LGBTQ+ History Coming to US Schools

[Jessica_Rose]

LGBTQ+ History Coming to US Schools

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/lgbtq-history-coming-to-us-schools/ar-BB1ks5FD?ocid=windirect&cvid=1e0492b91a0b42bdbd4e88e1dfa797d8&ei=57

Story by Khaleda Rahman (24 March 2024)

Schools in Washington state will be required to teach students about the history and contributions of LGBTQ+ people under a new law signed by Gov. Jay Inslee earlier this week.

Senate Bill 5462, which passed both state chambers earlier this year without any support from Republicans, mandates that school districts in Washington "adopt inclusive curricula and select diverse, equitable, inclusive, age-appropriate instructional materials that include the histories, contributions and perspectives of historically marginalized and underrepresented groups."

That includes LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, people from various racial and ethnic groups and people from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.

The Washington State School Directors' Association, with the assistance of the state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, must review and update a model policy and procedure on how to design courses, as well as select instructional materials, by June 2025.

By October that year, schools must update their policies to incorporate the new curricula.

"The contributions of gay Washingtonians deserve recognition, and just as importantly, students deserve to see themselves in their schoolwork," Sen. Marko Liias, a Democrat from Edmonds who sponsored the bill, said in a statement to The Seattle Times.

"That leads to better attendance, better academic achievement and better overall quality of life, ensuring success for all our students."