LGBT Curriculum Opponent: Calif. Bill Negates "Negative Consequences" of Male Homosexuality

A bill before California lawmakers has been making waves in the state as it aims to make the teaching of gay history compulsory in the Golden State.

The state Senate passed the Senate Bill 48, which is better known as the FAIR (Fair, Accurate, Inclusive and Respectful) Education Act, last month. And in the coming weeks, it will be presented to the state Assembly for approval. It would then go to Gov. Jerry Brown.

If signed, the FAIR Education Act would require schools to ensure that LGBT people are recognized in textbooks and ban discriminatory materials.

State Sen. Mark Leno [D-San Francisco] introduced the bill, which is an extension of the statewide celebration of Harvey Milk Day. It would include LGBT history and contributions into middle and high school history classes. California law already requires schools to highlight the contributions of women, African and Mexican Americans and entrepreneurs, among others. This would be the first law to require curriculum that highlights contributions by prominent LGBT individuals and groups.

The bill has drawn criticism from opponents, particularly the organization Capital Resource Institute, which was instrumental in funding and promoting the Yes on 8 campaign that prompted the passage of Proposition 8 in 2008.

The Capital Resource Institute claims it is unfair to task children and students, many of whom are struggling with basic math, language, reading, and science skills necessary for productiveness, with more politically divisive material that will not further their academic advancement.

Most individual opponents argue that when and how to talk about same-sex relationships should be left to parents.

Randy Thomasson, president of SaveCalifornia.com opposes the bill because he fears the impact of exposing children to the LGBT lifestyle.

"This is teaching children from kindergarten on up that the homosexual, bisexual, transsexual lifestyle is something to admire and consider for themselves." he wrote on his website. Thomasson also worries that the measure does not allow for teachers to discuss the opposition to the LGBT movement and claims that the bill fails to mention what he believes are "the negative consequences, that male homosexuality is the largest transmitter of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases."

Equality California is working hard to combat the efforts of Capital Resources Institute and other opponents.

"We believe that schools should not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity," said Mario Guerrero, director of government affairs for Equality California. "It is discriminatory to exclude a whole civil right movement from our history lessons in textbooks and instructional materials. We also believe that a school should not endorse an event that discriminates."

Guerrero pointed out some school districts already include LGBT history in their curriculum.

"We believe that individuals that have opposed the bill do not understand what the bill does and what it does not do." he said.

Even in its current state, the bill has already inspired progress. Benji Delgadillo, a junior at a southern Orange County high school is a blogger for GSA Network, a trainer on the Southern California Youth Council and a member of the Statewide Advocacy Council. Delgadillo recently testified in support of the bill.

Since the testimony, he came out to his teacher and spoke about the importance of teaching LGBT histories in the classroom.

"In the days since then, my teacher has been following the FAIR Education Act's journey, and has asked me to help him create new instructional materials in relation to LGBT people and events in history that he can use in the years to come." wrote Delgadillo on his GSA Network blog. His teacher has added information about the Stonewall riots and the Gay Liberation Movement to his curriculum and now sees including LGBT history in a different light.

The GSA Network has also recently launched its LGBTQ-Inclusive Curriculum Campaign to help schools include relevant curriculum for campuses.

"Studies show that the inclusion of LGBT people in instructional materials is linked to greater student safety and lower rates of bullying for all students," said Jill Marcellus, communication coordinator for the GSA Network. "By ensuring that instructional materials include fair and accurate information about LGBT people, the FAIR Education Act would combat negative stereotypes that contribute to bullying and an unsafe school environment for LGBT youth."

Log onto http://www.eqca.org/site/pp.asp?c=kuLRJ9MRKrH&b=6451639 for more information about the FAIR act.