Diversity Bill Could Mean Big Changes At Schools

VICTORVILLE, CALIFORNIA - Imagine attending a public high school where the bathrooms are unisex. Where textbooks have been rewritten to omit any mention of "Mom and Dad" or "husband and wife," and it is illegal to have a prom "King and Queen" all because it would show bias based on gender and sexual orientation.
Sound a bit like something from a sci-fi novel? If so, it would be titled SB 1437, and it may be coming to your school soon.
The bill passed the state Senate Judiciary Committee on April 5 and would mandate grades 1-12 buy books "accurately'' portraying "the sexual diversity of our society.''
Vague, yes, which can also make it dangerous.
The bill doesn't say there will be unisex bathrooms or call for the death of the prom king and queen. It's just so broadly written that it makes these things possible. Another point of the bill is that it also requires students' history lessons include "the contributions of people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender to the economic, political, and social development of California and the United States of America."
While those who support the bill call it an attempt to promote tolerance and battle discrimination, opposition is calling it a "sexual agenda bomb" saying it's another attempt to use the classroom to get children to embrace homosexuality.
Here's what Victor Valley youth is saying about it.
"I think it would be more wrong to omit historical contributions made by homosexuals. Just discuss them. They're not third class citizens. Our Gay Straight Alliance took a week to remind students about the contributions famous homosexuals like Alexander the Great, Cole Porter, Tennessee Williams, Leonardo DaVinci and Eleanor Roosevelt made in our country. It should be taught in the classroom."
— Kandace Morgan, 17,
Victorville
"Our politicians have way too much time on their hands. Leave good enough alone. There's no way something this stupid can go into law."
— Jeffrey Wells, 19,
Hesperia
"I understand acknowledging the contributions of homosexuals, but unisex bathrooms? Are they promoting school rape? Have they given any thought to the consequences?"
— Mary Anne Ybarra, 21,
Victorville
"Mom and Dad, girl and boy, these are all important lessons. How can anything be taught correctly if they take it out of our textbooks? Homosexuals couldn't have been born if they didn't each have a set (of parents). I don't get the whole reason for the bill. It doesn't make sense."
— David Knowlton, 15,
Apple Valley
from The Daily Press