very young when they were six and three. My girls let me know only recently that while growing up here, it was pretty apparent that they should not wear their hair and bridge or even curly as they would be bullied.
I would straighten their hair often, not knowing that this is what they felt they needed to do to feel accepted. They told me that almost every year during martin Luther king studies black history month, the other students would look at them or stare9234 at them as if they were on display. My 19-year-old told me that in middle school she would be called the N-word almost daily through anonymous text messages. She told me about those incidents a few years ago when there was a boy going through the Oxbridge high school who was experiencing racial harassment and history made the news. Uh, he was not, she was not surprised since she had gone to middle school with these same high school attending Children. My daughters were effectively taught to hide their blackness and that being black was bad.
It wasn't until they started college or met more people like them, um, until they started to really appreciate their heritage, the beauty and their hair and skin, it seems like a small thing but extent. Um, I can't help but wonder if maybe the other students if they had had more of a cultural, uh, diverse uh, lessons that they wouldn't treat Children this way. And I was guilty of it myself. I mean, I grew up in a predominantly white middle class neighborhood in Bellingham um, with no introduction to diversity myself. Um, and9306 this hurt my Children as well. Um9308 we need this type of diversity education to stop the cycle of damage and it will take time, but I know that we can do it. So thank you.
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Thank you9319 very much, Miss9320 Spencer. Um So I think that's everyone who has signed up to testify for house 707. So we thank you very much9328 for your advocacy. Um and we're going to close the hearing on that bill. Um We will now move to House bill seven or eight and act concerning education and auto Byron rushing, but no one has signed up for that. So we will close that hearing on that bill, House 3718 and Act Teaching Anti Racism in Massachusetts Schools. Um Representative Dylan Fernandez did sign up. I don't know if he is with us right now, represented Fernandez.
Okay. Um so we will move to um Naomi Altman,
are you with us? Neo9379 Naomi Oltman.
Okay. Um is there anyone else signed up to testify on house 3718? I see another name here, but no, I don't have9392 the person's full name. Um
So um anyone else then, who was is present to testify on house 3718.
Okay, so I'm going to close the hearing on House Bill 3718.
Um I believe Representative Karen's is with us and uh wanted to testify. Do you want to go ahead now
Representative Kerans
Okay.
Alright we're gonna now take up House bill 7.05 An act relative to education standards. Um I don't have anyone signed up. So we'll close the hearing on on that bill, Senate bill 3 60 act for the end of the common core establishing certain other curriculum standards. Um No one is signed up so we'll close the hearing on that bill, House 688 and Act relative to media literacy in public schools. Again, no one signed up will close9465 the hearing on that Bill. Senate Bill 30 to enact relative to media literacy. I don't have anyone signed up. Will close the hearing on that bill How 7 3 An Act Relative To Geography, Education. Also nobody signed up so that uh will close the hearing on on House 703 Senate Bill 3 90 An act to promote alternative dispute resolution for students.9490 Um also don't have anyone signed up there. So we'll close the hearing on9496 that bill. Senate bill 3 90 for a result establishing a joint task force to study the utilization of D. C. R. Sites for educational programming for safe outdoor learning. Um Senator tim multi maybe with us. Uh Did you want to testify now Senator tim multi?
Okay. Not hearing9519 senator timilty or anyone else will close the hearing on Senate 394 and again a reminder to our Senate and house colleagues and other members of the public. You can certainly submit written testimony on bills you'd like to weigh in on even after the hearing. We can the committee can accept the testimony, you know, anytime after this hearing. So it did not have to be submitted by today. Um, okay, so we are now going to move to the last two bills that are on the docket today. Um, which on the one hand, sounds great because we're getting near the end. On the other hand, this is where almost everybody signed up to testify. So again, as a reminder, um, Uh, we are asking people to limit their testimony to no more than two minutes. You can certainly do less than two minutes and um, we are very happily accepting written testimony. I know many of you have already been submitting written testimony. Representative to represent a position myself and we've been busily reading it and we'll be9582 sharing that with the committee members. That's a very effective way with the committee also, please do pay attention two if folks before you have already made the same point, you know, don't really need to repeat them. So you can just say just very briefly, I agree with this point at that point, I strongly support where I oppose the bill, What, what have you and just just summarize like that. That will actually probably be even more effective. Um, okay, so we're gonna now begin um, the hearing on House bill 5 84 and Senate Bill 3 65 which is an act relative to anti racism, equity and justice and education and to kick us off. Um we are going to hear from, I believe Representative Elugardo are you with us?
