Image credit: Stanley Morales from Pexels
Twelve schools in New Jersey are set to learn about LGBTQ history and more.
According to LGTBQ advocacy group Garden State Equality, these schools will be participating in a pilot program that features a curriculum with “a robust set of lesson plans that will teach the next generation of youth about the political, social, and economic contributions of LGBTQ people.” The press release further states that the lessons are made to be relevant across several subject areas, not just history.
Garden State Equality Safe Schools & Community Education manager Ashley Chiappano said: “Our youth deserve to see themselves reflected in the classroom, and we know the work we’re doing is going to change the lives of LGBTQ students for the better.”
The 12 participating schools are:
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in Asbury Park
- Forrestdale School in Rumson
- Haddon Heights Junior-Senior High School (middle and high school)
- Highland Park Middle School
- Highland Park High School
- Millburn Middle School
- Newark Arts High School
- Pinelands Regional Junior High School in Tuckerton
- Bergen Arts and Science Charter High School in Hackensack
- Chartertech High School for the Performing Arts in Somers Point
- Unity Charter School in Morristown
The program will start in the fall, with Garden State Equality also offering the curriculum for free in other New Jersey districts.
While this is a first for the Garden State, it is not the first state to include LGBTQ history in the curriculum. Back in 2011, California required schools to teach LGBTQ history. Colorado and Illinois also did the same in 2019. New Jersey brings the number of states with an LGBT-inclusive curriculum to four.
However, there are also a number of states that have laws actively prohibiting the “promotion of homosexuality.” These states are Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas. Sexual education or health classes in these states are prohibited from discussing LGBTQ people and topics in a positive light.
Teaching people “inclusion” be way of more historical facts that others with different “sexual orientations” is a good thing. It’s like what has been ‘stupidly’ dubbed “Black Hist.,” (like we’re not Americans I guess) of which is, really, nothing more than “American Hist.,” multiple “sexual orientations” has been with humanity as long as humanity, period, has existed.
This move, is a disavowing/action to stop “gas-lighting” the minds our future generations, for more productive minds, since that’s where healthy self-esteems begin (who you are to yourself.) I like this! Lift them-up, not cast them down and out.
The question is, what are actually the facts regarding a historical figure’s sexuality? Will rumor, innuendo, or fabrications be passed off as facts thus gaslighting yet another generation of kids? The answer to that is hard to know without wading into the curriculum. But, yes, all kinds of sexual orientations have been around since people came into being. Another question in my mind is why is the sexuality of a historical figure even relevant? If they want to teach a social studies class on LGBTQXY&Z history they should just call it that. To exclude from historical studies anybody who wasn’t… Read more »
At any rate, the point is, stop demonizing people for their sexual orientation …. they’re ‘usually’ not the mostly hetero rapists that are trying to get away with it (time is up). I mean, it reminds me of the true story “Something the Lord Made” look that up; basically a blk man (Vivien Thomas) whom invented a heart-surgery technique, saving countless lives, even though, he because of his color back in the day (30-40’s) stigma/discrimination of his race. If one is denied, because of biasness, that’s is too many….you never know what talents they may possess. I think what should… Read more »
Considering lately that there have been more than a few “gay” rapists in the news lately most notably the Brit that raped over 1500 gay men, I think that rape can’t be limited to hetro men. No matter who or what the rapist is they should be slowly, and publicly castrated.
Note: That’s why, I said “mostly.”