In the state of Washington, it’s okay to say gay.
A new law in the Evergreen State will require public schools to include the contributions and history of LGBTQ people in its curricula.
Signed by Gov. Jay Inslee on March 18, Senate Bill 5462 requires school districts adopt curricula that include “diverse, equitable, inclusive, age-appropriate instructional materials” that reflect the history of historically underrepresented groups.
“The contributions of gay Washingtonians deserve recognition and just as importantly, students deserve to see themselves in their schoolwork,” said Sen. Marko Liias (D-Edmonds), the bill sponsor, in a statement. “That leads to better attendance, better academic achievement and better overall quality of life, ensuring success of all our students.”
Six other states — California, Colorado, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey and Oregon — have similar mandates to include LGBTQ representation in public school academic curricula.
Washington joining the group prompted condemnation from the anti-LGBTQ website, Libs of TikTok, which posted on X: “Your kids will be forced to learn about Dylan Mulvaney and drag queens. Homeschool your kids.”
Washington educators have until June 2025 to craft a model policy, procedure and instructional materials that comply with the new standards.
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