
California Keeps Its History Straight
SACRAMENTO, CA -- State Senator Sheila Kuehl (D-Santa
Monica) has given up her effort to pass a bill that would require
California schools to recognize the contributions of gays and lesbians
throughout history.
Faced with a certain veto by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kuehl unveiled
amendments Monday to Senate Bill 1437 that delete any requirement to
alter curriculum.
"All that's left in the bill now is adding sexual orientation to a
long-standing law that prohibits the adoption of official teaching
materials or the conducting of school activities that reflect adversely
on people on the basis of race, religion, gender and so on," the senator
told The San Francisco Chronicle. "I'm very disappointed that the
governor twisted our arms on this."
California already requires that African Americans, native peoples,
Mexicans, Asians and Pacific Islanders be included in textbook
descriptions of "the economic, political and social development of
California and the United States of America, with particular emphasis on
portraying the role of these groups in contemporary society."
Supporters of the bill had hoped that publicizing the contributions of
gays and lesbians would have given pride to homosexual students and
promoted tolerance among heterosexual peers.
"It would have raised everybody's consciousness," said openly gay
Assemblyman Mark Leno.
Though the new SB 1437 will not mandate curriculum changes, Kuehl said
it could be more acceptable to Schwarzenegger and still represent a
"small step forward" in gay rights.
[Comments To This Article]
- [Back to News Headlines]
|