The Democrat-supported law written by state Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, requires instruction in the social sciences to include the role and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans. Existing California law requires public school instruction to include the contributions of women and other minorities, and it prohibits the use of materials that reflect adversely on people because of race, gender or other characteristics. Leno’s bill adds gay and lesbian people to that group.
A similar proposal was approved in 2006, but then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed it.
Sen. Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale, said Brown is “out of touch with what I think are still mainstream American values. That’s not the kind of stuff I want my kids learning about in public school.”
“It’s time for parents who love their children to match their words with deeds and do what’s necessary to get them out of the immoral government schools and into the safe havens of home schooling and church schools,” said Randy Thomasson, president of SaveCalifornia.com, in a prepared statement
“History should be honest,” said Gov. Brown. “This bill revises existing laws that prohibit discrimination in education and ensures that the important contributions of Americans from all backgrounds and walks of life are included in our history books.”
Read more at the Sacramento Bee.
