Gay pride rainbow flag. (AP Photo)
(CNSNews.com) – On Jan. 1, the California Department of Education started implementing a new law that requires all children in the state’s public schools to study the “role and contributions” of “lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans” to the “development of California and the United States of America.”
This law, according to the pro-family group SaveCalifornia.com, will require the schools to promote “lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans as role models” and mandate that “children as young as kindergarten must be taught to admire persons who engage in homosexuality.”
The bill, SB 48, amends Education Code Section 51204.5, which already included the study of men and women of various ethnic groups. A summary of the law states, "The Fair, Accurate, Inclusive and Respectful (FAIR) Education Act amends the education code to require schools to integrate factual information about social movements, current events and history of people with disabilities and LGBT people into existing social studies lessons. It also prevents the State Board of Education from adopting instructional materials that discriminate."
The California Department of Education Web site states, “Instruction in history-social science should include the contributions of those groups listed above in Education Code Section 51204.5, but it is up to local districts to determine how the instructional content is included.”
(AP Photo)
The site says the new law “applies to the course of study in grades one through twelve, but again it falls to the teacher and the local school and district administration to determine how the content is covered and at which grade level(s).”
In a statement published on the site, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson said, “I applaud Governor [Jerry] Brown’s decision to sign SB 48 into law, and I congratulate Senator Leno for authoring this important legislation. Our history is more complete when we recognize the contributions of people from all backgrounds and walks of life.”
To meet the new social content requirements, districts may adopt content-reviewed supplemental materials in lieu of new text books, the site says, adding, “After districts have certified that each pupil has been provided with adopted, standards-aligned basic instructional materials, the district may use general funds to purchase supplementary materials that have passed the State's social content review.”
Jeff Littlefield, left, and his husband Tommy Starling pose with their 5-year-old daughter, Carrigan Starling-Littlefield,. Starling and Littlefield became her parents through a surrogacy program in California and later got married in California during a brief period when same-sex marriage was legal there. Carrigan is among the fast-growing multitude of American children - likely more than 1.2 million - being raised by gay and lesbian parents. (AP Photo/Gregory Pittman)
SaveCalifornia.com, a nonprofit organization that “stands for moral virtues and against the liberal takeover,” issued a statement on its Web site addressing some of the changes resulting from SB 48.
“Textbooks and instructional materials must positively promote lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans as role models,” said the statement.
It also notes that “children as young as kindergarten must be taught to admire persons who engage in homosexuality, same-sex marriages, bisexuality, and transsexuality (cross-dressing and sex-change operations).”
Further, the organization says that parents of California schoolchildren will not be notified and will not be able to exempt their children from the new social content materials.
“It’s decision time for California parents,” said Randy Thomasson, president of SaveCalifornia.com. “Children will be taught to see homosexuality, bisexuality, cross-dressing, sex-change operations, and homosexual marriages as good and natural and perhaps even for them.”
SB 48 does not require teachers to instruct children of the health risks associated with homosexual activity.
“SB 48 absolutely prohibits the government schools from teaching the facts that homosexuality is inherently unnatural and unhealthy with the highest rate of sexually transmitted diseases and the highest mode of transmission for HIV/AIDS,” said Thomasson.
(AP Photo)
“The truth is prohibited; the facts are prevented,” he says. “It’s ironic and sad that children in California government schools will be taught that cigarettes are negative, driving drunk is negative, drug use is negative, but they won’t be taught homosexuality is unhealthy.”
In Thomasson’s opinion, the government-run schools are beyond reform. “The only clear solution is to rescue your children from the immoral, imploding, dysfunctional state school establishment,” he said.
The California Department of Education Web site explains how districts should address questions and concerns about the legislation stating, “As with any other district policy, school districts should be open and transparent in determining policies with regard to the implementation of this and any legislation.”
The site quotes an Education Code section: “Each district board shall provide for substantial teacher involvement in the selection of instructional materials and shall promote the involvement of parents and other members of the community in the selection of instructional materials.”
SaveCalifornia.com is a leading West Coast nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that represents children and families in the areas of marriage and family, parental rights, the sanctity of human life, religious freedom, financial freedom, and back-to-basics education.