California may have a reputation as being a liberal state, but most Americans have no idea just how ridiculous the situation has become. That may soon change if Sheila Kuehl, the openly homosexual Senator from California, has her way. Back in February, she introduced a bill – SB 1437 – which if signed into law would force all public school teachers to present a one-sided message about homosexuality, bisexuality and transgender issues.
It would ban lessons, discussions and activities that reflect unfavorably upon one’s sexual orientation and would end any open discussion about the issue of homosexuality in public classrooms – effectively silencing the Christian voice on the issue.
To compound this bias, the bill calls for all facets of education to be stripped of any negative messages on homosexuality. And if passed, would also require social science lesson plans to include the contributions homosexuals, bisexuals and transgenders have made to society.
But according to official testimony entered for this bill, SB 1437 would actually do much more for the gay and lesbian community. The following statements in favor of the bill speak much louder to the real motivation behind the bill than the actual bill language ever could:
Because many LGBT teens are inclined to truancy and get lower grades than their peers, positive and accurate depictions of their community in the materials they study at school can spark valuable discussions and interventions, and improve these students' opportunities to learn, stay in school, and graduate.Proponents also argue that the high rates of suicide among LGBT youth and hate crimes against LGBT people indicate that the students should not have to wait until high school to begin to talk about the LGBT community and families in healthy and age-appropriate ways. Thus, they say, requiring the affirmative inclusion of LGBT people and history in the California curriculum would not only bolster the self confidence of LGBT students, but would enrich the learning experience of all students and promote an atmosphere of safety and respect in California schools.
So somehow by forcing children as young as kindergarten age to learn about the positive contributions of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender persons to society this should solve all the social ills and feelings of inadequacy that homosexuals inevitably feel.
And now the really bad news – SB 1437 is expected to pass out of the Legislature and be on Gov. Schwarzenegger’s desk by June 30.
Opposition to the Bill
It is not just pro-family groups such as Focus on the Family that have come out in opposition to Kuehl’s bill. The mainstream media in California has been less than complimentary to it as well.
The Los Angeles Times calls it a "textbook lesson in political meddling." And the Sacramento Bee ran an editorial stating, "It is never a good sign when the California Legislature tries to micromanage what is in textbooks, especially the recounting of state history. When you see the signs, look for a contemporary political agenda."
The Bee continues that "Kuehl and her Democratic allies are imposing too much of their gay rights agenda onto the telling of history in ways that are simply inappropriate."
Call to Action
It is apparent that we cannot look to the California Legislature to stop the madness on its own. Here is how you can get involved right now. If you are a California resident, California residents are urged to contact each member of the state Assembly and let them know you oppose SB 1437 and expect them to oppose it as well. We've composed a fax you can send – for free – to each member of the Assembly with just a few clicks of your mouse. Just log in to the CitizenLink Action Center and click on the "Speak Out Against SB 1437" link to get started.
Then we need everyone – no matter where you live – to call Gov. Schwarzenegger and ask him to veto this bill. To get phone numbers for the governor, go to http://www.family.org/cforum/extras/a0041045.cfm.
