Governor Jerry Brown on Wednesday signed the FAIR (Fair, Accurate, Inclusive and Respectful) Education Act, authored by Senator Mark Leno. Supporters of the legislation claim that the bill ensures that the historical contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and disabled individuals are accurately and fairly portrayed in instructional materials, by adding these groups to the existing list of under-represented cultural and ethnic groups already included in the state’s inclusionary education requirements.
“History should be honest,” Governor Brown said in a written statement on Thursday. “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. It represents an important step forward for our state, and I thank Senator Leno for his hard work on this historic legislation.”
“Most textbooks don’t include any historical information about the LGBT movement, which has great significance to both California and U.S. history,” said Senator Leno upon the passage of the bill in the legislature. “Our collective silence on this issue perpetuates negative stereotypes of LGBT people and leads to increased bullying of young people. We can’t simultaneously tell youth that it’s OK to be yourself and live an honest, open life when we aren’t even teaching students about historical LGBT figures or the LGBT equal rights movement.”
The bill passed the Assembly earlier this month on a party-lines vote.
Research indicates that students who learn about LGBT people find their school environments more accepting of LGBT youth. Students are also more likely to report that their LGBT peers are treated fairly at school – and that other types of peer-to-peer disrespect also declines – when LGBT people and issues are included in instructional materials.
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, both of whom issued statements on Thursday.
“Today marks a monumental victory for the LGBT equality movement as the struggle of the diverse LGBT community in California will no longer be erased from history,” said Equality California Executive Director Roland Palencia. “Thanks to the FAIR Education Act, California students, particularly LGBT youth, will find new hope and inspiration and experience a more welcoming learning environment.”
“I am awed and humbled to be part of this historic moment,” said Carolyn Laub, Executive Director of Gay-Straight Alliance Network. “Today, we’ve written the latest chapter in the LGBT civil rights movement – one that will now be presented fairly and accurately in California schools. By signing the FAIR Education Act and ending the exclusion of the LGBT community from instructional materials, Governor Brown has realized the hopes of youth who have been fighting for safe and inclusive schools, where all students learn about our history and gain respect for each other’s differences as a result. This is a part of the American story that we can be proud to know all students will learn.”
“LGBT youth are denied a fair education when they are exposed to harmful stereotypes in classroom materials and are excluded from learning about their history,” said Ms. Laub previously. “The FAIR Education Act is a key step in preventing discrimination in the classroom and creating safe, respectful schools.”
While gay rights organization sang praises, opponents lamented the legislation.
Republicans are angry and offended at the legislature. One Assemblymember, Tim Donnelly, said he “was offended as a Christian that the bill was being used to promote a ‘homosexual agenda’ in public schools.”
“I think it’s one thing to say that we should be tolerant,” Assemblymember Donnelly said. “It is something else altogether to say that my children are going to be taught that this lifestyle is good.”
“Our founding fathers are turning over in their graves,” Assemblymember Donnelly said.
A right-wing organization called the “Protect the Kids Foundation” called this “the worst school indoctrination ever.”
Randy Thomasson, president of SaveCalifornia.com, urged parents to remove their children from “immoral” public schools.
“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,” a statement read.
“People are already responding on our Facebook and saying they’re pulling their children out,” he told the Sacramento Bee. “Some people say they want to move out of the state.”
The LA Times editorial board came out against the legislation, arguing that historians and not politicians should be writing texbooks.
“Does the idea have a better chance five years later, with Jerry Brown as governor?” they asked. “We hope not. Years ago, California made the wise decision to have experts draw up a balanced social studies curriculum that became a model for schools nationwide. Legislators aren’t improving education in the state by stuffing the curriculum with new politically correct requirements, any more than Texas board members improved education there.”
“Fables don’t make for solid instruction. History is the great story of people, groups and movements — their faults as well as their accomplishments — shaping the world up through the events of today. It is a story best told by historians, not by politicians,” they conclude.
However, Speaker John Perez, himself the first openly-gay speaker of the Assembly, said: “This bill will require California schools to present a more accurate and nuanced view of American history in our social science curriculum by recognizing the accomplishments of groups that are not often recognized.”
—David M. Greenwald reporting
Politicians,when failing to address the REAL problems confronting their constituents, cynically use polarizing social issues to divert the attention of voters. This legislation is a good example of this and, IMO, is quite problematic as to what effect if any,positive of negative it will have on the lives of gay Californians
I doubt that’s Mark Leno’s goal.
no, but its Jerry Brown’s goal.
