California is set to become the first US state to require the teaching
of gay history and rights.

By Alex Spillius, Washington 8:26PM BST 15 Apr 2011
The Telegraph UK

Children would take lessons on issues affecting gays, lesbians,
bisexuals and transgender people, with schools granted discretion about
what age to start the lessons.

The law was passed by the state's senate and is likely to pass the
assembly easily, which is also controlled by the Democrats, before being
signed by Governor Jerry Brown.

The legislation, sponsored by Democrat Mark Leno of San Francisco,
passed on a 23-14 party line vote.

"We are second-class citizens and children are listening," he said.
"When they see their teachers don't step up to the plate when their
classmate is being harassed literally to death, they are listening and
they get the message that there is something wrong with those people."

Republican state Senator Doug La Malfa opposed the bill saying: "I'm
deeply troubled kids would have to contemplate at a very, very early
age, when many of us are teaching abstinence ... what is sexuality."

California law already requires schools to cover the contributions to
the state and nation of women, African Americans, Mexican Americans,
entrepreneurs, Asian Americans, European Americans, American Indians and
labour activists. The new bill will also add the disabled to the list.

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