195 replies to this topic

[swmr545]

Here is the text of the bill

http://www.leginfo.c...ded_sen_v98.pdf

[Barb J]

I think that all relevant history should be taught regardless of whether the person who created it was straight, gay, white, black, etc. Why do we need to single out sexual preference or race when discussing accomplishments. Didn't Martin Luther dream about a society that was colorblind? How about just saying so and so was a great explorer. Do we need to know who or what he did in his bedroom?

Just sayin......

Barb

[swmr545]

I agree with you....but, what this bill is about is giving THAT information as well.

Gays WANT the public to know that they have added valuable services and contributions to our society...AS GAY PEOPLE.

I don't think it matters what their personal sexual history is, but for some reason, it seems to be very important that we all know they are gay.

It seems like they are trying to add this to our education system so our society will accept the gay life style more in the future. They think that if they educate the children at an early age, gays can someday have complete acceptance.

Imagine someone asking you, when first meeting, if you like certain sexual positions or practices!

I think the pushing for gay marriage, the gay pride parades and their pushing bills to shove acceptance this sort of life style down our throats, have hurt them more than helped.

So the racial makeup of the Loving couple is irrelevant to their place in history?

When you teach about a person (or a group), all aspects of their identity are taught. We learn that MLK is black, we all know the contributions that the Chinese community gave to this state in regards to the railroad. Most people know that S.B. Anthony was a woman. What's amazing about Helen Keller's story?

We are not a colorblind society. We are a society that continues to tell minority groups they aren't good enough. LGBTQ youth ate constantly being told by this society that they are worthless and won't amount to much.

We have elected officials saying that we are bringing about the demise of marriage, we have religious persons damning us all to Hell and telling us we are no better than child molesters, rapists, and murders. Why's wrong with countering those messages by having contributions of the LGBT community in our history books?
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Why are you so hooked on gay sex? Why do you associate gay with sex? Do you associate straight with sex? Or have you been able to separate sexual activity from sexual identity with the straight community?

I don't think about the sex you had when you talk about your ex, why do you think about the sex gays have when you find out we are gay?

[The Average Joe]

Sexual proclivities have no business in a history lesson unless the person in question was known for such. If a person was of note, they were of note. Period. I don't need to know Ben Franklin's bedroom behavior unless it had a bearing on some important aspect of his life. For example, Jefferson's alleged dalliance with a slave was pertinent because it originally came as a political attack in his era. There are also potential bloodline issues, which again, make it pertinent.
A gay person gets no historical bonus points simply for being gay. However, if their gayness is pertinent to whatever achievement or stature or importance they had in history, it should be mentioned, but not the focus.

the bill itself i have a couple issues with.

Existing law prohibits the State
Board of Education and the governing board of any school district from
adopting textbooks or other instructional materials that contain any
matter that reflects adversely upon persons because of their race, sex,
color, creed, handicap, national origin, or ancestry.

So we are not allowed to tell the truth if a certain group behaved badly or had a negative impact...oh yeah, unless it comprises white males. Obviously, the negative impact of Islam would be unapproachable...ditto the Crusades. Stupid, stupid political correctness. Whitewash the bad because it doesn't fit our current accepted norms. Sheer foolishness to rewrite history to be politically correct.

51204.5. Instruction in social sciences shall include the early
history of California and a study of the role and contributions of (all listed minorities)
... to 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

So wait, we are studying the role and contributions in history...but with a particular emphasis on their role in contemporary society? Huh? I suppose you could compare and contrast, but to put particular emphasis on current society is bizarre...isn't that what social studies is for? Whatever happened to HISTORY being presented as a semblance of facts and events put in the context of the time being studied? Good God.

[Redone]

Last I recall California is # 46 out of 50 states on education ranking.

Can we teach reading, writing, and arithmetic first before the whims of CA legislature ?
This bill in no way prepares one for college and the future job market.

In this climate it can only be viewed as special interest and further waste of taxpayer money.

[caligirlz]

So now they've added gay history to the curriculum?

Other homosexual topics are already being taught & have been for a number of years, including in the primary grades.

I agree with Maxine, redone, The Average Joe, Barb J. No need to repeat any of it.

This is all just BS and part of the agenda, as well as the nanny state. You want to know the agenda? Check out what's been happening in Massachusetts.

[rpo]

If there was not discrimination against minorities (whether that is sexual orientation, race, gender, etc), then I would not agree that it would need to be taught in schools. But, the problem is that there is discrimination against those minorities and until that ends, I fully support showing to children that no matter what they are, becoming someone great is achievable by anyone. That is the message they are trying to teach, and I see nothing wrong with showing our youngsters that anything is possible, regardless of how they are born.

[rpo]

I am not slamming gays nor am I judging any of them for their life style. I just don't want their life style to be announced and taught in schools, or placed into laws like they are some kind of minority race.

I want the gay community to live as they choose and get out of my face....why is it so hard for you/them to understand this?????

It has NOTHING to do with lifestyle. Being gay is NOT a choice. Because of discrimination against the way they were born, they have to be protected from retribution from people who try to pretend/wish they do not exist.

