On November 9th, California became the first state to approve the adoption of 10 LGBT inclusive history books for grades K-8. Two additional texts were denied because they exclude LGBT history, a violation of the CA 2011 Fair Education Act. California will now require for history and social studies curriculum to include the achievements of LGBT leaders as well as people with disabilities.
It's no shock that California is the first state to adopt this type of legislation, with many gay cultural hubs scattered throughout the Golden State like San Francisco, West Hollywood, Palm Springs, and San Diego among many others.
The legislation was written be Senator Mark Leno, a champion of LGBT organizations and causes.
According to Advocate, the Executive Director of Equality California, Rick Zbur, has praised the state for their decision to be more inclusive in the classroom.
This long fought victory is the next step for California students to learn about the contributions and history of LGBTQ people. Approval of these textbooks means that California schools will now have access to approved materials that accurately represent LGBTQ people, and Equality California applauds the State Board of Education for this historic decision.
Adoption of the textbooks into California classrooms will grant LGBTQIA students the opportunity to see themselves represented. Additionally, others will be able to learn about the contributions queer people have made, which will hopefully bring us strides closer to tolerance, acceptance, and inclusivity for all.
I believe the children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way. Bravo, Cali!
