What are your thoughts? Does this sound like a good idea, in your opinion?




http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-gay-rights-textbooks-20110402,0,1951209.story

Quote :

California lawmakers fight over bill to teach students about gay people's contributions

A measure proposed by state Sen. Mark D. Leno of San Francisco would require new social science textbooks to include 'a study of the role and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans.'


By Patrick McGreevy, Los Angeles Times
April 2, 2011

Reporting from Sacramento -- As the battle over same-sex marriage makes its way through California's courts, another gay rights fight is smoldering in the Legislature.

Democratic lawmakers have revived a plan to require state schools to teach about the contributions of gay, lesbian and transgender Americans. They are reigniting a movement that halted five years ago when legislators approved such a requirement only to run into opposition from then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Now, with a Democrat in the governor's office, the lawmakers and gay rights activists are more hopeful that school curricula will be revised.

Gov. Jerry Brown has not taken a position on the proposal. But the push has divided religious leaders, educators and lawmakers and prompted accusations from opponents that those behind the effort seek to impose their values on the state and on students and parents who find same-sex relationships objectionable.

"It is, in fact, legislating morality," said Craig DeLuz, a parent and Sacramento school board member. "It is requiring taxpayers to foot the bill to promote a lifestyle to which they may or may not be morally opposed."

If implemented, the measure, which would revise social science textbooks, could have effects beyond California. The state is a major purchaser of educational texts, and publishers often produce books tailored to California that other states use as well.

The proposal would require that social science texts and other instruction include "a study of the role and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans … to the economic, political and social development of California and the United States of America, with particular emphasis on portraying the role of these groups in contemporary society."

Each school district would decide which age groups received such instruction.

Gay rights activists say the legislation is overdue and would extend recognition long provided in textbooks and classrooms to historical figures who are African American, Latino and Asian American.

Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) who introduced the bill, SB 48, said it addresses a glaring oversight in educating young people that has led to harassment of gays by their classmates.

In an emotional plea for the bill at a recent legislative hearing, Leno invoked the name of Seth Walsh, a 13-year-old student from Tehachapi who committed suicide last year after facing anti-gay bullying at school.

"In light of the ongoing and ever-threatening phenomenon of bullying and the tragic result of suicides, it seems to me that better informed students might be more welcoming in their approach to differences among their classmates," Leno said in an interview. "Students would better understand that we are talking about a civil rights movement."

Some gay high school students said they welcomed Leno's effort, which they said would make them feel less isolated. It would show that non-heterosexuals "have contributed to the U.S. in significant ways," said a 17-year-old at Bell High School.

The student said he would join dozens of other gay and lesbian students advocating for the bill at a rally Monday at the Capitol.

Meanwhile, several Republicans are aggressively fighting the proposal. State Sen. Bob Huff (R-Diamond Bar) charged at a recent education committee hearing that it would "sexualize the training of our children at an early age."

Leno took umbrage at the remark, saying, "I would imagine you have never been harassed or discriminated against because you are gay. I have."

In the first test of the measure this year, the panel passed it on a 6-3 party-line vote last week.

The measure is backed by California Church Impact, a group whose members include the Episcopal Church, the United Church of Christ, the Greek Orthodox Church and others. But lawmakers have been flooded with letters of opposition from groups including the California Catholic Conference, the First Southern Baptist Church and the Thousand Oaks Christian Fellowship.

"This is all absurd," said a letter from several religious leaders, including Arland Steen, a pastor for the Thousand Oaks group. "At a time when our state lacks dollars to pay for the current needs in education, this Legislature is actually considering adding more financial burden on schools to pay for new textbooks that will teach so-called gay history."

Leno said the proposed law would cost nothing. Textbooks would be changed in the next scheduled revisions, due to be approved by the state in a couple of years.

Although some teachers have testified against the change, it is supported by the California Teachers Assn. and the Los Angeles Unified School District.

"We are trying to provide, for those students that feel disenfranchised, some role models," said Virginia Strom-Martin, the district's lobbyist.

patrick.mcgreevy@latimes.com

A class designed specifically for this mandated by the government sounds absurd to me.

I think it's a great idea. And it's not "legislating morality". It would simply help people understand the history. That's part of the purpose of school in the first place, to learn the history of the people around us & the contributions they've made to society. Maybe if people learn a little of that they won't be so bigoted.

Even though there won't be a cost issue since the books are about to be updated anyway I bet this jackass worried about the cost of textbooks to teach "so called gay history" wouldn't be so concerned about cost if they were teaching creationism.

And the Christianists heads start exploding in 5...4...3...

People shouldn't be afraid of history, reality, or just plain information. It's what you do with it that's important. And how can one segment of society decide to whitewash another segment, then impose their brand of whitewashing on everyone else?

I know from my own family that religious people tend to live in a bubble --a pre-approved, family-safe, unrealistic bubble. The minute that the kids leave the nest, they're clueless in many aspects of the real world and end up learning the realities the hard way. Then they are left with a diminished view of their parents cause they were afraid to talk about things with their kids. At least let them learn about real life in school.

Probably there should be a course on "wingnuttery" so the kids understand that also.

I don't think they should go out of their way to label it a "gay history" course. All that would do is play into the hands of the same types who supported Prop 8, which manipulated support based around the idea of people children being 'taught' homosexuality in schools.

