California Governor Pledges to Veto Pro-Homosexual Education Bill

By Eunice Or

The last hurdle for the controversial pro-homosexual education bill in the State of California is expected to be blocked as the state Governor pledged to veto the bill Thursday.

Receiving the final approval from the Democrat-dominated California State Senate on May 11 on a 22-15 vote, SB 1437 is awaiting hearings in the Assembly. The author of the bill- the lesbian state Sen. Sheila Kuehl, D-Santa Monica- tries to obtain a complete ban on all negative messages about transsexuality, cross-dressing, bisexuality, and homosexuality or same-sex marriage on instructional materials, textbooks and school-sponsored activities.

Overwhelming critics over SB 1437 came from pro-family groups and conservative Christians, who described it as "anti-parent" and "sexual indoctrination". Under the bill, not only may the Christian voice against those unbiblical sexual lifestyles have forced to keep silent, school may also be required to give positive portrayals in curriculum in all grades in all public schools.

Opponents of SB 1437 has launched state-wide campaign mobilized by some leading pro-family groups such as Campaign for Children and Families (CCF), California Family Council, Traditional Family Coalition and others. They have been making phone calls, sending emails and fax to California State Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, urging him to veto the bill.

Schwarzenegger has promised to veto SB 1437 Thursday, according to the Governor’s communications office, reported by the Thursday’s edition of the Sacramento-based newspaper Sacramento Bee.

"The governor believes that school curriculum should include all important historical figures, regardless of orientation," said Schwarzenegger's director of communications, Adam Mendelsohn. "However, he does not support the Legislature micromanaging curriculum."

Randy Thomasson, the president of the Campaign for Children and Families (CCF) and a long-time activist who has opposed gay rights legislation, welcomed Schwarzenegger's decision, as saying, "We're very pleased that Schwarzenegger is listening to the concerns of parents."

However, Thomasson said he wants more out of the governor, "Now the governor needs to pledge to veto the two remaining transsexual, bisexual, homosexual bills, AB 606 and AB 1056. Parents and grandparents are demanding it."

According to CCF, AB 606 would authorize the California Superintendent of Public Instruction to arbitrarily withhold state funds (around 2/3rds of a school district’s budget) from any district that does not adequately promote transsexuality, bisexuality, or homosexuality in its school policies. That would mean that all schools will be forced to follow SB 1437.

AB 1056 would spend $250,000 in taxpayer dollars to promote transsexual, bisexual, and homosexual lifestyles under the banner of "tolerance education, CCF explained.

Meanwhile, a June 21 hearing is scheduled in the Senate Education Committee for AB 606 while AB 1056 is on "suspense" file in Senate Education Committee.

For comprehensive analyses of SB 1437, AB 606 and AB 1056, please visit www.savecalifornia.com.

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