Press Release AB 572 Milk Day Passes Legislature

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                            September 8, 2009

Everett Rice
916-446-5131

In response to the Legislature’s approval of SB 572 the California Family Council issued the following statement:

California Family Council is not surprised that the Legislature’s majority would once again approve a measure that encourages schools to sacrifice students’ class time in order to assuage special-interest groups.  “California legislators continue to place the demands of special interests before the interests of students,” stated Everett Rice, CFC’s Legislative Director.  “While Harvey Milk has become an iconic figure in California’s homosexual community, it is not sound education policy to supplant classroom or learning time with non-academic activities.”

There are currently three “commemorative” days in California’s calendar related to honoring teachers, John Muir, and the California Poppy flower.  If signed into law, SB 572 would promote the controversial subject of sexual orientation in public school classrooms with children as young as five years of age.

The Legislature passed a similar bill last year, which was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger.  In the governor’s veto message, he stated that Milk’s "contributions should continue to be recognized at the local level by those who were most impacted by his contributions." 

“It is expected that thousands of individuals will again seek the governor’s veto,” said Ron Prentice, CFC’s director. “Commemorating Harvey Milk in public schools, primarily because of his sexual orientation, will go against the values of the majority of California’s parents.”