It seems more people now believe that water safety education should become a significant component in childhood curricula.
In late summer, pool- and aquatics-industry associations began pursuing the viability of legislation that would require swim lessons before entry into kindergarten. While that exploration continues, legislators have introduced another bill that is related in content, though does not come from the same source.
Senate Bill 608 and House Bill 325, currently identical in text, lay out a number of non-academic subjects that public schools would need to include in their instruction to better prepare students for life. Along with injury and disease prevention, nutrition, drug education and a wide-range of health-related subjects to be covered is water safety.
From kindergarten through 12th grade, school districts would need to provide water-safety instruction that, at a minimum, includes use of flotation devices, awareness of water conditions, responding to rip currents, safe behavior in and around water, pool barriers and fencing, avoiding alcohol and narcotics around the water, and the importance of proper supervision, swim lessons and CPR.
In its current form, the legislation would encourage, but not require, the State Board of Education to establish standards for compliance.
While the Florida legislature is doing preliminary work in committees, the full session begins in January and runs through March. If passed, the law would go into effect July 1, 2020.
