California’s Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday signed into law landmark legislation that would require the historical contributions of gay, lesbian and transgender Americans to be included in history lessons and classroom textbooks.
Jerry Brown
The bill — known as the FAIR (Fair, Accurate, Inclusive and Respectful) Education Act — would would bring classroom instruction into alignment with existing non-discrimination laws in California and would add LGBT to the existing list of underrepresented cultural and ethnic groups, which are covered by current law related to inclusion in textbooks and other instructional materials.
Brown issued a statement in which he called the legislation an “important step forward for our state.”
“History should be honest,’’ Brown said. “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.”
The new law will require the California Board of Education and local school districts to adopt textbooks and other teaching materials that cover the contributions and roles of sexual minorities, as early as the 2013-2014 school year.
Mark Leno
“Today we are making history in California by ensuring that our textbooks and instructional materials no longer exclude the contributions of LGBT Americans,” said Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), the bill’s author.
“Denying LGBT people their rightful place in history gives our young people an inaccurate and incomplete view of the world around them. I am pleased Governor Brown signed the FAIR Education Act and I thank him for recognizing that the LGBT community, its accomplishments and its ongoing efforts for first-class citizenship are important components of California’s history.”
In addition to including the role and contributions of LGBT Americans in educational materials, Senate Bill 48 ensures that the contributions of disabled people are included.
The bill also adds sexual orientation to the state’s existing anti-discrimination protections that prohibit bias in school activities, instruction and instructional materials. The bill was co-sponsored by Equality California and the Gay-Straight Alliance Network.
Randy Thomasson, president of SaveCalifornia.com, a conservative family group that opposed the measure, said the bill constitutes “sexual brainwashing” and “indoctrination.”
“We strongly urge loving parents to rescue their children by permanently removing them from government schools and placing them in the safe havens of church schools or homeschooling.” Thomasson said.
The new law gives local school boards discretion on how to implement the requirements, and does not specify a grade level for the instruction to begin.
The legislation is expected to have impact beyond California’s borders. Since the state is a major purchaser of educational textbooks, national book publishers often print books tailored for California curriculum that other states utilize.
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KICK-ass!
THATS WONDERFUL!!!! Stefanie Allison Looks like you’ll be able to teach this in shcool afterall love when your a teacher!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3.
*Megs*
Hell yes!!!!
Yea boi!
Wow. What a badass.
Take THAT Tennessee!!
I still can’t figure out why teaching objective facts counts as “brainwashing”. *sigh*
Harvey Milk would be so proud!! :D
HA HA! IN YOUR FUCKING FACES YOU FUCKING HATERZZ! America has finally opened it’s eyes! XD
Good for Brown, congrats on the bravery and intelligence shown, but California is America? What does that make the other 49 (which don’t have this law)? Being happy is one thing, being realistic is another.
This is true Brus, but as long as we show support there is always hope.
well, actaully lots of states are letting same sex marriage happen also…more people are starting to support us.. :b thats what i meant also.
i want to move to california now and learn all that lol.
This is such a huge step forward,It will open the eyes of so many to finally learn just how many things gays have invented,and all the many contributions we have made thruout history.
It won’t be implemented until after I graduate… But an amazing acheivement. 49 states to go! (^_^)
Yeah, you better have, Brown. I phone banked for you!
Thankful my son goes to a california school
Maybe Jerry can help President Obama ‘Evolve Already’…
YESSSSSS!!!!!!!
good! now we just need them to overturn that awful prop 8 already!!!!
Yay!
i really hope this passes… for the sake of the future generation.. then they wont say gaywad or faggot in the schools anymore
wish this was around when i was in school
Great!!!! Wish we could see more history on all oppressed groups!!
The revisionist “history” I was taught in school makes me want to choke. I’d rather not see anyone left out of my history books as a result of bias, prejudice, or “moral” considerations.
Unfortunately, I don’t think we’ll ever get a truly complete, accurate, and unbiased view of history until we invent a time machine.
Will the fact that male homosexuals were the prime source of speading aids to America be included in the studies
I think this is great…..finally.
-______-
I hope that this, too, would be implemented in the Philippines.