Pro-Family Groups: One 'Sexual Indoctrination' Bill Down, Two to Go
by Jody Brown
September 7, 2006
(AgapePress) - - While family advocates in California say they are pleased with their governor's veto of a pro-homosexual education bill on Wednesday, they remain concerned and cautious because two more such bills await his action before the end of the month. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's veto of SB 1437 follows his signing last week of yet another pro-homosexual measure that some fear will force religious schools in the state to promote trans-sexuality, bisexuality, and homosexuality.
Pro-family and conservative leaders had feared Schwarzenegger would put his signature to SB 1437 just as he had SB 1441 on August 28. His approval of that bill has angered and outraged pro-family groups that believe its enactment spells trouble for faith-based educational institutions, as it could potentially force them to choose between their moral beliefs and teachings on sexuality and their eligibility to receive student financial assistance from the state. However, Governor Schwarzenegger surprised many observers and chose not to sign SB 1437, which would have prohibited any school teaching materials or activities from "reflecting adversely" upon homosexuals, bisexuals, or trans-genders.
In explaining his decision, Schwarzenegger said he was vetoing the bill "because the vagueness of the term 'reflects adversely' would not strengthen this important area of legal protection from bias based on sexual orientation." Pro-family leaders opposed the legislation for a different reason, however, often describing it as "an attack on religious freedoms."
Despite the governor's rejection of SB 1437, those same leaders show every intention of holding his feet to the fire on other pro-homosexual legislation that is sitting on his desk. "That's good," says Randy Thomasson of the Sacramento-based Campaign for Children and Family, referring to Wednesday's veto, "but what about the other two sexual indoctrination bills, AB 606 and AB 1056? The governor needs to veto all three [of these] bills. Parents and grandparents want a consistent governor, not a flip-flopping governor."
Karen England with the Capitol Resource Institute, also based in the California capital, agrees with Thomasson. "California families recognize [SB 1437] was an attack on religious freedoms in school," she told WorldNetDaily. "[But] there are still several other bills on the governor's desk that also deserve his veto."
The government, said England, should not participate in anything that undermines children's moral upbringing. Classrooms are to be used for conveying to children the "fundamental tools for learning," and not to "indoctrinate children for political purposes."
A spokesman for Focus on the Family Action offers a similar tempered response to the veto. "We're pleased the governor kept his word and vetoed this dangerous legislation," says Tom Minnery, senior vice president of government and public policy for the Colorado Springs organization. "Thanks are due to the many thousands of pro-family Californians who called and e-mailed Governor Schwarzenegger, urging him to stop this bill in its tracks.
"We trust [he] will keep in mind the clear will of his constituents on these matters when he picks up his pen to consider [AB 606 and AB 1056]," Minnery adds.
That remains to be seen. Both bills have passed the California Legislature and await Schwarzenegger's signature or veto. AB 606 authorizes the California Superintendent of Public Instruction to withhold state funds arbitrarily from any district deemed to be inadequately promoting homosexuality, trans-sexuality, and bisexuality in its school policies. AB 1056 would spend $250,000 in taxpayer dollars to promote trans-sexual, bisexual, and homosexual lifestyles under the banner of "tolerance training" in ten school districts, thereby creating a model "pilot program" for the rest of the state.
A former member of the California Assembly Education Committee gave this assessment of the trio of bills at a rally held in Sacramento on Tuesday, reports WorldNetDaily. "The bills are not education -- they are indoctrination, designed to inculcate our children and our grandchildren," said Larry Bowler, a Republican who served on that committee for six years. "Never, never, in all the thousands of bills that I voted on in that committee, did I ever see anything even close to the destructive decadence of these three bills."
