Florida Senate - 2016                                    SB 1590
       
       
        
       By Senator Abruzzo
       
       25-01602-16                                           20161590__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to public school instruction;
    3         providing a short title; amending s. 1003.42, F.S.;
    4         requiring the instructional staff of public schools to
    5         provide instruction to certain students about the
    6         responsible use of social media by a specified school
    7         year; requiring the Commissioner of Education to
    8         provide school districts with certain information;
    9         providing an effective date.
   10          
   11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   12  
   13         Section 1. This act may be cited as the “Social Media
   14  Awareness and Responsibility Teaching (SMART) Education Act.”
   15         Section 2. Paragraph (u) is added to subsection (2) of
   16  section 1003.42, Florida Statutes, to read:
   17         1003.42 Required instruction.—
   18         (2) Members of the instructional staff of the public
   19  schools, subject to the rules of the State Board of Education
   20  and the district school board, shall teach efficiently and
   21  faithfully, using the books and materials required that meet the
   22  highest standards for professionalism and historic accuracy,
   23  following the prescribed courses of study, and employing
   24  approved methods of instruction, the following:
   25         (u) Responsible use of social media. Beginning in the 2016
   26  2017 school year, such instruction is required for students in
   27  grades 5 and 6. Each school district shall incorporate
   28  instruction on the responsible use of social media into the
   29  curriculum for students in grade 5 and shall incorporate a
   30  review of that material into the social studies curriculum for
   31  students in grade 6. The instruction must provide students with
   32  information on the purpose and acceptable use of various social
   33  media platforms; social media behavior that ensures cybersafety,
   34  cybersecurity, and cyberethics; and the potential negative
   35  consequences, including cyberbullying, of failing to use various
   36  social media platforms responsibly. The Commissioner of
   37  Education shall provide school districts with sample learning
   38  activities and resources designed to promote the responsible use
   39  of social media.
   40  
   41  The State Board of Education is encouraged to adopt standards
   42  and pursue assessment of the requirements of this subsection.
   43         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016.