curriculum
Governor Gerry Brown must make final decision on issue that has upset
religious and conservative groups
Ed Pilkington in New York
Thursday July 7 2011
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/06/california-gay-lesbian-schools-curriculum
California is poised to become the first state in America to make the
teaching of positive contributions made by gay and lesbian people to
US history and society compulsory in public schools.
The governor of California, Jerry Brown, must decide whether to incur
the wrath of religious and conservative groups lined up against the
move and approve a bill that has now cleared both houses of the state
assembly. If signed into law, it would require the rewriting of school
textbooks and redrawing of the social science curriculum to include
lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender history ? a move that could
have wide ramifications given that California's school roll of 6.2
million children is the largest in the country.
Supporters argued that it would give gay teenagers role models and
help combat homophobic bullying. It would redress the imbalance in
state schools that are already required to teach about women,
entrepreneurs and labour and minority ethnic groups including African-
Mexican- and Native Americans.
"We gain a greater appreciation for what it means to be an American,"
John P?rez, the first openly gay speaker of the Californian assembly,
told the San Francisco Chronicle.
During debate about the bill, supporters gave examples of historical
figures they said would be featured, including Friedrich von Steuben,
a military adviser to George Washington forced out of Prussia because
he was gay, and the British mathematics genius Alan Turing.
Opponents, including all but one of the assembly's Republicans,
criticised the bill as unnecessary and objectionable. "Our founding
fathers are turning over in their graves," Republican Tim Donnelly
told Associated Press.
Some opponents [http://rescueyourchild.com/Home_Page.html" title="],
such as the campaigning website SaveCalifornia.com, are encouraging
parents to take their children out of state schools.
A similar bill was vetoed by the previous California governor, Arnold
Schwarzenegger. Brown, who took over the post earlier this year, has
given no indication whether he will sign or veto the legislation. Once
he receives the bill, probably this week, he will have 12 days to make
his decision.
guardian.co.uk Copyright (c) Guardian News and Media Limited. 2011
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