California Gay History Law: Opponents Seek Referendum

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California's secretary of state on Tuesday cleared a group to begin collecting signatures for a ballot referendum to overturn a first-in-the-nation law requiring public schools to teach the contributions of gays and lesbians in social studies lessons

Gov. Jerry Brown signed SB48 earlier this month, making California the first state to mandate such lessons in public school curriculum. The requirement is set to take effect in the 2013-14 school year.

It took opponents less than two weeks to draft the referendum challenging the move.

At a time of budget cuts, California schools should be focused on improving student performance and lowering the high school dropout rate, said Paulo Sibaja, a spokesman for the group Stop SB48.

"Politicians have no business writing textbooks. It should be left to the historians and academic experts," he said.

Backers of the referendum will need to gather 504,760 signatures from registered voters by Oct. 12 to qualify for the next statewide ballot. Sibaja said paid and volunteer signature-gatherers will be used to try to meet the requirement.

Supporters of SB48 said it will teach students to be more accepting and perhaps help end bullying of gay students. It also ensures that students are taught about the contributions of people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender.

"It's important for us right now to educate Californians about what the bill does and does not do," said Rebekah Orr, a spokeswoman for Equality California, a leading lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights advocacy group in California. "We want to be clear that this bill is about teaching historical figures and not just LGBT people."

The new law also requires California public schools to teach the contributions of disabled people.

Orr said Equality California and its partners are prepared to fight the referendum if it qualifies for the ballot.

Many conservatives opposed the law, saying it would teach children to accept homosexuality. The law has drawn criticism from some churches and conservative groups that argue such instruction would expose students to a subject that some parents find objectionable.

California law already requires schools to teach about women, African Americans, Mexican Americans, entrepreneurs, Asian Americans, European Americans, American Indians and labor. The Legislature over the years also has prescribed specific lessons about the Irish potato famine and the Holocaust, among other topics.

The new law requires the California Board of Education and school districts to use textbooks and other teaching materials that cover the contributions and roles of sexual minorities.

The legislation leaves it to local school boards to decide how to implement the requirement. It does not specify a grade level for the instruction to begin.

A telephone message left for the bill's author, Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, wasn't immediately returned. His office said the senator was out of town for the Legislature's summer recess.

Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco, who carried the bill in the Assembly, also was out of town.

Comments

[diana todd]

07:45 AM on 09/04/2011

I want to refute here and now the idea that all the supporters of the referendum to overturn SB are "homophobic," a term which is highly misused today. Homophobia is defined as "An extreme and irrational aversion to homosexuality and homosexual people." Disagreeing with promotion of sexuality into the public/educational forum does not make you extreme or irrational, whether it be against homosexuality or for it, and you do not have to agree or disagree with the right or wrong of sexual identities to see that this is just a plain old bad law. While there may be some supporters of the bill who see this as a purely moral or religious issue, there are many others who simply do not support the indoctrination of one party's agenda as an educational priority. Most of the referendum supporters I know, many of them in the school system, oppose SB48 for this reason. I believe that SB48 is a dangerous precedent for such activity, and will not only be signing the Stop48 petition, but will be encouraging everyone I know to do the same.

[heskett1974]

04:41 PM on 07/31/2011

I have zero objection to this law. However, I would like all lessons to be taught as a general history class, not sectioned out and labeled. Let me explain why. I have taught my kids that they are no more special than anyone else, we all have much to offer if we use our desire and ability to create change. For example, I have heard there is no need for a white history class or a men's history class because that is what lessons are by "default" Don't we want all of our kids to feel equally special and valued? That what true equality is! Treating everyone the same and not placing anyone on a pedestal! I find it upsetting that my 2 white male straight children have to just suck it up and understand that there will be times where other groups are specifically celebrated. However, because the close minded people (both of our history and currently) have created that they would need to accept being a "default" lesson.

I hope that acceptance and love is taught to ALL kids in the home way before they make it to school. I know have done my part in creating caring children without prejudice. Kids that will be friends with everyone, that will reach out a caring hand to kids they think needs a friend, caring not what race, gender or sexual orientation they are. Lets make sure no one feels out of place, inferior or like a default.

