INFORMATIONAL

  During the 1999 session of the General Assembly of Virginia,
  setion 22.1-201 of the Code of Virginia, related to the
  study of documents of Virginia history, was amended to
  include the Bill of Rights and reenacted as follows:

  22.1-201. Study of documents of Virginia history and United
  States Constitution. 

  The Declaration of American Independence, the gener  principles
  of the Constitution of the United States,  including the Bill
  of Rights (emphasis added), the Virginia Statute of Religious
  Freedom, the charters of April 10, 1606, May 23, 1609, and 
  March 12, 1612, of The Virginia Company, and the Virginia 
  Declaration of Rights shall be thoroughly explained and taught
  by teachers to pupils in public elementary, middle, and high 
  schools. Emphasis shall be given to the citizenship 
  responsibilities inherent in the rights included in these
  documents. Written examinations as to each of such documents
  shall be given. 

  The History and Social Science Standards of Learning and the
  recently completed History and Social Science Teacher Resource
  Guide reference the Bill of Rights at various grade levels,
  with specific emphasis devoted to the Bill of Rights at grades
  four, five, six, and eleven. In addition, instruction focused
  on the Bill of Rights should be included in civics and
  government classes when studying the Constitution of the United
  States.  

  Should you or your staff have questions regarding the
  implementation of this section of the Code of Virginia, please
  contact Harvey Carmichael at (804) 225-2891 or Joan Spence at
  (804) 786-7076.

  PDS/hrc


  Attachment:  A hard copy of this memo and its attach-
               ment will be sent to the superintendent's
               office.