Yesterday California Governor Jerry Brown (D) signed the Fair, Accurate, Inclusive, and Respectful (FAIR) Education Act into law, which will require that school curricula and textbooks include information about gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Americans. Governor Brown stated that the law “revises existing laws that prohibit discrimination in education and ensures that the important contributions of Americans from all backgrounds and walks of life are included in our history books.” The law will go into effect in January, although textbooks will not undergo revisions until 2015.
Roland Palencia, executive director of Equality California, “Today marks a monumental victory for the LGBT civil rights movement as the contributions of diverse LGBT community will no longer be erased from history. Thanks to the FAIR Education Act, California students, particularly LGBT youth, will find new hope and inspiration and experience a more welcoming learning environment that will embrace them.”
This is the first law on record requiring schools teach both about the contributions of LGBT Americans and those with disabilities.
