Friday September 15, 2006 SGN.org |
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Volume 34 Issue 37 |
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Sunday, Sep 07, 2008
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California Governor Schwarzenegger vetos Bias-Free Curriculum Act |
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| California Governor Schwarzenegger vetos Bias-Free Curriculum Act | |
| Legislation would have outlawed discrimination in textbooks, instructional materials and school-sponsored activities based on sexual orientation
The Respect for All Project of Women's Educational Media condemned California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's veto of Senate Bill 1437, the Bias-Free Curriculum Act. The legislation would have simply added sexual orientation and gender identity to the other protected categories defined in existing laws that prohibit discrimination based on race, sex, disability, nationality and religion in textbooks and other instructional materials and school-sponsored activities. The bill, authored by Senator Sheila Kuehl, was amended when the Governor's office announce he would veto the earlier version that would have required inclusion of the roles and contributions of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people in history and social science curriculum. "If we are truly committed to combating prejudice and bias in our schools, it is essential that our textbooks and teaching materials reflect the full diversity of Californians, and that clearly includes LGBT students and children with LGBT parents," said Debra Chasnoff, executive director of Women's Educational Media and co-founder of the Respect for All Project, which works to create safe schools and promote understanding and respect among students. "When basic anti-discrimination protections are not made available to include all students, it sets the stage for prejudice-based bullying and harassment. The Governor's veto may appease his most conservative supporters, but he'll have to face his own conscience the next time a student gets beaten up because of issues related to sexual orientation." ABOUT THE RESPECT FOR ALL PROJECT The award-winning Respect for All Project, a program of Women's Educational Media, seeks to create safe schools and communities by giving youth, and the adults who guide their development, the tools they need to talk openly about diversity in all its forms. The Respect for All Project is built around three of our award-winning films - It's Elementary - Talking About Gay Issues in Schools, That's a Family!, which highlights a full range of family diversity and the anti-bullying film Let's Get Real. Films in the Respect for All Project are widely used in schools and at educational workshops across the country. For more information, or to view clips of the films and excerpts from our professional development resources, visit www.respectforall.org A Women's Educational Media press release |
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International Readers |
REPORTS & MUSINGS FROM THE VETERAN GAY AND AIDS HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATE
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 It's new! and live from Bumbershoot! |
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