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school that profaned God's name and

affiliate. "I know I can do this. I'm con-

contained multiple uses of "the F word,"

fident. I'm able to speak in front of peo-

Cori Grimsman gathered like-minded

ple." In November, 2006, the board

approved the ban.72

parents to demand that the school dis-

·

trict put together a parent review panel

Sacramento--California's first openly gay

to rate all assigned books for adult con-

legislator pushed a bill through the state

tent. "I don't really want teachers talk-

Senate in May that would have required

ing to my kids about morality or con-

state textbooks to include contributions

troversial situations," said parent Carol

from members of the gay and transgen-

Horst. "It's my right and my duty as a

dered community. "Our community is

parent to teach them those things."

invisible in all of the teaching material, so

District officials resisted Grimsman's

that our students are never, ever given

proposal on the grounds that the dis-

any information about the fact that

trict already had a process for vetting

somebody who did something good was

reading materials and that it would be

a gay person," complained Sen. Sheila

impossible to select readings of which

Kuehl (D-Santa Monica), who sponsored

all parents would approve. "Quite hon-

the bill. Many Californians, however,

estly, there aren't many Shakespeare

were outraged by the measure. "While

plays that could be read, according to

half the Hispanic and black students

Ms. Grimsman's classification," said

drop out of school, the Legislature is sex-

Sarah Grondin, director of schools and

ually indoctrinating our students," said

programs for the district.75

Randy Thomasson, president of the

· Malibu--When students at Malibu High

Campaign for Children and Families.

The assembly eventually changed the bill

School selected the book Lovely Bones for a

to only prohibit negative portrayals of

school-wide reading project in March, it

gay people in textbooks, and Governor

alarmed a lot of parents. The book is writ-

Schwarzenegger ultimately vetoed it.73

ten from the perspective of a 14-year-old

girl in heaven who has been raped, mur-

dered, and dismembered by a neighbor,

Sex Education

· Santa Ana--A proposed health curricu-

and who watches her family's reactions to

the horrific crime. At a meeting to discuss

lum for the Santa Ana Unified School

the controversial selection, many parents

District that would push abstinence and

expressed great discontent over the

barely touch on birth control sparked

choice. "I see this book as a very danger-

conflict in September. "It's good to have

ous book for some children, who are just

the AIDS and HIV [education], but that's

about to become adults," said one parent.

not enough," argued Steve Delgadillo,

English teacher Bonnie Thoreson re-

who had two daughters become preg-

sponded to the uproar by noting that "the

nant at age 17 and favored a more com-

book was selected by the students, and we

prehensive sex education program.

would like to respect that," and that "the

School board member Rosemarie Avila

book was approved by the California

disagreed, backing the proposed curricu-

Department of Education."76

lum and stating that "children need to

have a consistent message from adults:

that marriage is to be honored and that's

Multiculturalism

· Hindus across California railed against

why you have sex."74

history books currently approved by the

state, charging that the books misrepre-

Book Banning

· San Juan--After discovering that her

sent Hinduism--and as a result, Indian

history--by focusing on the caste system

ninth-grade son was reading books for

20