§ 17:284 — American Sign Language; secondary schools

A. Any public high school shall offer instruction in a course in American Sign Language as an elective course provided a sufficient number of students desire to enroll in such a course. Any public high school offering a course in American Sign Language shall provide instruction to any pupil wishing to participate in that course. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall establish by rule criteria for each parish or city school board to determine whether a sufficient number of students desire a course in American Sign Language and shall develop appropriate procedures for submittal of such determinations by any parish or city school board wishing to offer such instruction. The board shall provide by rule for the implementation of this requirement. The board shall prescribe suitable teaching materials for the instruction and provide for teacher qualifications.
B. As used in this Section "American Sign Language" shall mean a visual language which has emerged from the deaf culture and is comprised of handshapes, movement, and body and facial expression, and possesses an identifiable syntax and grammar specific to visual languages which incorporates spatial relationships as a linguistic factor.
C. Any parish or city school board offering American Sign Language in any school under its jurisdiction shall schedule such instruction in accordance with the regulations of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Legislative History

Acts 1991, No. 512, §1.