Will Referendum 71 Lead to Gay Studies in Public Schools?

10/26/2009

Election Day is next week and the campaign over Washington's Referendum 71 is passionate. Lawsuits are flying and ads are hitting the airwaves. Opponents of the gay domestic partnership law warn that if Ref. 71 is approved, it will lead to gay studies in public schools.

Here's what the Reject 71 campaign is saying about Washington's everything–but–marriage law: "This new law has far–reaching consequences, like allowing public schools to teach that gay marriage is normal and healthy whether parents approve or not."

The argument from Protect Marriage Washington is this: if the state gives gay domestic partners all of the same rights as married couples, then public school lessons will have to reflect that. State Representative Jamie Pedersen sponsored the domestic partnership bill in the House. He's also openly gay and has four children with his partner. Pedersen says there's nothing in the law about schools. He says what gets taught in the classroom is up to local school boards.

Pedersen: "If there are enough families that are like mine, and there are quite a few in Seattle, then I don't know why it might not be inappropriate for a teacher to introduce that concept at some point."

Earlier this year in the legislature, backers of the domestic partnership law rejected an amendment that would have prohibited public schools from describing marriage as anything other than between a man and a woman.

Austin Jenkins, KUOW News.

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