It said that they think teaching the kids about gays will do something to lessen the gay bullying that goes on in school...really? How long has history been teaching about the achievements of black people? But we still have racists raising their kids to be the same way and hate their fellow students for what color they are. And history has also taught for a long time about the achievements women have made but women from the time they're kids still have to be twice as good as men to be considered equal to them, so how do they expect this time to be any different?

YEEEEEEEEES.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

A big reason why gay rights are talking so long is because of ignorant resistance!

This gay native Californian OPPOSES this bill.

Why?

1) Like Nhaiyel pointed out, this falls right into the trap when the Prop-8 supporters suggested in their fear campaign. "They want to expand their reach and formally teach your kids about homosexuality in schools." I remember our side say "no way..." and yet that same side is now cheering this bill.

2) DOMA, DADT, and ENDA should remain our priorities and we should discourage any initiative that isn't urgently needed if it takes away from that focus or gives the fundies ammunition to water down otherwise valid debates.

3) This sort of education does nothing to stop school bullying. Black kids still get harassed and discriminated against decades after "Black History Month" went into effect. What is a few paragraphs in a high school textbook really going to do for us?

4) If you want to not be considered a "special interest" group, stop acting like one.

-----

If anything, just pass a law requiring that history texts at 7-12 grade levels include mandatory chapters around discrimination. We'll get a casual mention - for now - but we have to trust that the next generation can draw the connection between past behaviors and current trends.

There's already a campaign in place to stop it.

http://www.protectkidsfoundation.org/?page_id=1356

JM130ELM wrote:

And the Christianists heads start exploding in 5...4...3...

Nobody's head will explode except the anti-Christianists who don't like it when people find ways to circumvent this.

Chris wrote:

There's already a campaign in place to stop it.

http://www.protectkidsfoundation.org/?page_id=1356

And I see it's called "protect kids" This country is so backwards & uninformed.

In regards to Prop 8, I don't think it's a bad thing to educate students on homosexuality. I mean... it's there. Let's talk about it. It's a major facet of life.

JM130ELM wrote:

And the Christianists heads start exploding in 5...4...3...

Is it "irony" or "coincidence" that so many of that group are in the closet?

alan smithee wrote:

JM130ELM wrote:

And the Christianists heads start exploding in 5...4...3...

Is it "irony" or "coincidence" that so many of that group are in the closet?

Things that make you go hmmm.

CeCe wrote:

Chris wrote:

There's already a campaign in place to stop it.

http://www.protectkidsfoundation.org/?page_id=1356

And I see it's called "protect kids" This country is so backwards & uninformed.

This has been a ploy by the Christian right for decades. During the era of desegregation and the emergence of Playboy, Rock & Roll music, they exploited the idea of children being "corrupted" by it as a scare tactic for their foolish flock. Nothing wrong with having a course that focuses on the achievements of communities of people who have been socially oppressed.

The bill passed. CA schools are now going to be required to include the history of LGBT in it's curriculum.


http://www.theblaze.com/stories/ca-senate-passes-bill-mandating-gay-history-in-public-schools/

Quote :

CA Senate Passes Bill Mandating Gay History in Public Schools
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 4:15pm by Emily Esfahani Smith




SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The state Senate has approved legislation that would require California’s public schools to include gay history in social studies lessons.

Supporters say the move is needed to counter anti-gay stereotypes and beliefs that make gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender children vulnerable to bullying and suicide.

Opponents said it would burden an already crowded curriculum and expose students to a subject that some parents find objectionable.

The bill, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Mark Leno of San Francisco, passed Thursday on a 23-14 vote. The measure now goes to the Assembly.

It leaves it up to local school districts to decide what to include in the lessons and at what grade students would receive them.

^^^^CA is just gonna keep digging it's own grave.

How is that digging its own grave? We teach world history (poorly) and African history. Why not inform students about LGBT history? It exists and it's highly relevant in this day and age.

alan smithee wrote:

JM130ELM wrote:

And the Christianists heads start exploding in 5...4...3...

Is it "irony" or "coincidence" that so many of that group are in the closet?

It's both. Add hypocrisy to the mix.

Rockbird wrote:

How is that digging its own grave? We teach world history (poorly) and African history. Why not inform students about LGBT history? It exists and it's highly relevant in this day and age.

It's doing more to separate the groups. It's basically breeding the very mentality that it's supposed to be combating, shining a big spotlight on difference. "Yay! Look at us! We're different and we're going to get our very own subject now!" It's counterproductive. And mandating it is not informing anybody. This isn't about information and we all know it. (BTW, I think African history is dumb too. We're Americans. History should be HISTORY. There's American History, and there is World History. Segregating the history of citizens based on sexual orientation or race is dumb.) Plus, I really think the government itself needs to GTFO of the schools and mandating what should be taught. Our schools are failing despite all of these silly regulations. Regulations seem to have made schools worse. It's not the government's place to mandate that the school should teach ANYTHING! Government's role in education (which has done nothing at all to make schools better) is already too big.

But leave it to California to be dumb.

Point taken, mulled over, and disregarded.

Rockbird wrote:

Point taken, mulled over, and disregarded.

Same to you.

Glad to hear the bill passed. Education is a good thing.