I agree with Davisite 2. Right on the money.
Musser & davisite2: [i]Politicians,when failing to address the REAL problems confronting their constituents, cynically use polarizing social issues to divert the attention of voters. This legislation is a good example of this and, IMO, is quite problematic as to what effect if any,positive of negative it will have on the lives of gay Californians.[/i]
Do you know any gay Californians? If so, have you asked them this question? (“will this legislation have any effect on your life?”)
wdf1: what does that have to do with the above quote?
Another example of the inmates running the asylum.
if you want to improve things for gays, then focus on the economy so they can get better jobs.
Musser
Neither approach needs to be exclusive. Why not do both ?
[i]when failing to address the REAL problems confronting their constituents[/i]
Senator Leno represents Senate District 3, which is Marin County and large portions of San Francisco (including Castro). I would say his constituents are probably solidly behind this proposal.
[quote]”History should be honest,” Governor Brown said in a written statement on Thursday.[/quote]
LOL
[quote]The LA Times editorial board came out against the legislation, arguing that historians and not politicians should be writing texbooks.[/quote]
Exactly right. Davisite2, nicely said!
If anyone things for one minute that this piece of ridiculous legislation is going to make a scintilla of difference in regard to school bullying is naive at best… it does not address the issue of school bullying one iota..
ERM: [i]LOL[/i]
I find it interesting how you and your son regularly and subtly disparage others’ comments by “laughing” them away. I doubt you would seriously “laugh out loud” as frequently in a face to face conversation on the same topic. Other than this unfortunate tactic, I appreciate that you otherwise have the decency to have polite and respectful discussions here.
ERM: [i]If anyone things for one minute that this piece of ridiculous legislation is going to make a scintilla of difference in regard to school bullying is naive at best… it does not address the issue of school bullying one iota..[/i]
This is not the panacea, but it is a step toward more people understanding that homosexuality is more common than many think, that it isn’t a choice that people make, any more than you choose whether you are left- or right-handed, and that homosexuals can make important contributions to society. These are things that benefit us all.
When you and I were in school, we learned about George Washington Carver, and perhaps Booker T. Washington, Sojourner Truth, Harriett Tubman, Jackie Robinson, and others.
It would be enlightening to learn about Alan Turing, Martina Navartilova, Harvey Milk, and Oscar Wilde.
I can see it now. My grandson will come home from school and I’ll give him a dollar to buy some candy. He’ll ask “Grandpa, who’s that man on the dollar bill?”. I’ll say, “that’s George Washington, haven’t you learned that in school?” He’ll reply “No Grandpa, never heard of him, but we learned all about Harvey Milk today”.
I really do not get the negativity about this legislation.
I invite you to listen to Senator Leno describe the significance of SB 48:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCaInxgYErM
The link: [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCaInxgYErM[/url]
rusty49: [i]I can see it now. My grandson will come home from school and I’ll give him a dollar to buy some candy. He’ll ask “Grandpa, who’s that man on the dollar bill?”. I’ll say, “that’s George Washington, haven’t you learned that in school?” He’ll reply “No Grandpa, never heard of him, but we learned all about Harvey Milk today”.[/i]
I don’t see that happening with George Washington. I can see it happen with Alexander Hamilton ($10 bill), though.
Here’s an interesting thing to do: ask your school age kids (for that matter, ask any younger adult) if he/she knows the words to the entire first verse of the national anthem. You might be surprised how many don’t. Those that do know were probably in secondary school choir. That’s the result of cutting general music education from the K-6 curriculum.
“I don’t see that happening with George Washington. I can see it happen with Alexander Hamilton ($10 bill), though.”
Since something has to go to make room for Gay history maybe they will cut out Martin Luther King week. How would that go over?
WDF: “This is not the panacea, but it is a step toward more people understanding that homosexuality is more common than many think, that it isn’t a choice that people make, any more than you choose whether you are left- or right-handed, and that homosexuals can make important contributions to society. These are things that benefit us all.”
says you. and no they don’t benefit all, they benefit those who are seeking political power and prestige, namely mark Leno.
and I seriously doubt you know who is gay and who isnt, so I seriously question the claim: “there are more than people think”
“I don’t see that happening with George Washington. I can see it happen with Alexander Hamilton ($10 bill), though.”
