On 5 July 2011, the CA senate passed senate bill 48 ("the Fair, Accurate, Inclusive, and Respectful Education Act"). This law will require that educators (and textbooks) include the various gender and ethnic groups in America. This legislation, written/proposed by openly gay CA Senator Mark Leno, also includes passages that will require schools to teach the "role and contributions" of "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans" as part of the social studies curriculum.
Jerry Brown has just over ten days to sign or veto the bill (and he tends to support gay activists). If he chooses to veto the bill then I don't think Leno has the support to override--it would be dead (it initially passed by a vote of 23-14--well short of the 2/3 it would need). But if Gov. Brown signs the bill then our children will be taught about homosexuality in the classroom, and those who practice it will likely be elevated as examples of positive contributions to America.
California would be the first state to pass such a law, but others will likely follow suit. Furthermore, California and Texas historically determine the content of textbook nationwide; if California wants gay history woven into textbooks the rest of the country will be reading those same books. Consequently, this is an issue for all Americans who are concerned about the curriculum taught to their children. For more on the law see the CA Senate's notes webpage: http://info.sen.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=sb_48&sess=CUR&house=B&site=sen
I find this bill disturbing on several fronts. First, it seems to me that this bill is an effort to normalize homosexuality as just another ethnic/gender/class group that is equally valid and brings good diversity. I don't agree, but I can accept that some feel that way. What I don't accept is that they want to pull an end-around. They can't get my vote so they want to change the curriculum so they can raise my child with their values and then win the votes. Our children should not be pawns for political squabbling. I can accept losing a vote, but I don't accept having my children indoctrinated by somebody else so that they can win the next vote. To Mark Leno and others I say, "Leave our children alone!"
On a second note, it bothers me that legislators who don't know squat about history are dictating what will be taught. The truth is that there are not many people who professed a homosexual lifestyle throughout history; they blended in and did not have a unique identity and experience until quite recently. To recreate a historical narrative where they stand out is to manipulate and revise history for current political needs--not authenticity's sake. With the possible exception of the Stonewall Riots, there is not really any gay history that belongs in the mainstream narrative. If we include the few obscure events that would qualify then why not include every other obscure historical event and turn our historical narrative into a chaotic all-inclusive mess that values events not for genuine cause/effect significance but rather for present-day political gain. This bill is a mistake.
I hope you will join me in sending Gov. Brown a message that conveys your feelings about this law. You can submit messages at his webpage: http://gov.ca.gov/m_contact.php
If you are going to send him a message, do it fast. He could be deciding on the bill right now. And if you don't live in California, you don't need to volunteer that information in the message you send him.
