I have not seen much discussion in the Bloggernacle on California SB 777, which was recently signed by Gov. Schwarzenegger. Advocates of the bill call it an anti-discrimination measure to protect homosexuals and others. Opponents of the bill say it will inevitably involve politicization of the schools in favor of a pro-homosexual agenda and will involve the schools getting rid of terms such as “mom and dad” in favor of “partner 1 and partner 2.”
This article indicates many parents are pulling their kids out of the public schools and homeschooling them. I’m curious to hear from people in the Bloggernacle, especially those in California, regarding their reactions to the bill. This discussion will be respectful. Any disrespectful language will be deleted.
Here’s my two cents: my sister has six kids in California public schools. She is very apolitical and definitely not a community activist, but two years ago the local middle school proposed changing the curriculum to promote “non-discrimination.” The proposed curriculum included graphic discussions of the specifics of homosexual and heterosexual sex acts and the promotion of the homosexual lifestyle as “normal” and simply a choice that children could make based on their personal desires. The implication was that any teaching against having sex at all was “discriminatory” and that children should experiment freely. Children as young as 11 would have received this instruction. Parents raised a ruckus, and the curriculum was changed to a much less controversial traditional sex education course, concentrating on the basics of human anatomy and how to avoid VD.
I am not convinced that if my kids were in California public schools they would suffer much because of the new legislation. I have no problem with the sex education instruction my 12-year-old receives in the local public middle school. But given my sister’s experience, I’m inclined to be very wary of the types of things that some people would like to teach in public schools. If my kids were receiving instruction that promoted the homosexual lifestyle and promoted sexual experimentation, I would pull them out of the public schools.
Here’s my take on how public schools should handle controversial issues regarding sex education, such as homosexuality: such instruction should be left to the parents and/or guardians to discuss with their children. The basics of human anatomy and a basic discussion of human reproduction and how to prevent sexually transmitted diseases should be taught. Any discrimination and/or bullying of anybody on the basis of sexual orientation, religion, race, ethnicity, etc. should be punished. The California schools already had very good laws promoting the above. There appeared to be no need for SB 777.