Yeah, let’s stop teaching our kids about those old white founding fathers and force the teaching on them about the contributions of gay people because of their sexual preference. Makes sense to me.
Oh, actually, Hamilton seems like a good candidate for this: [url]http://rictornorton.co.uk/hamilton.htm[/url]
91 O: [i]and I seriously doubt you know who is gay and who isnt, so I seriously question the claim: “there are more than people think”[/i]
Do you know how many of your high school classmates were gay while you were in high school? I knew no one at the time. Now I can count at least 5 who came out since graduation. I don’t think my high school was very tolerant of homosexuality at the time. Was yours?
how should I know? I don’t know who was straight and who wasn’t and based on your response, you really don’t know either. the fact that you can count 5 at your school says little if anything about the country as a whole.
“Oh, actually, Hamilton seems like a good candidate for this:”
Thanks Don for the Hamilton gay love letter link, you helped prove a point. I had no idea Hamilton had gay tendencies, didn’t care either. I just knew of Hamilton because of his contributions to America, not because I was forced to learn about him because of his sexual preference.
I think that there is an important point that is being missed here. No one is saying that it is important to know about an individual’s contributions solely because they are gay. What is important for children to know is that all people, whether of the same or different gender, nationality, religion, or sexual orientation have the ability to contribute positively to our society and that no one should be disparaged for any of these traits.
I happen to see educating students about the positive contributions (and negative ones also in the interest of telling the whole story) of all groups , not just those that we happen to relate to as important for our society as a whole. And Elaine, I respectfully disagree that greater familiarity and understanding would not decrease bullying.
I agree with medwoman. Prejudice comes from ignorance. If people know that homosexuality has been present throughout history, and that such people can make important contributions to society, there is a chance that they see themselves in a better light, and others see them less as a target of ostracism.
[quote]I find it interesting how you and your son regularly and subtly disparage others’ comments by “laughing” them away.[/quote]
Sorry, but I found Brown’s comment that “history should be honest” as quite laughable. History has been incorrect/sanitized/”rewritten” since time immemorial – his naivete is breathtaking…
[quote]Thanks Don for the Hamilton gay love letter link, you helped prove a point. I had no idea Hamilton had gay tendencies, didn’t care either. I just knew of Hamilton because of his contributions to America, not because I was forced to learn about him because of his sexual preference.[/quote]
Nicely said!
[quote]And Elaine, I respectfully disagree that greater familiarity and understanding would not decrease bullying.[/quote]
With all due respect, and I do mean that sincerely, I don’t think you understand the mechanisms that promote bullying. I’ve been on all sides of teaching, as the instructor and the parent and the student. I can tell you bullying is tolerated in society as a normal “rite of passage”; “boys will be boys”; “suck it up”, ad nauseum. Political correctness has not stopped bullying – it takes school officials and law enforcement to do that. Until these two entities get their act together, bullying will continue unabated, bc it is the root cause of the problem…
[quote]Prejudice comes from ignorance.[/quote]
This is a very naive statement, IMHO… Often prejudice comes from deep seated hatred, from familial/generational bias, from a desire to be part of a group that excludes another group, a minority that itself is exclusive, and on and on it goes. Let me give you an example, so you can better understand my thinking. Someone who hobnobs with the wrong person may be excluded from joining the neighborhood country club – the country club where business deals are made…
Elaine
Also with respect for your opinions, I think you can be too quick at times to label as naive or lacking in understanding those wlho see issues differently from you. While I do not have as much experience a,s you do with teaching, I have taught, and I have tutored extensively.
I myself was bullied and i witnessed bullying in the elementary and junior highs that my kids attended.
I agree that all of the factors that you have listed contribute to bullying. And I agree that it will take the efforts of all of the groups that you mention ultimately to stop it. I also think that creating an atmosphere in which people can learn more about those who are different from them can help to change their perception. Since you offered an anecdotal example, so will I.
My father was a racist. He frequently spoke negatively about blacks believing that they were inherently inferior. Until he met Joe.
Joe was black, and like father, an honest, hard working, blue collar ship fitter. Gradually, overtime, the two of them began to talk on their jobs, recognized the similarities of their situations and overcame their initial distrust and antipathy to become close friends.
I realize that an individual friendship is not the same as reading a textbook. But I still believe that people are capable of looking at things differently when exposed to different ideas. So, for example, if your home has been filled with even subtly disparaging comments about gays, it might change your impression, even just a little to learn of their positive contributions.