[The Average Joe]

It has NOTHING to do with lifestyle. Being gay is NOT a choice. Because of discrimination against the way they were born, they have to be protected from retribution from people who try to pretend/wish they do not exist.

While I actually agree with you, there is no evidence of a "gay gene" that I am aware of. Many think environment plays a role (the ol heredity v. environment debate). So while I think it is hard wired, you can't just make a blanket statement and call it good. There are also many gay people who embrace the "lifestyle."

[swmr545]

You just want us to think you don't get it, but I think you DO!

The fact is, again and again on this board, it has been posted by many posters, that they don't CARE about your or anyone else's sexual practices.

It's a joke to accuse me of being hooked on sexual acts regarding gays....what is the definition of a gay person anyway?

Are you suggesting that gays have normal sex and we should all believe that?
Are you wanting everyone to declare that sexual acts between people of the same sex is normal?

Read your post again and I think you will see who has the hang up regarding sex.

Most people don't want the world to know what they do in their bedrooms with consenting people of legal age. Why do gay people?????

Calling one's self "Gay" is declaring they want to have sex with people of their own gender. Isn't it?

I am not slamming gays nor am I judging any of them for their life style. I just don't want their life style to be announced and taught in schools, or placed into laws like they are some kind of minority race.

I want the gay community to live as they choose and get out of my face....why is it so hard for you/them to understand this?????

You are NEVER going to get acceptance from some people and others just don't care what your sexual practices are.

No, I do NOT reject anyone who is gay. But I'd rather that not be the bases of my friendship with them. Must it be????



Geeez!!!

You're the one who said sexual positions will be taught in classrooms, not me. Every time anything about the gay community us brought up, you say you don't want to know what goes on in the bedroom. You know I'm gay, but have no idea about what I do in my bedroom do you?

Being gay is being emotionally OR sexually attracted to the same gender. You can be emotionally attracted and not have sex (is a celibate priest not straight if he doesn't have sex?). Do you think declaring yourself straight means you want to have sex with guys?

Do I think gay sex is normal and everyone does it? I can guarantee that straight couples practice sodomy. And what is your basis for normal?

Why arentyou complaining about learning about the Loving couple? They are famous BECAUSE of their relationship. Their relationship implies they were engaging in sex by your standard (and I'm basing that of the fact that you think leaning about a gay person means you learn sex, so learning about straight people you learn sex).

Turning a blind eye to oppresses groups is not the way we should Bruce as a society. Throughout history, groups have remained in hiding only to "come out" to try and gain their acceptance within their society. Even while they were "in the closet" their society still went around and did what they could to oppress them. It wasn't until they began standing up for themselves and having allies, and educating their society that they were able to go from oppressed to accepted.

Now getting back to the intent of this bill. How do you help create an atmosphere of respect if you don't talk about anything that the different groups have done to contribute to society? If a gay child is being raised in a home where they are told they are going to Hell, that they can't amount to anything for being gay, that they are no better than rapists, murders, and child molesters, what do you do? If a straight child is being brought up with those message and their parent(s)/family/church says it is ok to attack gay people since they don't deserve to be treated with respect, what do you do? If these children are attending a public school, does the state have a vested interest in how they are beige brought up to think about themselves or others? Once on campus, the school is responsible for whatever happens. Should the gay child learn that he or she CAN amount to something and do something good with their life? That they are better than a rapist, murder, or child molester, or let the parents still demean their child? In regards to the other child, should there be an intervention by the school in his or her upbringing to show that gays have done good in society, that they have made contributions, and that while they don't have to accept, they do at the very least tolerate a gay person?

It's great that you won't reject a gay person for being gay, but sadly many do. When I came out to my friend's I had had from second grade, they told me I, along with the entire gay population, should be dead. At FLC, I had a woman I had gotten to know over two years tell me that I need to die from AIDS (I came out to her after she said all gay men need to die from AIDS and lesbians just need to "find the right man").

You and others say you will accept a person for who they are, regardless if being gay or not. Many of us tell our friend's we are gay ecauae we don't want to be friends with people that share the above sentiments about us.

While I actually agree with you, there is no evidence of a "gay gene" that I am aware of. Many think environment plays a role (the ol heredity v. environment debate). So while I think it is hard wired, you can't just make a blanket statement and call it good. There are also many gay people who embrace the "lifestyle."

What is the "gay lifestyle"? Cuz I know there are many at people that live and behave differently than me.

[rpo]

It's great that you won't reject a gay person for being gay, but sadly many do. When I came out to my friend's I had had from second grade, they told me I, along with the entire gay population, should be dead. At FLC, I had a woman I had gotten to know over two years tell me that I need to die from AIDS (I came out to her after she said all gay men need to die from AIDS and lesbians just need to "find the right man").

Thanks for sharing. It is truly despicable that people like that are out there and actually will state that opinion openly.

What is the "gay lifestyle"? Cuz I know there are many at people that live and behave differently than me.

Gay "lifestyle" to me implies that people choose to be gay, which is not the case for 99% of gay people out there.