California Bill Is 'Sexual-Agenda Bomb,' Group Says
By Randy Hall
CNSNews.com Staff Writer/Editor
April 06, 2006
(CNSNews.com) - Legislation approved Wednesday by the California Senate Judiciary Committee is "a sexual-agenda bomb dressed up as a child-caring Easter egg," a conservative group charged.
SB 1437, which would amend the state's education code by adding the words "gender" and "sexual orientation" to its anti-discrimination policy, would force school districts to "teach school children as young as kindergarten to accept and embrace transsexuality, bisexuality and homosexuality in all its forms," according to Randy Thomasson, president of Campaign for Children and Families (CCF).
Thomasson, who had testified against the measure, held a news conference with concerned families at the state capitol in Sacramento before the Senate Judiciary Committee vote. The resulting tally had all three Democrats on the four-member committee supporting the measure.
If passed by the legislature, "SB 1437 means goodbye to textbooks that say you're either a boy or a girl, or that marriage is only for a man and a woman, or that the natural family is a father, a mother and their children," stated Thomasson.
The measure would also lead to "radical curriculum changes that include transvestite speakers and transsexual videos, classroom handouts on sex-change operations and curriculum that tells children homosexual 'marriage' is normal," he added. "This bill is frightening for parents who want trustworthy schools, not schools that sexually indoctrinate their own children -- children as young as kindergarten!"
As it currently stands, Section 51500 of the California Education Code states: "No teacher shall give instruction nor shall a school sponsor any activity which reflects adversely upon persons because of their race, sex, color, creed, handicap, national origin, or ancestry."
However, SB 1437 would replace the words "sex, color, creed, handicap, national origin or ancestry" with "gender, disability, nationality, sexual orientation or religion."
In its legal analysis of the bill, the CCF states that the measure would require "public school textbooks, instructional materials and school-sponsored activities to positively portray 'gender' (which includes transsexuality, transvestitism, cross dressing, sex-change operations, etc.) and 'sexual orientation' (meaning bisexuality and homosexuality in all its forms).
"Undoubtedly, SB 1437 is written to deceive, while its impact is to indoctrinate," the analysis adds. "Quite simply, SB 1437 will turn public schools into anti-family, sexual indoctrination centers. This bill must not be allowed to become a reality in California."
Geoffrey Kors, executive director of Equality California, applauded the state Judiciary Committee's action.
"Today's vote is the first step toward enhancing the educational experience of all California students," Kors stated in a press release. "Current California law recognizes the importance of teaching about a variety of people and groups that contribute to our diverse society.
"Adding the important contributions of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and individuals is in keeping with that educational goal," he added.
The committee action was also praised by the bill's author, state Sen. Sheila Kuehl (D-Santa Monica), who as an actress played Zelda Gilroy in the 1950s TV show "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" and in 1994 became the first open homosexual to be elected to the California legislature.
"I am very grateful for my colleagues' support for this bill, which simply has to do with fairness and visibility," said Kuehl. "Students deserve an education that gives them a full and accurate picture of our history and society rather than one skewed by negative images and stereotypes."
Also on Thursday, the CCF expressed its opposition to AB 606, a companion bill to SB 1437 that would empower the state education superintendent to "use any means authorized by law to effect compliance with this article, including, but not limited to, the withholding of all or part of the relevant state fiscal support of the school district."
"SB 1437 and AB 606 are pushing non-academic, extreme sexual indoctrination that take public schools backwards, not forwards," Thomasson added. "Parents don't want it, and vulnerable children don't need it."
SB 1437 now goes to the Senate Education Committee and faces several more committee votes. If it survives that process, it would still need passage by both the full Senate and state Assembly. AB 606 has already passed the state Assembly and is currently awaiting a hearing in the state Senate.
Because the legislature is dominated by Democrats, the CCF is looking to Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for help in defeating what the conservative group calls the "frightening" measures.
"If Arnold Schwarzenegger wants conservative voters to support his re-election bid, he can't afford to sign these radical sexual indoctrination bills targeting school children," said Thomasson, who added that the governor "should prepare his veto pen."
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