FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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CHARLIE CRIST
Commissioner
M E M O R A N D U M
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TO:
District School Superintendents
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FROM:
Betty Coxe
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DATE:
August 12, 2002
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Subject:
Celebrate Freedom Week
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BETTY COXE
DEPUTY COMMISSIONER
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
CONTACT PERSON
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Name:
Fred Varn
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Phone:
(850) 488-1701
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Suncom: 488-1701
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Email:
Fred.Varn@FLDOE.ORG
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DPS:
03-014
House Bill 885, passed by the 2002 Florida Legislature, created Section 233.0659, Florida
Statutes, requiring Celebrate Freedom Week to be recognized in the public schools each
September and requiring a portion of the Declaration of Independence to be recited daily by
students during that week.
You may obtain an enrolled copy of HB 885 directly from Online
Sunshine at http://www.leg.state.fl.us.
Please find below a summary of the provisions of this
bill.
•
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The last full week of classes in September shall be recognized in public schools as Celebrate
Freedom Week.
•
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Celebrate Freedom Week must include at least 3 hours of appropriate instruction in each
social studies class, as determined by the school district, which shall include an in-depth
study of the intent, meaning, and importance of the Declaration of Independence.
•
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During the last full week of September, at the beginning of each school day or in homeroom,
public school principals and teachers shall conduct an oral recitation by students of the
PLAZA LEV EL – 08, THE CAPITOL – TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA 32399-0400 – (850) 413-0555 – FAX (850) 488-2869
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An affirmative action/equal opportunity employer
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District School Superintendents
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August 12, 2002
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Page Two
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following words of the Declaration of Independence:
“We hold these truths to be self-
evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain
unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to
secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from
the consent of the governed.”
•
Upon written request by a student’s parent, the student must be excused from the recitation of
the Declaration of Independence.
•
The act is effective July 1, 2002.
Numerous resources for schools and teachers can be found at a variety of websites that have
information on the Declaration of Independence, the context of its writing, the signers, its
meaning and so forth. These include:
The National Archives: Exhibit Hall.
View the Declaration of Independence –
http://www.nara.gov/index.html
The Declaration of Independence website, which includes the full text of the document and a
photograph of the original document – http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/
Historical Documents: The Declaration of Independence.
Library of Congress –
http://memory.loc.gov/const/declar.html
The intent of this legislation is to educate students about the sacrifices made for freedom in the
founding of this country and the values on which this country was founded.
If you have
questions or need additional information regarding the implementation of these requirements,
please do not hesitate to contact our office.
BC/tb
cc: District Directors of Curriculum and Instruction
PLAZA LEV EL – 08, THE CAPITOL – TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA 32399-0400 – (850) 413-0555 – FAX (850) 488-2869
€
http:/www.firn.edu/doe
€
An affirmative action/equal opportunity employer
€