Also, I do not understand what you mean by PC in this context. What is PC about a full an honest portrayal of the contribution of any group?
While I think Davisite2 (first comment) is correct, it may be worthwhile mentioning gays and other groups in history texts, but not putting much emphasis on it.
For example, don’t revise the main body of history texts, but as supplement include lists of those historical figures who were mentioned in the text; such as follows:
racial background
ethnic background or country of origin
sexual prediliction(?)
religious affiliation
other
The instructor can notify the students of that list and talk about it a little; so the students can reference it if they are curious.
It seems to me that strongly emphasizing such things as homo/hetero is counter-productive; as it contributes further toward identity politics and balkanization of the members of tribe USA.
Unfortunately, too many people are pushing their own agendas and (perhaps unwittingly) contributing to such balkanization; which certainly benefits the political and money-established classes.
I think it is useful for students to learn the backgrounds of historical figures, as there has been a tendency in the past to homogenize history, and to know about the discriminatory practices against many groups of Americans. Knowing the secular, deist, and religious diversity among the founding fathers, for example; certainly nothing was mentioned about that when I was a student, and there is a widespread belief that they were all Christians. Knowing that some important historic figures were gay. Learning about the different ‘rights’ movements — women’s suffrage, minority rights. Knowing about the contributions of some figures from other ethnic backgrounds. Learning the history of the Chinese immigrants to California. Learning about redlining and housing discrimination against blacks and Jews.
There are any number of places a little positive discussion of gay history can be inserted into curriculum without any great disturbance of existing lesson plans.
ERM: [i] I’ve been on all sides of teaching, as the instructor and the parent and the student. I can tell you bullying is tolerated in society as a normal “rite of passage”; “boys will be boys”; “suck it up”, ad nauseum. Political correctness has not stopped bullying – it takes school officials and law enforcement to do that. Until these two entities get their act together, bullying will continue unabated, bc it is the root cause of the problem…[/i]
Elaine, I too have been on many sides of this issue, as someone bullied in school in my day, and having to deal with it as a “rite of passage”. And if somehow you were sent to the principal’s office for responding in kind with blows, then you were expected to “man-up” and “take the licks”. There was corporal punishment when I was in school.
I have also had visits with the principal because my son was bullied and because he bullied someone else at a different time. I am convinced that this school district, as of the late 2000’s, takes this issue seriously.
ERM: [i]This is a very naive statement, IMHO… Often prejudice comes from deep seated hatred, from familial/generational bias, from a desire to be part of a group that excludes another group, a minority that itself is exclusive, and on and on it goes.[/i]
I have a somewhat similar family history as what medwoman describes. A parent and a few relatives who changed their views on minorities and homosexuals once they got to know individuals from those groups in person. What changed? They were ignorant of what these minorities were like as individuals.
Elaine, I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree on this. 🙂
I’m sure this is so much different than the 2001 Santorum Amendment and state legislative proposals to require teaching of alternative scientific theories such as “creation science” “non-evolution” and “intelligent design.” It’s also different than passing state laws to mandate teaching of abstinence before marriage, right?
We should be looking to state legislatures and governors (and Congress and the President) to decide what we should be teaching in our schools, especially with respect to controversial issues.
We all can be confident that a future Republican governor and Republican state legislature would not try to overturn the Democrats’ “GLT awareness” step forward. This will all work out just great.
This much I know is true: politicians will put aside politics when it comes to our children’s education.
[quote]Also, I do not understand what you mean by PC in this context. What is PC about a full an honest portrayal of the contribution of any group?[/quote]
I appreciate your thoughtful response. What is a “full and honest portrayal of the contribution of any group”? Is that going to include all religious groups, ethnic groups, etc.? How about the discrimination against the Irish? Or the discrimination against Christians?
JustSaying tongue in cheek sums up my views nicely about trying to be politically correct – at some point in time it is bound to backfire on you – leave history to the historians and not the gov’t:
[quote]We all can be confident that a future Republican governor and Republican state legislature would not try to overturn the Democrats’ “GLT awareness” step forward. This will all work out just great. [/quote]
ERM
My answer to your question about is that going to include all religious groups …. Is yes.
And I still do not know what you mean by “politically correct” since my answer is yes, that all discrimination based on group affiliation should be addressed.