The fate of a California measure to include LGBT history in state textbooks is currently in the hands of Governor Jerry Brown. If approved, the bill would render California the first and only state in the U.S. to make gay and lesbian history a mandatory facet of state curricula.
While there is currently no ban or restriction upon the teaching of LGBT history in California schools, The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the pending bill would incorporate LGBT individuals into a group of other minority groups (such as Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans and Americans with disabilities) who must, according to state law, be included in history and social science instruction.
Proponents of the measure, including San Francisco Democratic Senator Mark Leno, who introduced the bill, believe that teaching the history of gay rights and gay and lesbian individuals will prevent further “selective censorship” of American history and provide LGBT youth with strong role models in the face of bullying and discrimination.
Others, however, find the proposed law to be a “distraction” that will detract from history instruction and allow the legislature unnecessary control over curricula.
Thus far, sources have no indication of Governor Brown’s stance on the bill. Check back for updates as we continue coverage of this story.
