New California Textbooks: When Sally Met ...

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The next generation of California students may get to find out what happened. “When the new academic year begins for California public schools, instructional materials will be available for the first time that ensure every K-12 classroom has access to accurate and unbiased depictions of the sexual orientation and gender identity of historical figures,” Beth Hawkins writes in The 74. “The state’s FAIR Education Act — FAIR stands for Fair, Accurate, Inclusive, and Respectful — requires history and social studies curriculum to include references to contributions by people with disabilities and members of the LGBT community.”

If your curious about who these historical figures are, Hawkins only covers one. “Now we can mention Sally Ride was a known lesbian with a partner of 27 years,” said Dominic Le Fort, executive director of Queer Education, stated.

“The law went into effect in 2012, but it wasn’t until late 2017 that the California Department of Education approved both frameworks and textbooks that a coalition of LGBT advocates, academics, and K-12 educators spent several years drafting and revising,” Hawkins writes. “Doubtless there will be continued pushback from some who oppose the discussion of gay and lesbian figures in a positive light, some of those involved in developing the materials told journalists at the Education Writers Association’s 2018 National Seminar in Los Angeles.” Yet and still, Hawkins doesn’t quote any of these potential opponents to find out.