Public Schools – Content Standards, Curriculum, and Bullying Policies – Culture and History of Palestine

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1202*

HOUSE BILL 1202
F1 6lr3334

By: Delegates Acevero, Alston, Lewis, Martinez, Stinnett, Woods, and Young
Introduced and read first time: February 11, 2026
Assigned to: Ways and Means

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Public Schools – Content Standards, Curriculum, and Bullying Policies – 2
Culture and History of Palestine 3

FOR the purpose of requiring the State Board of Education to develop certain content 4
standards regarding the culture and history of Palestine to be included in certain 5
State standards for social studies; requiring the Department, in collaboration with 6
certain stakeholders, to develop certain curriculum guides and instructional 7
resources regarding the culture and history of Palestine in alignment with certain 8
content standards; requiring each county board of education to develop, in 9
collaboration with certain stakeholders, certain curriculum guides; requiring each 10
public school to include Palestinian cultur e and history in the social studies 11
curriculum beginning in a certain school year; altering the requirements for a certain 12
model policy regarding bullying, harassment, or intimidation to expressly require 13
the inclusion of conduct motivated by an anti –Palestinian bias; requiring the 14
Department to review certain content standards and frameworks in social studies to 15
make a certain determination for a certain purpose; and generally relating to the 16
Palestinian culture and history education and content and curriculum standards. 17

BY adding to 18
Article – Education 19
Section 4–111.5 20
Annotated Code of Maryland 21
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 22

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 23
Article – Education 24
Section 7–424(a)(1) and (2) and 7–424.1(a) and (c) 25
Annotated Code of Maryland 26
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 27

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 28
2 HOUSE BILL 1202

Article – Education 1
Section 7–424.1(b) 2
Annotated Code of Maryland 3
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 4

Preamble 5

WHEREAS, Public schools in the State have a duty to provide inclusive, accurate, 6
and age –appropriate education that promotes cultural understanding, critical thinking, 7
and respect for human dignity; and 8

WHEREAS, Incidents of anti –Palestinian bias, harassment, intimidation, and 9
hate–motivated conduct have occurred in Maryland schools, undermining student safety, 10
student mental health, and equal access to education; and 11

WHEREAS, The abse nce of foundational cultural and historical literacy regarding 12
Palestine and Palestinian identity contributes to stereotyping, misinformation, and the 13
dehumanization of students and communities; and 14

WHEREAS, Educational approaches grounded in cultural literacy reduce bias, 15
prevent hate–based conduct, and improve school climates when implemented in a factual, 16
nonpartisan, and educational manner; now, therefore, 17

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 18
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 19

Article – Education 20

4–111.5. 21

(A) THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FINDS THAT ENACTING THESE STAND ARDS 22
ON THE HISTORY OF PALESTINE IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF: 23

(1) ADDRESSING ANTI–PALESTINIAN HATE AND DISCRIMINATION 24
THROUGH EDUCATION AND PREVENTION; 25

(2) ENSURING STUDENTS RECEIVE ACC URATE, BALANCED, AND 26
HISTORICALLY GROUNDED INSTRUCTION REGARDING PALESTINIAN CULTURE , 27
HISTORY, AND IDENTITY; 28

(3) PROMOTING STUDENT SAFETY, INCLUSION, AND DIGNITY; AND 29

(4) STRENGTHENING EXISTING DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND 30
ANTIDISCRIMINATION FRAMEWORKS IN THE STATE’S PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 31

HOUSE BILL 1202 3

(B) (1) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2026, THE STATE BOARD SHALL 1
DEVELOP CONTENT STAN DARDS REGARDING THE CULTURE AND HISTORY OF 2
PALESTINE TO BE INCLUDED IN TH E STATE STANDARDS AND FRAMEWORKS IN 3
SOCIAL STUDIES. 4

(2) THE CONTENT STANDARDS FOR PALESTINIAN CULTURE AND 5
HISTORY SHALL INCLUDE INSTRUCTION ON: 6

(I) THE HISTORICAL PRESEN CE OF PALESTINIANS IN THE 7
REGION OF PALESTINE; 8

(II) PALESTINIAN CULTURAL , RELIGIOUS, LINGUISTIC, AND 9
SOCIAL TRADITIONS; 10

(III) THE IMPACT OF DISPLAC EMENT, STATELESSNESS, AND 11
CONFLICT ON PALESTINIANS, PARTICULARLY THE CIVILIAN POPULATION; 12

