(a) The Legislature encourages instruction in the area of social sciences, as required pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 51220, which may include instruction on the Vietnam war including the “Secret War” in Laos and the role of Southeast Asians in that war. The Legislature encourages that this instruction include, but not be limited to, a component drawn from personal testimony, especially in the form of oral or video history of Southeast Asians who were involved in the Vietnam war and those men and women who contributed to the war effort on the homefront. The oral histories used as a part of the instruction regarding the role of Southeast Asians in the Vietnam war and the “Secret War” in Laos shall exemplify the personal sacrifice and courage of the wide range of ordinary citizens who were called upon to participate and provide intelligence for the United States. The oral histories shall contain the views and comments of their subjects regarding the reasons for their participation in the war. These oral histories shall also solicit comments from their subjects regarding the aftermath of the war and the immigration of Southeast Asians to the United States.

(b) This section shall be carried out in a manner that does not result in any new duties or programs being imposed on the school district. In that regard, the Legislature finds and declares that this section does not mandate costs to local agencies or school districts and that materials used to comply with this section shall be part of normal curriculum materials purchased by school districts in their normal course of business and purchasing cycles.

(Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 130, Sec. 73. Effective January 1, 2008.)