Every public elementary school and high school may include in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the causes and effects of mass starvation in mid-19th century Ireland. This period in world history is known as the "Irish Famine", in which millions of Irish died or emigrated. The study of this material is a reaffirmation of the commitment of free people of all nations to eradicate the causes of famine that exist in the modern world.
The State Superintendent of Education may prepare and make available to all school boards instructional materials that may be used as guidelines for development of a unit of instruction under this Section; provided, however, that each school board shall itself determine the minimum amount of instruction time that shall qualify as a unit of instruction satisfying the requirements of this Section.
105 ILCS 5/27-20.6