Little impact from new law

History lessons must include gays, disabled

A new state law has stirred controversy over what kids are being taught in school.

SB 48 requires that the contributions of gay, lesbian, transgender and disabled people be included in state and national history lessons.

Del Norte County Unified School District officials say the law won’t have a significant impact here because those contributions are already being taught.

“I don’t think it would have an impact on instruction at all,” said Steve Godla, the assistant superintendent of instruction and educational services. “It’s already being done — it’s part of history. You touch on the gay rights movement if you’re doing a unit on people standing up for their rights.”

But now that it’s a legal requirement, it’s something that social studies teachers can collaborate on, said Tony Fabricius, district director of grants and educational services. They can define what should be taught, in what classes and at which grade levels, Fabricius said.

He and Godla are former social studies teachers.

The law amends California Education Code Section 51204.5 to include gay, lesbian, transgender and disabled people in a long list of other groups of people whose historic contributions must be taught. Pacific Islanders were also added to the list.

It reads:

“Instruction in social sciences shall include the early history of California and a study of the role and contributions of both men and women, Native Americans, African Americans, Mexican Americans, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, European Americans, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans, persons with disabilities, and members of other ethnic and cultural groups, to the economic, political, and social development of California and the United States of America, with particular emphasis on portraying the role of these groups in contemporary society.”

Opponents of the bill say that it’s not necessary to teach kids that historical figures were or are gay, lesbian or transgender. Some have even suggested that it could influence students’ own sexual orientation.

According to the California Department of Education (CDE), it’s up to individual school districts and teachers to decide how the required instructional content is delivered.

Godla and Fabricius said that U.S. history in 11th grade and civics in 12th grade are natural places to talk more about the contributions of gay, lesbian, transgender and disabled people.

“It’s really not going to be teaching sex orientation history or the history of people with disabilities,” Godla said. “It’s going to be teaching history with the contributions of someone who happened to be disabled or gay.”

Gay and disabled people are part of history, he said. Topics involving those groups are nearly impossible to avoid addressing in class. For example, discussion of the American military in the last 30 years is likely to include the hotly debated “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy that was recently repealed.

Individual school districts also decide what instructional materials to adopt. This won’t happened until after July 1, 2015, when the state’s suspension on adopting new materials has been lifted, Godla said.

Instructional materials must “accurately portray the cultural and racial diversity of our society,” the law reads.

Social studies teachers tend to tell the stories of historical figures because that engages students, Fabricius said, making the curriculum more relevant.

“If something is uncomfortable or controversial in a person’s life or in a movement, do we ignore that? No, we explore it, we debate it — that’s where learning happens, that’s where those teachable moments happen.”

It’s not about highlighting the sexual orientation or disability of a historic figure, but it can add context to a story if being gay or lesbian or disabled influenced what a person did, Fabricius said.

Godla agreed that it could make instruction more engaging for students.

“One of the positive points of SB 48 is that for too long students were not engaged by history because we were not telling their story,” Godla said.

The law also amended a section that stipulated teachers cannot deliver instruction that discriminates against people based on their gender, race or ethnicity, nationality or religion, adding sexual orientation.

The law actually protects teachers who want to discuss controversial issues in the classroom, Fabricius said.

“It adds a layer of protection so teachers are not afraid to tackle these topics,” he said, as long as it’s done “in a directed, structured manner and not in an inflammatory way.”

Teaching about historical figures’ personal attributes makes them more interesting to students, Godla said. Showing a picture of FDR in his wheelchair can send “a good message,” he said.

Talking to kids about a historical figure’s gender, race, sexual orientation or disability might also discourage bullying, he said.

To read the SB 48, authored by  Sen. Mark Leno, in its entirety, go to leginfo.ca.gov and search the bill’s name under “Bill Information.” The CDE also answers questions about the bill at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/senatebill48faq.asp.