[IanCh]

10:11 AM on 07/31/2011

I am loathe to comment on US internal politics, looking at it from across the Atlantic. However, as an occasionally church going member of the UK Conservative Party I see nothing Conservative and nothing Christian about these people. They're just using those terms as a cloak for their selfishness and bigotry.

Regards

Ian

[KnoxScott]

10:32 AM on 07/29/2011

the contributions are great, but do we really need to know their sexual orientation...whats next? favorite food,pet,movie....whole thing is silly and a waste of money...

[LoyalBob]

08:26 AM on 07/29/2011

Once again the minority will have to protect itself from the tyranny of the majority in CA.

Hmmm, I wonder where I've heard mention of this before?? (eye roll)

[bi-poplar]

05:37 PM on 07/28/2011

The ironic thing is that eventually, history classes will teach that a group of Americans tried to prevent schools from including gays in their history lessons

[Kevin Zielke]

11:16 AM on 07/28/2011

I really don't like the conservative argument that there are parent who find the materials offensive because they talk about homosexuality. You could use the same argument for teaching black history because there are still racists. The only difference seems to be that while people would massively shun them for trying to remove black history from schools, the same reaction, unfortunately, hasn't been seen for the LGBT community.

[Ioan Lightoller]

07:52 PM on 07/28/2011

Fanned and faved. You are right.

[Michele Kobus]

10:40 PM on 07/27/2011

I love California. Breathtakingly beautiful, great weather, nice people. But the way they GOvern by refferendum makes for too much drama. Yes you're married, no you're not. Yes we will teach this, no you won't. Geeze.
If I prayed, I'd pray for them.

[Ioan Lightoller]

01:27 PM on 07/28/2011

Amen to that.

[ozmas mirror]

07:50 PM on 07/27/2011

"Politicians have no business writing textbooks. It should be left to the historians and academic experts," he said.
Yeah, as opposed to the books you'd like that teach that a giant invisible man in the sky made everything and that the earth is 6K years old.

"Many conservatives opposed the law, saying it would teach children to accept homosexuality"
As opposed to what you'd like, which would be to teach them that sexual minorities are sub-human.

[Phlan]

01:11 AM on 07/28/2011

You're not a real Christian unless you're willing to lie for the Lord.

[Ioan Lightoller]

01:30 PM on 07/28/2011

Fanned and faved. What is this thing with Christianists and their Christian Taqiyya (religious lying)? I thought one of the Ten Commandments was "Thou shalt not bear false witness".

[bccmeteorites]

06:46 PM on 07/27/2011

I think we should have a separate but concurrent section for the contributions (damage) done by closeted gay politicians.

[obama20082012]

06:43 PM on 07/27/2011

Good grief, let it go haters........you might feel better with less hate in your heart.

[Michele Kobus]

10:42 PM on 07/27/2011

Hate is the only thing they have in their heart, Nature abhores a vaccum.

[sebring44]

06:06 PM on 07/27/2011

the SAME bigots who TRIEd to remove any reference to BLACKS or HISPANICS who have contributed to the GREAT Country of the US....old text books were AL LWHITE...except for slaves.....ALL RACES ALL sexual orientations ALL mankind contribute to Americas greatness..leaving anyone out is a crime...

[Ioan Lightoller]

01:31 PM on 07/28/2011

Fanned and faved.

[sbrez]

05:32 PM on 07/27/2011

the title of this article should be "closeted homosexuals fight to remove california gay history law"

[Oneandoneandone]

04:44 PM on 07/27/2011

If this bill were strictly about teaching disabled people's contributions to history it would go through with no arguments. This is not about "improving student performance and lowering the high school dropout rate." This is about homophobia.

[bccmeteorites]

06:02 PM on 07/27/2011

Teaching about gay and disabled contributions to society which is substantial, is not intended to be tethered to improving student performance and lowering the dropout rate. That is the job of the parents. You need to get an education.

[Oneandoneandone]

11:59 AM on 07/28/2011

You need to learn how to read. I support the bill. I'm saying these looney toons are only opposed to it because they are afraid of gay people.

Got it?

[Oneandoneandone]

12:00 PM on 07/28/2011

I support the original bill, not the referendum to undo it *

PS, the quotes in my comment are taken from the ARTICLE. That is the reason the looney toons are giving.

[Oneandoneandone]

04:40 PM on 07/27/2011

One step forward, three steps back.