Yes, yes, I am sure. Lewis thank you for having me. Good to see you. Great to see you and great to see you9643 earlier to your pipes looking outstanding. Uh So
[REP ELUGARDO:] [HB584] [SB365] I am testifying on H 584 and S 365 And I'd like to pair this testimony particularly with H 651 Rep Lewis’s uh, a bill regarding teaching Native American culture and history, and H 618 Rep Higgins’ bill regarding teaching native American culture and history and H 6 18 rep Higgins LGBTQ+ inclusive in curriculum bill as my support for these is as passionate as for the bill that I had the honour of co filing with Rep Uyterhoeven, who will be testifying shortly and it was an honor to really meet with the multi ethnic statewide youth organisers and their allies. I know you've met many of them and to strategize how to spread the word and get this bill over the finish time. And I told them so in a couple of settings that the bill is very personal to me and I'll share a couple of stories if I have time.9693
I'll definitely put them in my written testimony, but first they've asked me to share some stories,9697 but first I just want to point out some of the most important components. I'm really9703 glad to hear that will be considering an omnibus bill for the many important bills in this particular hearing and please do make sure that the standing permanent commission from9716 this bill makes it into that. It's work focused on dismantling racism, developing curriculum and bringing forward best practices to ensure ethnic studies and racial justice are permanent features of our Children's public school curriculum in all grades. And we want to make sure to take into account the diversity of ethnicities and families such as multiracial families like mine, LGBTQ+ families, indigenous API cultures, for example whose diversity, even within them an integral presence and leadership in9743 American history and contemporary culture and progress has often been completely invisible or worse misrepresented in our school correctly curricula.
Uh, we also provide in this bill for the professional development of educators and a source of funds to make sure that school districts do the work that they want to do in this area. I do think it bears considering you should, whether federal COVID Education Funds could be applied to that funding. I have heard in testimony as a number of Voice and Means that some. Um, but in some areas of federal funding, buyback equity has counted as a COVID recovery purpose. And so I think that might apply here as well. Um, just highlight a couple of stories that I9787 will tell more fully in my written testimony uh that the youth asked me9790 to share. You know I went to eight different public schools myself and in the 11th grade my trick teacher told me take the mass up to exam that's9799 old stuff from the 80s and early 90s. But it was the highest math level exam at the time.
And to make the story sure the guidance counselor told me I'm not going to waste your time in mind those her exact words uh for you to take a test that uh to get into schools that nobody's where no one's going to accept you. She never met me that was a bias. She had I had to search her office and find that paper document because we didn't have internet then kids listening in and um I was accepted into9828 M. I. T. Prints then and all the colleges that I apply to. So she was lying to9832 me but that I was based on a deeply held bias. And that same school I was told by a French teacher when I said wow kids deserve this great education. I'm getting that the kids from my neighborhood would ruin the school even though I was the only kid from my neighborhood that she'd ever met. So you know I heard on NPR a story about a group of teachers that took a field trip to the African American museum. They spent one day in Washington DC.9857 And the powerful stories they and their students told about the ways that that transformed from their education and edify them.
