California Assembly Passes Bill Against Discriminaton in Schools and Instructional Materials on the Basis of Sexual Orientation Strongly Opposed by Republicans

By Frank D. Russo

This afternoon the California Assembly passed SB 1437 (Kuehl) by a vote of 47 to 31 after a heated debate and a party line vote with the exception of Republican Keith Richman who provided the sole vote from his party for it and Democratic Assemblymember Nicole Parra who was the sole Democrat to vote against it. The measure prohibits schools from adopting or providing instruction or materials that reflects adversely on a person’s gender or sexual orientation.

The bill was amended in the Assembly August 7 to water it down substantially and must pass the Senate before it goes to the Governor for his decision to sign or veto it. Since the Senate earlier passed a stronger version by a vote of 22 to 15, passage of it seems assured in its current form.

SB 1437 adds sexual orientation and gender to established law that prohibits the use of instructional materials on the basis of race, sex, color, creed, handicap, national origin, or ancestry.

Speaker of the Assembly Fabian Nunez as the floor manager on the bill opened the debate saying that “having a bias free curriculum is the right thing to do. The way you correct a wrong is you outlaw it.” He spoke of the bullying that occurs every day in schools aboutsexual orientation and the need to “send a message that California is above the law.”

A number of Republicans spoke strongly against SB 1437. Assemblymember La Suer spoke of “the camel’s nose of the homosexual agenda” being advanced by “a predatory bill that preys upon the innocence of children.” That prompted an angry retort from Assemblymember Jackie Goldberg who said “I have restrained myself for as long as I can. Poppycock. This bill is not about an agenda.”

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