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Schwarzenegger: 'No' to Gay Textbook Bill
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will veto legislation that would require California textbooks to contain information about the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in American history, according to a spokesman. The bill, which has already been passed by the Senate and awaits a vote in the Assembly, seeks to recognize "the contributions of the LGBT community in the social science curriculum in the same way the state has come to recognize the achievements of women and minorities,” the Sacramento Bee reports. But Schwarzenegger spokesman Adam Mendelsohn told the Bee: "The governor believes that school curriculum should include all important historical figures, regardless of orientation. However, he does not support the legislature micromanaging curriculum.”
Schwarzenegger earlier angered gay activists by vetoing a bill legalizing same-sex marriage.
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The textbook bill was introduced by Sen. Sheila Kuehl, a Democrat from Los Angeles, who argued: "Silence and biased messages about lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people only promotes negative stereotypes and this, in turn, can lead to discrimination, harassment and violence.” But Randy Thomasson, president of the Campaign for Children and Families, says the legislation is "a deceptively written bill that would do tremendous harm to our children. "The core of the bill is an absolute mandate requiring all textbooks, all instructional materials and all school-sponsored activities to positively portray transsexuals, bisexuals and homosexuals as role models for children as young as kindergarten.” Despite the statement from Schwarzenegger’s spokesman, Kuehl said she is not prepared to accept that the governor intends to veto the legislation if it passes the Assembly.
"He hasn’t made up his mind,” she told the Bee. "I don’t care what some underling might have said.” Kuehl, 61, played Zelda on the 1959-1963 TV show "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis” and is the first openly gay lawmaker elected in California.
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