(IV) DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN GOVERNMENTS, POLITICAL 13
MOVEMENTS, AND CIVILIAN POPULATIONS; 14

(V) PRINCIPLES OF INTERNA TIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS FOR 15
CIVILIAN POPULATIONS; AND 16

(VI) RECOGNITION OF PALESTINIAN IDENTITY AS A DISTINCT 17
ETHNIC AND CULTURAL IDENTITY. 18

(3) THE CONTENT STANDARDS DEVELOPED UNDER THIS SUBSECTION 19
SHALL: 20

(I) BE FACTUAL , HISTORICALLY GROUNDED , AND 21
NONPARTISAN; 22

(II) EMPHASIZE CRITICAL TH INKING, MEDIA LITERACY , AND 23
RESPECTFUL DIALOGUE; 24

(III) AVOID POLITICAL ADVOC ACY OR ENDORSEMENT O F A 25
PARTICULAR GOVERNMENT OR POLITICAL MOVEMENT; AND 26

(IV) RESPECT ACADEMIC FREE DOM AND THE ASSOCIATED 27
CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS AFFORDED TO TEACHERS AND STUDENTS. 28

(C) THE DEPARTMENT, IN COLLABORATION WITH TEACHERS, HISTORIANS, 29
CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS, SHALL DEVELOP: 30
4 HOUSE BILL 1202

(1) MODEL CURRICULUM GUIDES AN D INSTRUCTIONAL RESO URCES 1
REGARDING THE CULTURE AND HISTORY OF PALESTINE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE 2
CONTENT STANDARDS DEVELOPED UNDER SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION; AND 3

(2) OPTIONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES FOR 4
TEACHERS ON CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE INSTRUCTION AND TEACHING SENS ITIVE 5
HISTORICAL TOPICS. 6

(D) EACH COUNTY BOARD, IN COLLABORATION WIT H THE LOCAL SCHOOL 7
SYSTEM, SHALL DEVELOP AND IM PLEMENT AGE – AND 8
DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE CURRICUL UM GUIDES REGARDING THE 9
CULTURE AND HISTORY OF PALESTINE ALIGNED WITH THE CONTENT STANDARD S 10
DEVELOPED UNDER SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION. 11

(E) BEGINNING IN THE 2027–2028 SCHOOL YEAR, EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL IN 12
THE STATE SHALL INCLUDE PALESTINIAN CULTURE AND HISTORY IN THE SOCIAL 13
STUDIES CURRICULUM. 14

(F) NOTHING IN THIS SECTION MAY BE CONSTRUED TO: 15

(1) REQUIRE POLITICAL ADV OCACY OR IDEOLOGICAL INSTRUCTION 16
FAVORABLE TO PALESTINE; 17

(2) LIMIT DISCUSSION OF MULTIPLE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES; 18

(3) SUPERSEDE EXISTING CONTENT STA NDARDS, UNLESS THERE IS 19
AN IRRECONCILABLE CONFLICT; OR 20

(4) INFRINGE ON THE CONST ITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF TEACHERS OR 21
STUDENTS. 22

7–424. 23

(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 24

(2) “Bullying, harassment , or intimidation” means intentional conduct, 25
including verbal, physical, or written conduct, or an intentional electronic communication, 26
that: 27

(i) Creates a hostile educational environment by substantially 28
interfering with a student’s educational bene fits, opportunities, or performance, or with a 29
student’s physical or psychological well–being and is: 30

HOUSE BILL 1202 5

1. Motivated by an actual or a perceived personal 1
characteristic including race, national origin, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, 2
gender ide ntity, religion, ancestry, physical attributes, socioeconomic status, familial 3
status, or physical or mental ability or disability; 4

2. Sexual in nature, including descriptions or depictions of a 5
student with the student’s intimate parts exposed or whi le engaged in an act of sexual 6
contact; or 7

