The FAIR Education Act requires local school districts in California, with input from parents and teachers, to integrate factual, age-appropriate information about social movements, current events and the contributions of gay and disabled leaders into existing social studies lessons that include contributions of both men and women, people of color and other groups. It also prevents schools from adopting learning materials with a discriminatory bias or negative stereotypes based solely on race, ethnicity, religion, disability and sexual orientation.

The FAIR Education Act, SB48, ensures that all students in California will learn about the historic contributions that LGBT people have made to society – history like Harvey Milk’s groundbreaking run for Mayor of San Francisco or Bayard Rustin’s organizing of the Civil Rights march and acting as an adviser to Martin Luther King Jr.

Now, well-funded anti-gay groups are organizing to put a repeal of the law on the ballot this November meaning once again our families will be under attack and our history erased. You have seen how vicious, anti-gay campaigns like those during Prop 8 increase violence and bullying in schools and in our communities. This campaign is no different, the anti-gay groups are already spreading harmful misinformation about this law. We must work together by sharing our stories with our friends, neighbors, coworkers, and family about why it is important to our families to continue including the contributions of LGBT people and all people in accurate history lessons in our schools.

Listen to this segment on California Public Radio feartuing Paulo Sibaja, whop filed the paperwork to launch the repeal effort, and Rebekah Orr, Communications Director, Equality California.

Southern California Public Radio: FAIR Education Act by COLAGE

Take Action:

We need your eyes and ears on the ground today. If you spot an anti-LGBT, anti-progressive signature gatherers, report them immediately by calling the toll-free “Decline to Sign Hotline” at 1-877-440-9585. We’ll immediately dispatch a trained “truth squad” to make sure potential petition signers know the truth about these initiatives including the referendum on the FAIR Education Act.
We’re working to protect the FAIR Education Act and block this referendum from the ballot as
part of a broad coalition of organizations including advocates for people with disabilities, LGBT
organizations, labor unions, faith communities, racial justice groups and many other groups that
believe in equality for all.

Please take a moment to write a letter to your local or state-wide newspapers about why it is important for all students to learn about the historic contributions of LGBT people.  Whether you have LGBTQ parents or you’re working to create a world that treats all families with dignity and respect, your voice counts.

In your letter:

• Encourage people not to sign any petitions to put a repeal of the FAIR Education Act on the ballot.
• Share a brief personal story about why this issue is important to you

Submit:

Here is a list of contact information for California newspapers.

Be sure to submit your letter to COLAGE so that we can keep it on record, and share it widely!

The Growing COALITION TO PROTECT THE FAIR EDUCATION ACT:
California Teachers Association, National Center for Lesbian Rights, ACLU Northern and Southern California, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Freedom to Marry, API Equality Northern California and Los Angeles, GLSEN, GAPSN, Our Family Coalition, COLAGE, Courage Campaign, Latino Equality Alliance, the San Diego LGBT Community Center, Transgender Law Center, Bayard Rustin LGBT Coalition, Vote for Equality, San Francisco Pride, Jordan Rustin Coalition, Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club, Orange County Equality Coalition, and Honor PAC.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 3rd, 2010
Contact: Sarah Baldauf, (202) 225-3202

STARK: “EVERY CHILD DESERVES A FAMILY”
Reintroduces Legislation to Eliminate Discrimination in Foster Care and Adoption

WASHINGTON – Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA), ranking member on the Ways & Means Health Subcommittee, today reintroduced the “Every Child Deserves a Family Act,” H.R. 1681, with 33 original cosponsors. The legislation addresses the critical shortage of stable, safe and loving homes currently available to children in our foster care system. The legislation would set a federal baseline that puts an end to prejudiced restrictions that have denied an untold number of children the homes that they desperately need.

The Every Child Deserves a Family Act would ban discrimination in adoption or foster care placement based on the sexual orientation, marital status or gender identity of the potential parent, or the sexual orientation or gender identity of the child.

Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA): “We now spend more than $7 billion per year on a flawed foster care system that doesn’t serve all the children who are in it, and permits discrimination against capable, loving potential parents and children. It’s time for a federal fix to this critical child welfare and civil rights issue. Every child deserves the lifelong benefits that come from growing up in a stable home.”

Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA): “The facts are clear: children fare far better in a safe, supportive, loving home. Just like straight parents, lesbian and gay parents can provide this, yet many states won’t allow it, while using federal funds to discriminate. This legislation simply says to states, ‘if you choose to use federal dollars, you can’t discriminate against prospective parents – or against these children.’ This is about common sense and fairness.”

Recent attempts have been made in states – including Virginia, Arizona and Illinois – to further restrict who can adopt, making the Every Child Deserves a Family Act particularly timely. The United States currently has an uneven system of state laws, a number of which put up barriers to becoming a foster or adoptive parent based on one’s sexual orientation, marital status or gender identity. A handful of states affirmatively allow gay men and lesbians to adopt jointly, while most states are silent on the issue. Stark’s legislation would correct the patchwork system in the best interests of the children involved.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) has announced her intention to introduce the bill in the Senate.

Congressman Stark announced reintroduction of the Every Child Deserves a Family Act at a press conference alongside two alumnae of the foster care system, child welfare experts, and family policy advocates including:

* David Hansell, Acting Assistant Secretary for the Administration for Children and Families at the Department of Health and Human Services
* Linda Spears, Vice President, Policy and Public Affairs for the Child Welfare League of America
* Jennifer Chrisler, Executive Director of the Family Equality Council
* Judith Sandalow, Executive Director for the Children’s Law Center
* Gary L. Flowers, Executive Director & CEO, Black Leadership Forum, Inc.
* Jody Huckaby, Executive Director of PFLAG National (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays)
* Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr., President of the Hip Hop Caucus

Endorsements of the Every Child Deserves a Family Act:

“Far too many children in foster care have little hope for a permanent family and end up being parented by the government,” said Linda Spears, Vice President, Policy and Public Affairs for the Child Welfare League of America. “We must support all qualified adults who are interested in providing a nurturing, adoptive home—regardless of their marital status or sexual orientation. Having a real live, caring parent is incredibly important for ensuring a child’s success. Rep. Stark’s bill represents progress for these children whose goal is to simply be loved.”

“There is an undisputed child welfare crisis in this country, with more than 500,000 children in foster care and 120,000 of them available for adoption. It is time to pass the Every Child Deserves a Family Act to end this unconscionable problem,” said Jennifer Chrisler, Executive Director of the Family Equality Council. “One in four children in this country is being raised by a single parent, two million children are being raised in LGBT households. We all recognize there is no single type of family in America anymore. We must not allow anyone to use politically motivated and specious arguments about safeguarding traditional family structures to deny families to children in need.”

“We know that when youth are in loving homes with families to support them, a whole host of risk factors decrease – they are less likely to experience poverty, homelessness, incarceration, mental illness, and pregnancy,” said Jody Huckaby, Executive Director of PFLAG National (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays). “Our organization has been supporting parents, families and children all over the country for over 35 years, and we know from our experience that it is in the best interest of every child – and, in fact, the right of every child – to have the loving care and support of a family.”

###

The Every Child Deserves a Family (ECDF) Act, reintroduced in the House as H.R. 1681 by Representative Pete Stark, (D-CA) on May 3, 2011, would prohibit any child welfare service provider receiving federal assistance and involved in adoption or foster care placements from discriminating against prospective adoptive or foster parents solely on the basis of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status, or on the basis of the sexual orientation or gender identity of the child involved.

1. Sign our letter to Congress!

4. Read Rep. Pete Stark’s Press Release