Appropriate Topics for Public Education

Posted by Sarahbear on July 15, 2011

California just passed a law requiring that gay history be taught in public schools. When it was mentioned on the news I didn’t have much of a reaction. A slight smile, perhaps, but it didn’t seem like anything major. I spent a few hours sorting through the kids clothes and rearranging their bedrooms and then sat down at my laptop for a break while Chad cooks lunch. Scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed, one of my cousins posted the following statement:

I don’t got anything against gays, however i was watching the news and California just past a bill requiring schools to teach gay and lesbian history, but we take Jesus out the schools, come on does anyone else see a problem with this????

Of course, many  friends and family liked the status and one person even responded with:

What history? World’s smallest textbook cause I’m pretty sure they’ve accomplished slim to nothing

I sometimes try very hard to ignore religious and political statements that come across my feed. Growing up as a Southern Baptist in Georgia, I’m aware that many of my family and friends are fundamentalist Christians (somehow while having read very little of the Bible themselves.) I’ve been transitioning away from that belief system for about 6 years now, so I’m starting to have a bit more confidence in my feelings about things. I also have a problem allowing blatant ignorance to be perpetuated. As long as I stay silent, I’m contributing to it.

I do remain civil in expressing my opinions on things and avoid attacking anyone’s personal character or intelligence. I asked if he would mind if public schools taught his children Hinduism, Taoism, Islam or any other religious beliefs. Christians sometimes feel as though their religion should be taught and used as a moral compass for our government, but they would not be content if other religions were taught along side theirs. It is completely inappropriate to teach Christianity in public schools because not every child in a public school practices Christianity. It is disrespectful and offensive to disregard other families religious practices. If we’re not going to read the Koran to our kids in school then we shouldn’t be reading them the Bible.

Gay history is no different than teaching black history, women’s history or the history of any other minority group in this country. The LGBT community is one that has had to fight and struggle for basic civil rights and equality. They’re still fighting that fight today. Conservative groups need to take a step back and understand that the curriculum will not include teaching children about the sex acts that homosexual individuals participate in. They’re going to teach them about a time in history when gay people were fired from their jobs for being gay. They’re going to teach them about how gay people aren’t allowed to hold hands in public without being told they are ‘shoving their sexuality down people’s throats’. They’re going to be taught that gay people couldn’t serve in the military, rent apartments, care for their partners in the hospital, and many other ways they’ve been discriminated against.

In a historical context, teaching religion is fine. Children need to know about religiously motivated wars and how religions developed and evolved. Having children read the Bible or pray to your God as a class is not okay. Having your religious doctrines displayed in public places as a moral compass for everyone is not okay. If you want to raise your child to believe a certain religion, you either need to teach that to them after school or home school them. Teaching children about the histories of minorities fighting for civil rights is completely appropriate.