Esta ley crea el "Programa de Enseñanza de Gobierno y Derechos Civiles" en las instituciones escolares públicas de Puerto Rico. El programa busca educar a los estudiantes sobre la forma de gobierno, sus ramas, su funcionamiento y los derechos civiles consagrados en la Constitución del Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico.
To create a "Government and Civil Rights Teaching Program" in the public school institutions of Puerto Rico.
In our government system, democracy is its axis and guiding principle. As such, the elected government directly represents the people and they in turn, have the responsibility and obligation to inform their problems, concerns and difficulties to their representatives.
The Constitution of the Commonwealth frames the form of government, the relationship between the government and the people and sets forth the civil rights that the people expressly reserved for themselves in the Bill of Rights. This recognition of the individual rights of human beings is the result of great struggles, suffering and sacrifices of societies that preceded ours, since the government adjudicated to itself more powers than those that the People had granted to it.
Unfortunately, and in spite of all the virtues of our democratic system, the vast majority of the citizenry does not exercise its obligation of participating in the government process. The reason for this is that they are unaware of how the government operates and as well of their individual and civil rights.
The teaching of a course on "Government and Civil Rights" shall instruct a new generation of Puerto Ricans as to the operations process of
government institutions, their responsibilities as citizens, members of a democracy and on the civil rights that protect the individual before government actions and at times, from other individuals.
Section 1.- The Secretary of Education of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is hereby authorized to establish a course on "Government and Civil Rights" in the public education institutions in Puerto Rico, according to the educational standards of the Department of Education of Puerto Rico.
Section 2.- The course referred to in Section 1 of this Act shall be structured to train those who take said course on the form of government, the three branches that constitute the same, its operation and the Civil Rights consecrated in the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Section 3.- The course referred to in Section 1 of this Act shall be offered in the grade or level of education deemed convenient by the Secretary of Education.
Section 4.- This Act shall take effect immediately after its approval.
I hereby certify to the Secretary of State that the following Act No. 11 (H.B. 49) of the $2^{ ext {nd }}$ Session of the $14^{ ext {th }}$ Legislature of Puerto Rico:
AN ACT to create a "Government and Civil Rights Teaching Program" in the public school institutions of Puerto Rico, has been translated from Spanish to English and that the English version is correct.
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, today $5^{ ext {th }}$ of December of 2003.
Elba Rosa Rodríguez-Fuentes Director