3. Threatening or seriously intimidating; and 8

(ii) 1. Occurs on school property, at a school activity or event, or 9
on a school bus; or 10

2. Substantially disrupts the orderly operation of a school. 11

7–424.1. 12

(a) In this section, “bullying, harassment, or intimidation” has the meaning 13
stated in § 7–424 of this subtitle. 14

(b) (1) [By March 31, 2009, the] THE State Board, after consultation with and 15
input from local school systems, shall develop a mod el policy prohibiting bullying, 16
harassment, or intimidation in schools. 17

(2) The model policy developed under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall 18
include: 19

(i) A statement prohibiting bullying, harassment, and intimidation 20
in schools; 21

(ii) A st atement prohibiting reprisal or retaliation against 22
individuals who report acts of bullying, harassment, or intimidation; 23

(iii) A definition of bullying, harassment, or intimidation that is 24
either the same as set forth in subsection (a) of this section or a definition that is not less 25
inclusive than that definition; 26

(IV) A DEFINITION OF BULLYI NG, HARASSMENT, OR 27
INTIMIDATION THAT EX PRESSLY INCLUDES CON DUCT MOTIVATED BY AN 28
ANTI–PALESTINIAN BIAS; 29

[(iv)] (V) Standard consequences and remedial actions for persons 30
committing acts of bullying, harassment, or intimidation and for persons engaged in 31
reprisal or retaliation; 32

6 HOUSE BILL 1202

[(v)] (VI) Standard consequences and remedial actions for persons 1
found to have made false accusations; 2

[(vi)] (VII) Model procedures for reporting acts of bullying, 3
harassment, and intimidation; 4

[(vii)] (VIII) Model procedures for providing notice of an act of bullying, 5
harassment, or intimidation to: 6

1. A parent or guardian of the alleged victim, within 3 7
business days after the date the act is reported; and 8

2. A parent or guardian of the alleged perpetrator, within 5 9
business days after the date the act is reported; 10

[(viii)] (IX) Model procedures for the prompt investigation of acts of 11
bullying, harassment, and intimidation; 12

[(ix)] (X) Information about the types of support services available 13
to the student bully, victim, and any bystanders; 14

[(x)] (XI) Information regarding the availability and use of the 15
bullying, harassment, or intimidation form under § 7–424 of this subtitle; and 16

[(xi)] (XII) Information regarding the availability and use of an 17
anonymous two–way electronic tip program established under § 7–424 of this subtitle. 18

(3) By September 1, 2016, and every 5 years thereafter , the State Board, 19
after consultation with local school systems, shall update the model policy required under 20
paragraph (1) of this subsection. 21

(c) (1) Each county board shall establish a policy prohibiting bullying, 22
harassment, or intimidation at school based on the model policy. 23

(2) The policy shall address the components of the model policy specified in 24
subsection (b)(2) of this section. 25

(3) A county board shall develop the policy in consultation with 26
representatives of the following groups: 27

(i) Parents or guardians of students; 28

(ii) School employees and administrators; 29

(iii) School volunteers; 30

HOUSE BILL 1202 7

(iv) Students; and 1

(v) Members of the community. 2

(4) By January 1, 2017, and every 5 years thereafter, each county board 3
shall update its policy based on the State Board’s update of the model policy under 4
subsection (b)(3) of this section. 5

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 6

(a) The State Department of Education shall review the State Standards and 7
Frameworks in Social Studies of the Maryland College and Career Readiness Standards to 8
determine the appropriate placement for instruction on the culture and history of Palestine. 9

(b) On or before December 1, 202 7, the State Department of Education shall 10
report to the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2 –1257 of the State Government 11
Article, on: 12

(1) the review conducted under subsection (a) of this section; 13

(2) the status of the Department’s development of the content standards 14
required under § 4–111.5 of the Education Article, as enacted by Section 1 of this Act; 15

(3) summarize the plans that local school systems have regarding 16
implementation of the culture and history of Palestine curriculum aligned with the revised 17
social studies content standards; 18

(4) plans for curriculum resources; 19

(5) plans for teacher professional development resources; and 20

(6) any recommendations for improving cultural literacy or bias 21
prevention. 22

SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 23
1, 2026. 24