The Fair Act
"Education Code Section 51204.5, prescribes the inclusion of the contributions of various groups in the history of California and the United Sates. This section already included men and women and numerous ethnic groups; the expanded language now includes (additions bolded):"...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, person 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"
The California SB 48 Fact Sheet states that in schools where the contributions of the LGBTQ+ community are included in educational instruction, bullying declined by over half, and LGBTQ students were more likely to feel they have an opportunity to make positive contributions at school. SB 48's changes to the California Education code instructs public schools and the State Board to:
- Add instruction in history-social science about the role and contribution of persons with disabilities, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans; and other ethnic and cultural groups to the economic, political, and social development of California and the United States, with a particular emphasis on portraying the role of these groups in contemporary society.
- Prohibit teachers from instructing, or a school district from sponsoring, any activity that promotes discriminatory bias on the basis of race or ethnicity, gender, religion, disability, nationality, or sexual orientation, and
- Adopt textbooks and instructional materials that accurately portray groups as identified.
FAIR Act Resources & Supports
- Teaching LGBTQ History: Instructional Resources for California Educators, Students & Families
- California Department of Education: Frequently Asked Questions: Senate Bill 48
- California's Diversity: Past and Present - Lessons for the FAIR Education Act of 2011: Lessons developed by Constitutional Rights Foundation, and are aligned to the California Common Core Standards for English Language Arts
- Finding Common Ground in Public Schools on the Difficult Issue of Student Sexual Orientation Policy: California Three Rs Project (Rights, Responsibilities, and Respect) outlines the need for schools to build processes for creating policies on the principles of the First Amendment for implementing the FAIR Education Act.
LGBT-Inclusive Curriculum Resources
Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
- Recommended by the First Amendment Center, the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) has created an Inclusive Curriculum Guide to incorporate LGBT history, themes, and people into curriculum. The guide assists educators with promoting diversity and teaching about the multitude of identities in our communities.
Other GLSEN Educator Resources:
UC Davis California History Social-Science Project (CHSSP)
UC Berkeley History Social-Science Project
