Relates to requirements for a course of instruction relating to the Irish potato famine

S 8959 mandates that all New York public and private elementary and high schools include a dedicated unit studying the Irish potato famine (1845-1850) as part of their required civic education curriculum. This bill amends education law to specifically require schools to teach about the "mass starvation in Ireland from 1845 to 1850" alongside other topics like slavery, the Holocaust, and genocide. It directly affects all K-12 students in New York schools over age eight, requiring schools to integrate this historical study into existing courses on citizenship and human rights. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, following committee referral.