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Gay-Friendly Curriculum Sparks Lawsuit From Parents

TresSugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 10:00:00 -0700

The decision by a California school district to introduce gay-friendly curriculum has been met with a not-so-friendly reaction. Parents are suing the Alameda Unified School district, alleging that inappropriate curriculum is being forced on their children.

Once a year, students in kindergarten through the fifth grade would be taught about LBGT issues. Kindergartners would learn about the harm caused by teasing or using the word "fag," while older students would learn about stereotypes based on sexual orientation. Certain parents are particularly upset because they would not be allowed to opt their children out of the lesson.

Do you agree with teaching students at school to be more tolerant, or should these lessons be learned at home?

Front Page: Los Angeles Wildfires Double in Size

TresSugar — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 06:00:38 -0700

Wildfires near Los Angeles have doubled in size. The fires have destroyed more than 50 homes as of now, but some people still refuse to evacuate. -CNN
Kidnap suspect Phillip Garrido was convicted of a similar crime in 1976, but he only served 11 years of his 50-year sentence. - Los Angeles Times
The EU has banned the manufacturing and importing of old-fashioned light bulbs with hopes of encouraging people to switch to energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs. - BBC News
Nearly one-third of cocaine seized in the US is laced with a dangerous veterinary medicine. - AP
A new study suggests that a healthy lifestyle, including a good diet, exercise, and breastfeeding, could prevent 40 percent of breast cancer cases. - The Guardian

Front Page: Fires Rage in Southern California

TresSugar — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 08:00:32 -0700

A relentless fire in Southern California has claimed the lives of two firemen, along with 18 houses. More than 6,000 homes are under mandatory evacuation orders. - LA Times
Jenna Bush has been hired as a new correspondent for the Today Show. - AP
Colombian president Alvaro Uribe has swine flu. - BBC News
Out-of-town couples are not rushing to Vermont now that same-sex marriage is legal. - AP
Kidnap victim Jaycee Lee Dugard apparently played a key role in her captor's printing business. - San Francisco Chronicle

California to Eliminate Funds to Domestic Violence Shelters

TresSugar — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 11:30:00 -0700

They don’t call him the Terminator for nothing.

The governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, decided that one way of dealing with California’s budget crisis is to eliminate - not reduce - state funding for domestic violence shelters. The state’s budget for agencies that provide domestic violence services is typically $20.4 million. Agencies braced for a 20 percent reduction but had no idea how bad it could be.

A spokesperson for Catalyst, a nonprofit organization which provides, among its many services, a 24-hour crisis hotline, emergency shelter for victims of domestic abuse, counseling, a children’s program and legal support, says their volunteers are still in shock. 35 percent of their budget relies on state funding, and now it’s gone.

"We were bracing for the 20 percent cut,” said Executive Director Anastacia Snyder, “but did not believe the governor could, with a clear conscience, cut 100 percent of funding for services that keep women and children safe and alive." (You can go to Stop Family Violence if you’re a California resident and want to find out ways to take action.)

This is going to be devastating to some of the most vulnerable women and children in California. What do you think about Schwarzenegger’s decision?

Gay Activists Ready to Fight DADT and Wait For Prop 8 Repeal

TresSugar — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0700

From fighting for the right to serve in the military to pushing for the right to marry their partners, gay Americans face battles for equality on many fronts. It appears that progress is about to be made toward the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, while the fight for marriage equality in California is set to sit on the back burner for some time.

This Fall, the Senate will hold hearings on Don't Ask, Don't Tell. It's the first time since 1993 that lawmakers will take up the policy that prevents openly gay people from serving in the military. NY Sen. Kristen Gillibrand, whose legislation prompted the hearings, points out that 265 men and women have been dismissed from the military under the policy since President Obama took office. According to polls, 69 percent of Americans think gays should be allowed to serve.

In California, backers of same-sex marriage are thinking about waiting until at least 2012 to campaign to overturn Proposition 8. Major gay rights activists believe that the only thing worse than losing the fight for marriage equality in 2008 would be losing in 2010, and based on current poll numbers, a loss could be very likely.

So what's the moral of this story? It appears that the fate of gay rights is closely tied to poll numbers.

Stranger Than Fiction! Teacher Sends Kids Home With Sex Tape

TresSugar — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0700

We've discussed the pros and cons of filming yourself having sex, but here's a story to add to the list of reasons to never make a sex tape: a 29-year-old teacher in California accidentally sent her own sex tape home with all her fifth grade students on the last day of school!

The DVD was supposed to commemorate this past school year, but instead the students got a bonus sex-ed session. The embarrassed teacher called each household and asked the parents to throw away the DVD.

Just goes to show: you never know who could get their (little) hands on your sex tape!

Harvey Milk: OK For a Movie, but Not For the Classroom

TresSugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 08:30:00 -0700

When California sixth-grader Natalie Jones put together a research project about Harvey Milk, it received a near perfect grade. But, when it came time to share the Powerpoint presentation, Natalie's principal said parents would have to sign a permission slip before her classmates could see it during a special lunchtime period.

