TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg that requires school districts to include instruction on the societal contributions of persons with disabilities and of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals was passed out of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee today.
“So many of the perceptions we have as adults were shaped when we were children,” said Senator Weinberg (D-Bergen). “It is essential that young people, while still in school, learn about the enormous contributions made to our society by members of the LGBT community and by persons with disabilities. We blot out stereotypes with the boldface type of knowledge.
“New Jersey is a diverse state – that is one of our greatest assets. Ensuring that our schools include in their curriculum’s information about how these two groups have enriched our society ensures that future generations of New Jerseyans will be better informed and more inclusive.”
The bill, S-1569, would require boards of education to provide instruction on the political, economic and social contributions of persons with disabilities and of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the curriculum of middle school and high school students as part of the district’s implementation of the Core Curriculum Content Standards in Social Studies.
The bill is modeled after the California “Fair, Accurate, Inclusive and Respectful Education Act” which went into effect in 2012.
The bill passed out of committee by a vote of 9-2-2 and advances to the full Senate for further consideration.