LGBT Lesson Plan is Elementary
Curriculum aims to halt bullying, hate speech
Sean Gallup
The proposed curriculum includes books that teach children about same-sex parents and their families.
On the same day California's Supreme Court decided to hold up the ban on gay marriage, an East Bay school district voted in favor of a plan to teach LGBT tolerence to elementary school students.
The Alameda Unified School District is supporting a controversial plan to teach tolerance for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
An overflow crowd gathered Tuesday night as the Alameda Unified School Board voted 3 to 2 in favor of the new curriculum, which means teachers will begin using the terms "gay" and "lesbian" in 4th grade classrooms.
The district says teachers asked for the curriculum to help prevent bullying and supporters say it's time to end hate speech.
Some say the lesson plan focuses too much on sexual orientation and not enough on other minorities.
"I'm urging you, the board of education, to vote 'no' on this curriculum," Alameda Pastor Deion Edmonds argued, "Not once has the school taken the time to teach her or her classmates about Malcolm X and Marcus Garvey."
Parents will not be allowed to opt thier children out of the class like they can with some health and sex education classes.
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