California Schools to Begin Teaching Gay History

At a time when educators are constantly looking for ways to bring American schools in line with international standards, you’d think there wouldn’t be much room for political fluff. If the goal is to get our students to compete with the best of the best in math and science, wouldn’t we want to eliminate nonsense that detracts from that goal?

That’s one of many reasons to seriously question California’s new statewide curriculum changes, now being implemented after five years of controversy. Approved by the State Board of Education this month, the curriculum will introduce students to iconic moments in LGBT history…starting in the second grade.

Throughout their years in California public schools, students will now learn about the LGBT rights movement, gender roles in previous centuries, and the current gay-rights trends that brought us a Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage and a national debate over where transgender citizens should use the bathroom.

In an interview with the L.A. Times, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson defended the changes. “It will give our students access to the latest historical research and help them learn about the diversity of our state and the contributions of people and groups who may not have received the appropriate recognition in the past,” he said.

Mmhmm. And would it be too offensive to ask: To what end? Because we could go down the list and find groups and individuals who may not have been recognized by our history texts in the past; how does this benefit the students of today? There’s only so much time. Teaching history means making choices. Is this one really in the best interests of our students? How so?

It couldn’t be more obvious that these changes are being made to satisfy political correctness, not some specific deficiency in public education. This is a move to appease LGBT activist groups and promote the continued culture war on religious values and conservatism. This is a move to steal more power away from parents, who should retain the right to teach their children a different view of homosexuality.

Liberals begin by teaching young Americans a warped set of values through the media; over time, they codify those values into our public education system. If we don’t find a way to fight this trend on both fronts, social conservatism – in its current form – will become a relic of the past.