California lawmakers pass bill to teach gay history

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

http://news.yahoo.com/california-lawmakers-pass-bill-teach-gay-history-012938470.html

By Leidhra Johnson | Reuters – Tue, Jul 5, 2011

SACRAMENTO, Calif (Reuters) - A bill to require California public schools to teach the historical accomplishments of gay men and lesbians passed the state Legislature on Tuesday in what supporters call a first for the nation.

Governor Jerry Brown, a Democrat, has not said publicly whether he supports the bill, which he has 12 days to sign or veto once it reaches his desk later this month. If he takes no action, the measure would become law automatically.

The bill gained final passage from the state Assembly on a vote of 49-25, without a single Republican supporting it. The measure cleared the state Senate in April.

California already requires public schools to teach the contributions made to society by women and by racial and ethnic groups that were historically discriminated against, such as blacks, Latinos and Native Americans.

Supporters of the latest bill said it would simply include gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender individuals in that existing requirement, making it part of the curriculum in history and other social studies classes.

"It's unfair to leave out or exclude an entire portion of our population from history," said Carolyn Laub, executive director of San Francisco-based Gay-Straight Alliance Network.

The group, which supported the bill, said no other state has passed similar legislation requiring the teaching of gay and lesbian contributions to society.

In fact, Laub pointed to a bill that passed the Tennessee state Senate this year that would prohibit the state's schools from teaching about homosexuality before secondary school.

The Tennessee proposal, which detractors have nicknamed the "don't say gay bill," has still not passed the state House of Representatives.

California Assemblyman Donald Wagner is one of the Republicans who opposed the state's bill requiring teaching about the accomplishments of gays and lesbians.

"Writing these provisions into textbooks will further an agenda rather than teach facts," Wagner said. "When we do things, we politicize them because that's the nature of politics. We should leave education to the educators."

The bill was written by state Senator Mark Leno, an openly gay Democrat who represents San Francisco and surrounding communities.

Even if the bill is signed by the governor, it could be several years before California students start reading in textbooks about gay accomplishments.

The California Department of Education has said that, because of the fiscal crisis facing the state, the agency does not expect to adopt new textbooks until 2015.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

It's hardly an issue.

It's hardly an issue.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

It's hardly an issue.

It's hardly an issue.

I would be pulling my kid from that screwed up school system so fast it would look like greased lighting. I pray for the day California goes bankrupt and chokes on it's own stupidity. I see that day coming soon.

[JoannaV 173]

I'm going to be home-schooling. One reason for that is so my children aren't forced to experience a rigid curriculum which has to encompass a variety of specific little issues. We'll start with basic world history, basic American and UK history, basic local history, and then they can learn about whatever they want.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I would be pulling my kid from that screwed up school system so fast it would look like greased lighting. I pray for the day California goes bankrupt and chokes on it's own stupidity. I see that day coming soon.

There are more pressing issues in public education than teaching gay history. Of course bigots like yourself aren't interested in real problems, you have to invent them.

[peejay 327]

California lawmakers pass bill to teach gay history

California...the Granola state. The lunatic fringe from the land of fruits, nuts, & flakes has spoken.

Edited July 6, 2011 by peejay

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

It's amazing that you have a disdain for an entire state of millions. One would think judging people as individuals would be reasonable. Writing off millions because of a preconceived bias, that's the province of bigots and racists.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

The Left Wing. Showing once again how truly racist and bigoted they are in California.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Only in your world, Paul, does that make any sense.

It certainly proves how bigoted you are.

Edited July 6, 2011 by fishdude

[SMR 368]

Why is a law like this necessary? Historic contributions are taught based on their relevance. Nobody goes into detail about the sexual orientation of most historic figures because it is typically not relevant to their contribution. That is, if Albert Einstein slept with men (honestly, I don't know much about his personal life) we would talk about him in relation to special relativity. It is irrelevant who he slept with. There is speculation that Alexander the Great was bisexual. But we talk about him in world history because he conquered most of the known world.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Without knowing what the content of curriculum actually is, all there is is knee jerkery, which is exactly what stories like this appeal to.

[Amby 490]

I'm going to be home-schooling. One reason for that is so my children aren't forced to experience a rigid curriculum which has to encompass a variety of specific little issues. We'll start with basic world history, basic American and UK history, basic local history, and then they can learn about whatever they want.

Have you looked into homeschooling? I was Home schooled and the state you live in will have curriculum requirements you have to follow. I dont know how strict these are in elementary school but they're pretty rigid for high school and middle school if you want them to graduate and go to college.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Only in your world, Paul, does that make any sense.

It certainly proves how bigoted you are.

Actually, unlike you and the rest of the left-wingers out there, I believe in equality in that every human being is the same without the race/gendar/sexual orientation card being played.

All the Left Wing knows is how to think in seperation of society, not equality at all. They pit race and class against one another in hope of being divisive to show how different or how better someone has it and tries to blame it on another race for why they are down and out.

The last time I checked, we are ALL Americans and race is non-existent along those lines. We all have a common cause here in looking out for the best interests of AMERICANS.

It is you and your left wing cronies who are the ones who act bigoted, not myself.

[B_J 2,752]

Why is a law like this necessary? Historic contributions are taught based on their relevance. Nobody goes into detail about the sexual orientation of most historic figures because it is typically not relevant to their contribution. That is, if Albert Einstein slept with men (honestly, I don't know much about his personal life) we would talk about him in relation to special relativity. It is irrelevant who he slept with. There is speculation that Alexander the Great was bisexual. But we talk about him in world history because he conquered most of the known world.

Please don't interrupt this conversation with common sense.

Thank you.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Actually, unlike you and the rest of the left-wingers out there, I believe in equality in that every human being is the same without the race/gendar/sexual orientation card being played.

All the Left Wing knows is how to think in seperation of society, not equality at all. They pit race and class against one another in hope of being divisive to show how different or how better someone has it and tries to blame it on another race for why they are down and out.

The last time I checked, we are ALL Americans and race is non-existent along those lines. We all have a common cause here in looking out for the best interests of AMERICANS.

It is you and your left wing cronies who are the ones who act bigoted, not myself.

Yet it's you Paul, YOU (not me) who is dismissing the inhabitants of a diverse, populous state based on your personal preconceptions and political biases. Only in your world is that not bigoted.

You may all be AMERICANS, but if those Americans come from a state you don't like, suddenly they might as well be wearing Nazi uniforms (your oft used comparison of choice), given the amount of vitriol you throw around.

Edited July 6, 2011 by fishdude