LA LGBT Youth Advocates Coalition Celebrates FAIR Education Act

The following press release was sent to Patch by Rev. Jerrell Walls, Founder and Pastor of

The LA LGBT Youth Advocates Coalition (YAC) celebrates the passage of the Fair, Accurate, Inclusive, and Respectful (FAIR) Education Act (SB 48).  The FAIR Education Act requires California schools to integrate age-appropriate, factual information about social movements, current events, and the history of people with disabilities and LGBT people into existing social studies lessons which already include the contributions of men, women, people of color, diverse ethnic communities, and other historically underrepresented groups. The FAIR Education Act was signed into law on July 14, 2011 and went into effect January 1, 2012, but is still not implemented.

The California Department of Education previously recognized the cost of invisibility to our students by when over the last 50 years they have already mandated that schools recognize the positive contributions of other historically marginalized communities, including African Americans, women, Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans, and now, LGBT Americans, Asian Pacific Islanders, and differently abled people.  Dr. Steve Krantz, YAC leader, believes that   “the FAIR Education Act is crucial not only for LGBT students and families, but for all of our students who must learn to function competently in an increasingly diverse and global society.”

Several school districts including the Los Angeles Unified School District and San Francisco Unified School District have taken a proactive approach to the FAIR Education Act and allocated the required resources for their K-12 teachers.  Michael Ferrera, Director of the LA Gay and Lesbian Center’s LifeWorks Program, strongly urges all California school districts to implement this important law immediately. “Delaying implementation unintentionally sends the message to schools that their LGBT students and families are not important.” 

The YAC stands ready to assist in providing no-cost consultation, resources and recommendations for appropriate instructional materials (e.g. early history and contributions of LGBT persons) to any requesting school district.

Children’s Hospital LA

Christ Chapel of the Valley

Congregation Kol-Ami

Connect to Protect LA

Friends of Project 10

GLIDE

GSA Network

LA County Child Abuse Prevention Council

LA Gay & Lesbian Center (LifeWorks)

CSW - LA Pride

Metropolitan Community Church - LA

Penny Lane Centers

PFLAG LA

Rise Up and Shout

The Trevor Project

Trans Youth Family Allies

UCLA LGBT Campus Resource Center

USC LGBT Resource Center

West Hollywood LGBT Advisory Board

  “LGBT youth face the same developmental challenges as all adolescents. At the same time, they also experience stigmatization, discrimination as members of an oppressed group. Educating students regarding the contributions of LGBT Americans is one way to reduce the isolation, and loneliness many LGBT youth experience, and increase respect and understanding among all students.”

-       Mark Abelsson, Chair of the LA LGBT Child Abuse Prevention Council, says,

“If an historical person’s accomplishments are taught in school, important personal characteristics, such as race, disability or sexual orientation, should be included as well.”

-       The Rev. Jerrell Walls, Founder and Pastor of Christ Chapel of the Valley

 “The FAIR Education Act will introduce students to a new chapter of America’s evolving civil rights movement and promote respect for the LGBT students on campus.”

-       Vincent E. Vigil, Ed. D., Director of the University of Southern California LGBT Resource Center

“As the father of a young man who happens to be gay, I know what my son suffered in school without any LGBT role models.  Any delay in implementing the FAIR Education Act means more bullied, depressed LGBT youth contemplating suicide – California schools should not wait for new 2015 textbooks.”

-       Dr. Steve Krantz, Director of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) Southern Pacific Region

 “To become a productive citizen all students must be able to function in a diverse society.”

-       Dr. Virginia Uribe, Founder and Executive Director, Friends of Project 10 Inc.