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03/01/2007
Cali 'family' man thinks bill's less than 'Kuehl'
In response to SB777, Sen. Sheila Kuehl's bill that would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of those protected from discrimination in California 's publicly-funded schools, Ron Prentice of the California Family Council tells Focus on the Family:
"This bill claims to eliminate bias in education," he said. "Instead, it is intolerant of opposing beliefs and perspectives. The bill threatens an accurate portrayal of history and social science, in order for homosexuals to achieve a legislated sense of 'normalcy.' "
If the legislation succeeds, Prentice said, school-sponsored activities like homecoming king and queen would be forced to become more neutral or end altogether. In addition, if a student is one gender but claims the other, school districts would be forced to provide special treatment and services -- such as restroom facilities or participation in the opposite gender's physical education class.
"Senator Kuehl continues to push for the re-engineering of California’s schools," he said, "through the silencing of teachers and students."
Intolerant of opposing beliefs and perspectives? If your belief and perspective is that gay folks are immoral and that your religious condemnations should be suitable teaching in public schools, then yes, it is completely intolerant of that sort of intolerance. Threatens an accurate portrayal of history and social science? If that portrayal is that all of the injustices that have been served to the gay community are righteous and justified or that gays are outside the spectrum of human normalcy -- again, yes the bill is unapologetically threatening to those sorts of portrayals! Gays wish to achieve a sense of normalcy? Well, we are normal, so why wouldn't we want that? If it takes legislation to help kids understand the reality and truth of the world they live in and to accept all for who they are, then legislation it will be.
We understand why folks like Mr. Prentice feel threatened by legislation like Ms. Kuehl's SB 777. After all, if new generations aren't taught to fear gay people, then the California Family Council will its coffers dwindle as those kids grow into salaried adults. But this is one of those situations where it is SO OBVIOUS that a measure like this is going to pass eventually, as it is simply the right thing to do. From a secular, civil, rational, public institution-focused standpoint, there is absolutely no reason to keep vulnerable a sect of the population that is realistically, tangibly subjected to discrimination! Period.
Students in California are already protected on the basis of their sex, ethnic group identification, race, national origin, religion, or mental or physical disability. Had we been living 30, 40, 50, or 90 years ago, each of these protections would also have its opponents. However, no modern principled person would ever deny that the current protected classes are all deserving of their status. Here's hoping that our grandchildren will look back on sexual orientation protections as just as uncontestedly righteous. SB 777 will only help us to reach that more peaceful day.
Gay Lawmaker Pushes Bill to Muzzle Schools [FOF CitizenLink]
Technorati Tags: California, Ron Prentice, Sheil Kuehl
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