NJ schools required to teach diversity, inclusion under new law

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TRENTON, N.J. - New Jersey school districts must incorporate instruction on diversity and inclusion under a bill Gov. Phil Murphy signed Monday.

The legislation goes into effect immediately, but calls for beginning in the 2021-2022 school year.

The bill aims to promote and highlight diversity, including economic, gender, sexual orientation, and race.

The state's education commissioner will give the state's 600-plus districts sample activities and resources aimed at promoting diversity and inclusion.

The measures' sponsors called it a "natural next stop" to promote diversity.

"Schools in New Jersey reflect the rich diversity of our state," said the sponsors, Democratic state lawmakers Carol Murphy, Verlina Reynolds-Jackson and Anthony Verrelli, in a statement. "In health and physical education classes, students are taught to respect their individual and cultural differences to build healthy relationships both in and out of the classroom. The natural next step is to promote diversity, tolerance and respect for all. These are values students will take with them long after they graduate."