The principal explained that since Harvey Milk was gay, parents might object to their children learning about his life. But, Harvey's sexual orientation had nothing to do with Natalie's decision to research him. She said she chose Harvey as her subject not because of his gay activism, but because he stood up for all minorities. And while the school cited sex education policies for its decision, the ACLU says officials misapplied those guidelines and violated Natalie's freedom of speech.

Discussing the openly gay politician in California public schools might soon become less unusual (but probably equally controversial). State lawmakers are considering a bill that would declare May 22 "Harvey Milk Day." May 22 wouldn't be a holiday, but it would be an occasion for teachers to talk about Milk's fight for equal rights. Conservative groups are already mobilizing to urge Gov. Schwarzenegger to veto the bill that they say would teach students about "homosexual experimentation."

Do you think Natalie should have been able to present her project? Should public schools go even further and encourage teachers to introduce students to Harvey's life story?

To see video of Natalie discussing the controversy, read more.

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Front Page: Gay Marriage Supporters Plan Next Move

TresSugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 08:00:48 -0700

Supporters of gay marriage took to the streets in California to protest yesterday's ruling on Prop. 8. Many also are looking forward, planning the next battle in the fight. - SF Chronicle
The makers of Slumdog Millionaire met with the film's two impoverished child actors in Mumbai today. - AP
President Obama is spending the day in Las Vegas on a fund-raising trip. - USA Today
AT&T may have swayed American Idol voting by giving phones for free text-message services and lessons in casting blocks of votes at parties supporting Kris Allen. - New York Times
Pundit Tucker Carlson has plans to start a conservative website similar to the Huffington Post. - The Hill
If you're curious, here are some pictures from inside George W. Bush's new home. - The Daily News

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Prop. 8 Upheld, While Existing Marriages Ruled Valid

TresSugar — Tue, 26 May 2009 10:25:14 -0700

Proposition 8, the same-sex marriage ban approved by California voters last November, has been upheld by the state supreme court by a 6-1 vote. The court also ruled that the 18,000 existing same-sex marriages issued between June and November 2008 are valid as well. Thanks to Proposition 8, some of California's same-sex couples will be legally married, while others will no longer have access to the privilege.

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How Republican Meg Whitman Plans on Winning Women's Vote

TresSugar — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 07:00:00 -0700

Last week San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom announced his candidacy for CA governor with a tweet heard round the state. But he's not the only candidate with technological savvy. Meg Whitman, the former CEO of Internet giant eBay, announced her bid back in February. Whitman, a Republican, wants to become the first woman to run the golden state. She was a national co-chair of John McCain's campaign, but her work experience lies in the private sector.

I chatted with the chair of Meg's Women's Coalition, Jillian Manis, to find out how Meg plans to appeal to women for votes. From our conversation, I got the sense that Meg sees herself as a different breed of Republican than, say, a certain female governor from Alaska.

While she's fiscally conservative, Meg is pro-choice and has a bit of a tangled stance on gay marriage - she voted for Prop. 8 because she personally feels marriage should be between a man and a woman, but she claims to respect everyone's position. In other words, she doesn't want to make opposition to same-sex marriage a crucial plank in her platform. Here's a recap of my conversation with Jillian.

Why will Meg appeal to women?
First of all, I don't think women vote for a gender. I really don't think they vote for a party for the most part, either. I think they vote for the person. And I think that Meg is a person that represents a leadership perspective that is both domestic and global, which will be extremely helpful right now as this world is flat and we do need to create relationships with other states and countries to move our state forward. (By working at eBay) she understands what interdependence is, what community building is.
Positions on female reproductive rights, especially abortion, typically separate the two parties. How does Meg explain her pro-choice position, since it's unlikely for a Republican candidate?
I think Meg has always preached inclusion. I think she very much respects people's choices. . . She's not going to force her own personal choices on others. That's not about working together that's about driving each other apart. I would say I'm socially moderate and fiscally conservative, but that has been redefined here in California and definitely in the Republican party. We are definitely more progressive and more inclusive than the rest of the country vis-a-vis our party. I know Sarah Palin doesn't represent me.
So Meg is pro-choice because she doesn't want to force her own choices on others. How was her Pro Proposition 8 stance consistence with her stance on abortion?

To see Jillian's response to this question, and for more on Meg's thoughts on gay marriage, read more.

Meg never gave money to Prop 8. She never made a public stand on Prop 8. It basically came down to when she went into the voting booth she voted for her personal choice. And that is something we have to respect. It doesn't mean she's going to change the laws. I am personally pro-life, but I am publicly pro-choice. I would never force my choice, nor would she, on somebody else.
Miss California came out against gay marriage personally, which she says cost her the crown. Obviously Miss USA and governor are different, but do you think that Meg's personal support of a constitutional amendment that ended gay marriage could derail her chance to be governor?
Well, I would hope not because we have too many big problems on our plate here in California and everything that Meg Whitman represents should be weighed equally. . . Her ability to stimulate this economy, to give people jobs, to re-energize, to apply technology to make government more efficient, to look at clean tech solutions for our environment, these are things that we should look at. . . So to make gay marriage the center piece of this election than shame us! And by the way we need to respect her as she's respecting us. And she does respect a women's right to choice and she does respect every body's choice.

From what you've read, do you think Meg sounds like a different kind of Republican candidate, or do you find her stances predictable?

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