Uh it really struck me so that this curriculum which would go much deeper than a than a field trip really does make a difference, leaders and role models, engaging youth changes everything. I spend a lot of time with youth, even youth who are shooting people and doing things that are really horrible based on their own trauma when we get together with them and give them another way they take that other pathway. They've helped me get9887 budget money into the district9889 for youth jobs. For example, they change their path when the leaders that are representing them and speaking to them, understand who they are and where they're coming from. So I'm proud and inspired by the youth organisers and their allies in your districts committee members, esteemed committee members and beyond. I'm sure you've been impressed as well and I'm glad to hear9907 again. Cherry Pie signaled the likelihood that the omnibus bill Will be considered for the many important bills in this hearing. I ask that you report the key components of H 584 and S 365 which thank you chair Lewis9921 for filing on the Senate side. I asked that there reported out favorably, but that you also as members of the committee, do what you can to help us get an inclusive and intersectional curriculum and funding bill over the finish line. Thank you very much.
SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Thank you so much represent Elugardo and I'm really proud and privileged to be teamed up with you and representative hoping uh, in championing this, uh, this legislation. Um, okay, so I think I saw representative odor Galvin a moment ago. Yes, you're with us. So go ahead. Please testify now. Thank you. Wonderful.
[REP UYTERHOEVEN:] [HB584] [SB365] Thank you. Thank you. Chair Peisch and chair Lewis and esteemed members of the committee. I'm here to testify in support of an act relative to anti-racism, equity and justice and education, which I am honoured to file alongside chair Lewis and Representative Elugardo and I want to thank the committee chairs for the opportunity for me and for so many black indigenous and people of color to share their personal lived experiences on why this bill is so critical for our communities and for our Children. This bill is deeply personal for all of us because throughout our education we rarely saw ourselves in the curriculum in the stories we read or in the history that we learned and from the perspective of our Children. Not only are their identities and experiences rendered invisible, it is well documented, understood that students10001 of color first experienced racism10002 and create formative understanding of white supremacy by the10006 first few years of elementary school.10008
I distinctly personally remember my first memory10010 of my classmate mocking my mother's English and preschool.10012 I remember being told10013 I could not go10015 to a classmate's house because their grandparents didn't want a Japanese person there without ethnic studies and without a curriculum10022 with a social justice perspective of naming and10024 dismantling racism.10025 Students like myself are left for many years assuming I was inadequate. That's something about my skin and how I look,10031 developed an internalized belief that I and other people who look like me are inferior to white10036 people. This is why this bill is so important. This bill is a first step in building our schools to be anti-racist and inclusive of all students and families of color. This bill sets up a commission for anti-racism and equity10048 in education that will work10050 with commissioner Commissioner and daisy to ensure that age appropriate pentalogy and ethnic studies racial justice de colonising history and unlearning racism is taught in our schools.
10059 I want to highlight what makes this bill distinct. I understand limited time. So the commission10064 is both led by educators and community leaders of color and the commission's. The commission's mission work is structured to be driven by ongoing engagement with educators who are implementing pedagogy and practices and dismantling racism in their district and their communities as such.10080 This bill sets up a separate fund to be administered by the commissioner that10084 will be used for a grant program available to school districts to promote racial equity and implement ethnic studies.10090 And I10091 also urge that we could potentially10092 find some funding actually through the ARPA funding.10095
That were especially expecting10096 to10097 come through this funding10099 would be10100 spent on things including professional development, training, review and transformation of10105 current curriculum standards and developing educational materials. The structure of meaningful collaboration and10110 partnership between the newly formed10111 commission, the commissioner Daisy. And the school districts10114 that are implementing the commission's10116 mission is why this bill has gone such resounding support from so many organizations representing bipac communities. I respectfully ask the committee10124 to report this bill favorably and so that we can ensure that a future and education10128 centered on equity and justice for all10130 of our students is possible. Thank10131 you so much for your time. Thank you for this opportunity.
10136 SHOW NON-ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE
Great, thanks a lot. Representative. It's10138 really a pleasure to work, work work closely with you. Um Thank you.
Mhm.
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